Shire of West Wimmera

The Shire of West Wimmera is a local government area in the western part of the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of 9,108 square kilometres (3,517 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 3,862.^[1] It includes the towns of Apsley, Edenhope, Goroke, Gymbowen, Harrow, Kaniva, Minimay, Nurcoung and Serviceton. It was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Kaniva and parts of the Shire of Kowree, Shire of Arapiles and Shire of Glenelg.^[2]

Shire of West Wimmera Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population	3,862 (2018)[1]
• Density	0.42402/km2 (1.09821/sq mi)
Established	1995
Gazetted	20 January 1995[2]
Area	9,108 km2 (3,516.6 sq mi)[1]
Mayor	Cr Bruce Meyer
Council seat	Edenhope
Region	Grampians
State electorate(s)	Lowan
Federal division(s)	Mallee
Website	Shire of West Wimmera
LGAs around Shire of West Wimmera: Southern Mallee (SA) Mildura Hindmarsh Tatiara (SA) Shire of West Wimmera Horsham Naracoorte Lucindale (SA) Glenelg Southern Grampians

The Shire is governed and administered by the West Wimmera Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Edenhope, it also has a service centre located in Kaniva. The Shire is named after the Wimmera region, in which the LGA occupies the western portion. The LGA is also located entirely to the west of the Wimmera River, which actually meanders through another municipality to the east, that is the Rural City of Horsham.

Council

Current composition

The council is composed of five councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality.^[3] Council Composition as of November 2022.^[3]

Ward	Councillor		Notes
Unsubdivided		Helen Hobbs
		Tim Meyer	Mayor
		Jodie Pretlove	Deputy Mayor
		Richard William Hicks
		Tom Houlihan

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers in the Edenhope and Kaniva Municipal Offices. It also provides customer services at both centres.

Controversies

In April 2022, Mayor Bruce Meyer caused outrage by likening requests to display the internationally recognised LGBTIQ+ pride flag to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) to the promotion of pedophilia.^[4]

Townships and localities

The 2021 census documented the shire's population at 4,006, up from 3,903 in the 2016 census.^[5]

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Apsley	277	329
Benayeo	61	69
Big Desert^	3	8
Bringalbert	12	6
Broughton^	145	65
Charam	38	42
Chetwynd^	86	85
Connewirricoo	24	23
Dergholm^	43	57
Dorodong	38	21

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Douglas^	65	74
Edenhope	946	937
Goroke	299	295
Grass Flat^	*	#
Gymbowen	52	60
Harrow^	200	184
Kadnook	41	41
Kaniva^	803	891
Karnak	12	9
Langkoop	111	100

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Lawloit	15	14
Lillimur	110	112
Miga Lake	28	33
Minimay	84	64
Miram	40	36
Mitre^	69	66
Neuarpurr	55	56
Nurcoung	40	33
Ozenkadnook	30	25

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Patyah	62	58
Peronne	48	49
Poolaijelo	40	26
Powers Creek	15	5
Serviceton	120	129
Tarrayoukyan^	21	25
Telopea Downs	45	44
Ullswater	43	47
Wombelano	41	49

^ - Territory divided with another LGA
* - Not noted in 2016 Census
# - Not noted in 2021 Census

See also

• List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the Shire of West Wimmera