Shire of Victoria Plains

The Shire of Victoria Plains is a local government area in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north of the state capital, Perth. It covers an area of 2,569 square kilometres (992 sq mi), and its seat of government is the town of Calingiri.

Shire of Victoria Plains Western Australia
Victoria Plains shire offices, Calingiri, 2014
Location in Western Australia
Population	802 (LGA 2021)[1]
Established	1871
Area	2,569 km2 (991.9 sq mi)
Shire President	Pauline Bantock
Council seat	Calingiri
Region	Wheatbelt
State electorate(s)	Moore
Federal division(s)	Durack
Website	Shire of Victoria Plains
LGAs around Shire of Victoria Plains: Dandaragan Moora Wongan-Ballidu Gingin Shire of Victoria Plains Wongan-Ballidu Chittering Toodyay Goomalling

History

The Victoria Plains Road District was gazetted on 24 January 1871 covering an area extending as far north as Carnamah and east to the South Australian border.^[2] These areas gradually obtained their own local government over the next 40 years.

The Melbourne Road District separated on 10 February 1887.^[2]

On 11 December 1908, Moora Road District was gazetted and also separated.

As a result of the WA Local Government Act 1960, all remaining road districts became shires, including the Shire of Victoria Plains, on 1 July 1961.^[2]

Towns and localities

The towns and localities of the Shire of Victoria Plains with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census are as follows:^[3][4]

Locality	Population	Area	Map
Bolgart	128 (SAL 2021)[5]	261 km2 (101 sq mi)
Calingiri	198 (SAL 2021)[6]	196.9 km2 (76.0 sq mi)
Carani	29 (SAL 2021)[7]	190.5 km2 (73.6 sq mi)
Gillingarra	49 (SAL 2021)[8]	220.6 km2 (85.2 sq mi)
Glentromie	44 (SAL 2021)[9]	181.1 km2 (69.9 sq mi)
Mogumber	58 (SAL 2021)[10]	250.6 km2 (96.8 sq mi)
New Norcia	57 (SAL 2021)[11]	146.6 km2 (56.6 sq mi)
Old Plains	47 (SAL 2021)[12]	265.5 km2 (102.5 sq mi)
Piawaning	61 (SAL 2021)[13]	173.7 km2 (67.1 sq mi)
Waddington	26 (SAL 2016)[14][15]	163.3 km2 (63.1 sq mi)
Wyening	19 (SAL 2021)[16]	138.9 km2 (53.6 sq mi)
Yarawindah	23 (SAL 2016)[17][18]	200.2 km2 (77.3 sq mi)
Yerecoin	67 (SAL 2021)[19]	161.2 km2 (62.2 sq mi)

Presidents

Main article: List of shire presidents of Victoria Plains

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1911 880 —     1921 1,089 +2.15% 1933 1,241 +1.09% 1947 1,124 −0.70% 1954 1,810 +7.04% 1961 2,030 +1.65% 1966 1,785 −2.54% 1971 1,700 −0.97% 1976 1,493 −2.56%

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1981 1,332 −2.26% 1986 1,243 −1.37% 1991 1,079 −2.79% 1996 943 −2.66% 2001 963 +0.42% 2006 903 −1.28% 2011 895 −0.18% 2016 910 +0.33% 2021 802 −2.50%

Heritage-listed places

Main article: List of State Register of Heritage Places in the Shire of Victoria Plains

As of 2023, 206 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Victoria Plains,^[20] of which five are on the State Register of Heritage Places.^[21]