Shire of Bacchus Marsh

The Shire of Bacchus Marsh was a local government area about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 565 square kilometres (218.1 sq mi), and existed from 1862 until 1994.

Shire of Bacchus Marsh Victoria
Location in Victoria
The Shire of Bacchus Marsh as at its dissolution in 1994
Population	12,590 (1992)[1]
• Density	22.283/km2 (57.71/sq mi)
Established	1862
Area	565 km2 (218.1 sq mi)
Council seat	Bacchus Marsh
Region	Grampians
County	Bourke, Grant
LGAs around Shire of Bacchus Marsh: Kyneton Newham & Woodend Gisborne Ballan Shire of Bacchus Marsh Melton Ballan Corio Werribee

History

Bacchus Marsh was first incorporated as a road district on 14 October 1862, and became a shire on 23 January 1871. On 15 March 1911, it annexed part of the Lara Riding of the Shire of Corio, and on 5 February 1921, part of the shire was annexed to the Shire of Kyneton.^[2]

On 15 December 1994, the Shire of Bacchus Marsh was abolished, and along with the Shire of Ballan, was merged into the Shire of Moorabool, which was created earlier in May 1994 after the merger of the Shire of Bungaree and parts of the Shire of Buninyong.^[3]

Wards

The Shire of Bacchus Marsh was divided into four ridings in 1975, each of which elected three councillors:

• Bacchus Riding
• Coimadai Riding
• Parwan Riding
• Pentland Riding

Towns and localities

• Bacchus Marsh*
• Balliang
• Coimadai
• Darley
• Hopetoun Park
• Korobeit
• Maddingley
• Myrniong
• Parwan
• Rowsley

* Council seat.

Population

Year	Population
1954	3,972
1958	4,290*
1961	4,411
1966	4,690
1971	5,083
1976	6,052
1981	7,513
1986	9,342
1991	11,854

* Estimate in 1958 Victorian Year Book.