This is a list of the mayors of the City of Greater Bendigo a local government area in Victoria, Australia, and its pre-amalgamation predecessors: the Sandhurst Municipal Council, the City of Sandhurst, the City of Bendigo and the Borough of Eaglehawk. The City of Greater Bendigo was formed in 1994 by the amalgamation of the City of Bendigo with the Borough of Eaglehawk, Shire of Strathfieldsaye, Shire of Huntly and parts of the Rural City of Marong and Shire of McIvor.
The current mayor is Thomas Prince who was voted into the position by councillors in 2025 while the current deputy mayor is Karen Corr, who was also voted into the position by councillors in 2025.
Overview Formation of the council The first Sandhurst Municipal Council election was held on 10 January 1856; the first meeting occurred on 14 January, where Edward Nucella Emmett was appointed the council's first Chairman. The council consisted of seven members, including the Chairman. The first duties of the council included the formation of a ratepayers role, the appointment of officers, and the assessment of properties within the municipality. In September 1863, Sandhurst became a borough, resulting in the number of council members increasing to nine.
In 1867, three wards were created, named after the three most recent Governors of Victoria: Darling, Barkly, and Sutton. Three councillors were required for each ward; each councillor, elected by ratepayers, selected the wards they wished to represent. Each councillor was elected for a three-year term.
Elections Following the annual council election, the mayor is elected by councillors. The mayor holds office for one year only, but is eligible for re-election.
Mayoral chain On 4 July 1893, a mayoral chain was introduced for the City of Sandhurst; the idea for introducing the chain had been suggested by mayor Joseph Henry Abbott the previous year. Constructed from gold harvested during Bendigo's gold rush, the mayoral chain was created by Bendigo jeweller F. N. Prescott. A large gold medallion, presented by George Lansell and bearing the City of Bendigo coat of arms, was included on the chain. At their own expense, each past mayor was asked to supply a link for the chain, engraved with their name, monogram and year of office; most surviving mayors, and the relatives of those who had died, provided a link to the chain.
In February 1998, a new mayoral chain was created for the newly-amalgamated City of Greater Bendigo, created by Tony Kean from gold harvested in the Central Deborah Gold Mine. The crests of each of the former Bendigo municipalities that had existed before council amalgamation were featured on individual links of the chain. The chain was designed to hold thirty links to accommodate future mayors. New links in the chain will be funded by the council.
Bendigo
Sandhurst Municipal Council (1856–1871) From 1856 until 1871, Sandhurst Municipal Council leaders were referred to as "Chairmen". #PortraitChairmanWardTerm1 Edward Nucella Emmett 1856–18572 James Forrester Sullivan 1857–18583 William Vazie Simons 1858–18604 Joseph Henry Abbott 1860–18615 James Joseph Casey 18616 Robert Strickland 1861–18627 Robert Burrowes 1862–18638 John McIntyreDarling 1863–18689 John Holmes Darling1868–186910 George Aspinall Barkly1869–1870 11 James BoydSutton1870–1871
City of Sandhurst (1871–1891) On 21 July 1871, the Sandhurst Municipal Council became the City of Sandhurst. All subsequent council leaders were referred to as "Mayors", with James Boyd being the first mayor of the City of Sandhurst. #PortraitMayorWardTerm1 James Boyd Sutton1870–18712 Dugald Macdougall Sutton1871–18733 George Aspinall Barkly1873–18744 John Augustus Woodward Sutton1874–18755 Robert Clark Barkly1875–18766 Henry Hattam Sutton18767 Ebenezer Neill Barkly1876–18778 Alexander Bayne Darling1877–18789 David Chaplin SterrySutton1878–1879(4) John Augustus Woodward Sutton1879–188010 Patrick Hayes Barkly1880–188111 Walter George Jackson Darling1881–188212 Abraham Harkness Sutton1882–188313 Alfred Shrapnell BailesBarkly1883-188414 John Delbridge Sutton1884–188515 Samuel Henry McGowan Barkly1885–1886(10) Patrick Hayes Barkly1886–188716 Thomas Jefferson Connelly Darling1887–188817 Jacob Isaac Cohn Darling1888–188918 John Paul Carolin Darling1889–189019 John Roberts Hoskins Sutton1890–1891
City of Bendigo (1891–1994) On 8 May 1891, Sandhurst was renamed Bendigo; the first mayor of the City of Bendigo was Joseph Henry Abbott. #PortraitMayorWardTerm20 Joseph Henry Abbott Darling1891–189321 Daniel Barnet Lazarus Sutton1893–189422 Conrad Heinz Barkly1894–1895(21) Daniel Barnet Lazarus Sutton1895–189623 Harry Montague Marks Darling1896–1897(12) Abraham Harkness Sutton1897–1899(15) Samuel Henry McGowan Barkly1899–190024 Simeon RyanBarkly1900–190125 John Roberts Hoskins Sutton1901–190226 James Henry Curnow Sutton1902–190427 Ambrose DunstanBarkly1904–190528 Luke Murphy Darling1905–190629 James Semmens Barkly1906–1907(18) John Paul Carolin Darling1907–190830 Andrew Harkness Sutton1908–190931 David John Andrew Sutton1909–191032 William Henry Wilkie Barkly1910–191133 Harry Astwood Ross Sutton1911–1912(26) James Henry Curnow Sutton1912–1913(31) David John AndrewSutton1913–1914(32) William Henry Wilkie Barkly1914–191534 William Beebe Darling1915–191735 Richard Hartley Smith Abbott Darling1917–1918(27) Ambrose DunstanBarkly1918–1919(26) James Henry Curnow Sutton1919–1920(31) David John AndrewSutton1920–192136 James Edward Holland Sutton1921–192237 Michael Gabriel GiudiceSutton1922–192438 Ernest Morton Vains Sutton1924–192539 William Ewing Darling1925–192640 John Andrew Michelsen Barkly1926–1927(26) James Henry Curnow Sutton1927–192841 Edwin George Batchelder Sutton1928–192942 Michael Eugene O'Brien Barkly1929–193043 William Henry Taylor Darling1930–193144 George Dawson Garvin Sutton1931–193245 Frederick Conrad Niemann Sutton1932–193346 George Bennetts Darling1933–193447 Albert Staples Sutton1934–1935(40) John Andrew Michelsen Barkly1935–193648 William May Bolton Sutton1936–1937(43) William Henry Taylor Darling1937–1938(44) George Dawson Garvin Sutton1938–1939(47) Albert Staples Darling1939–194049 George Albert Pethard Darling1940–194150 Alfred John Anderson Barkly1941–1942(40) John Andrew Michelsen Barkly1941–1942(43) William Henry Taylor Darling1942–194351 Leslie William Galvin Sutton1944–194552 Anthony T. Truscott Barkly1945–194653 David William Streader Sutton1946–1947(49) George Albert Pethard Darling1947–194854 Ernest Frederick Granger Darling1948–194955 Robert Poulston Barkly1949–195056 Norman Joseph Oliver Darling1950–1951(49) George Albert Pethard Darling1951–195257 Thomas Richard FloodBarkly1952–195358 Frederick William ClaytonSutton1953–1954(55) Robert Poulston Barkly1954–195559 Henry William Snell Darling1955–195660 Alexander Sadler CraigBarkly1956–1957(57) Thomas Richard FloodBarkly1957–1958(58) Henry William SnellDarling1958–196061 Rupert Harold Thomas WilsonDarling1960–1961(58) Frederick William ClaytonBarkly1961–196262 Roy Alexander RaeBarkly1962–1963(59) Alexander Sadler CraigBarkly1963–1964(56) Norman Joseph Oliver Darling1964–196563 Roy Francis (Dick) Turner Sutton1965–1966(57) Thomas Richard FloodBarkly1966–196764 Rodney Warren CambridgeBarkly1967–1968(57) Thomas Richard FloodBarkly1968–196965 James Clarkson McCoy (Clark) Jeffrey Darling1969–1970(56) Norman Joseph Oliver Darling1970–197166 Douglas Ewan Elliott Sutton1971–197267 Joseph Patrick Pearce Darling1972–1973(59) Alexander Sadler CraigBarkly1973–1974(63) Roy Francis (Dick) Turner Sutton1974–197568 Robert Lindsay Campbell Sutton1975–197669 Robert Russell Cooper Barkly1976–1977(63) Roy Francis (Dick) Turner Sutton1977–197870 Eugene Carl Sandner Barkly1978–1979(68) Robert Lindsay Campbell Sutton1979–198071 Paul T. Tomkinson Barkly1980–198172 Christopher David Stoltz Sutton1981–1982(67) Joseph Patrick Pearce Darling1982–198373 Peter Mansell Barkly1983–1984(67) Joseph Patrick Pearce Darling1984–198574 Norman Francis Quin Darling1985–198675 Michael Alexander Anthony Currie Sutton1986–198776 Colin Mayne Nankervis Barkly1987–198877 Robin L. Adams Barkly1988–198978 Peter R. Morley Barkly1989–199079 James Douglass Darling1990–199380 Andrew John Balsillie Darling1993–1994
Commissioners (1994–1996) CommissionersTermPeter Ross-Edwards (Chairman)1994–1996Les Crofts1993–1995Maxine Crouch1995–1996Gordon McKern1993–1994Maurie Sharkey1994–1996
City of Greater Bendigo (1996–present) In 1996, seven newly-named wards were created for the amalgamated City of Greater Bendigo. They were: Grassy Flat, Whipstick, Sandhurst, Eppalock, Diamond Hill, Fortuna and Eaglehawk. In 2004, a nine-ward structure was introduced. The new wards were: Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, Flora Hill, North West Plains, Sandhurst, Eaglehawk; Epsom, Strathfieldsayed and Eppalock. In 2012, a "three ward, three councillor" system was reintroduced, the wards being named: Whipstick, Lockwood, and Eppalock.
In 2016, the new position of deputy mayor was introduced. In 2024, the council reverted back to a nine-ward structure. The new wards were Epsom, Kennington, Whipstick, Eppalock, Lockwood, Axedale, Golden Square, Lake Weeroona and Ravenswood. #MayorWardTerm1 Megan Weston Eaglehawk1996–19972 Barry Ackerman Grassy Flat1997–19983 Maurie Sharkey Whipstick1998–19994 Daryl McClure Sandhurst1999–20005 Laurie Whelan Eppalock2000–2001(2) Barry Ackerman Grassy Flat2001–20026 Willi Carney Eaglehawk2002–20037 Rod Fyffe Fortuna2003–20048 Greg Williams Eppalock2004(7) Rod Fyffe Golden Square2004–20059 David JonesKangaroo Flat2005–200610 Julie Rivendell Flora Hill2006–2007(9) David Jones Kangaroo Flat2007–200811 Kevin Gibbins North West Plains2008–200912 Rod Campbell Eppalock2009–2010(7) Rod Fyffe Golden Square2010–201113 Alec Sandner Flora Hill2011–201214 Lisa RuffellWhipstick2012–201315 Barry Lyons Lockwood2013–201416 Peter Cox Whipstick2014–2015(7) Rod Fyffe Lockwood2015–201617 Margaret O'Rourke Eppalock2016–202018Jennifer AldenLockwood2020–202119 Andrea Metcalf Whipstick2021–2025Epsom Ward20Thomas PrinceLake Weeroona2025–present
Deputy mayors (2016–present) #Deputy MayorWardTerm1 Rod FyffeLockwood2016–20172 Jennifer Alden Lockwood2017–2018(1) Rod Fyffe Lockwood2018–20193 Matt Emond Lockwood2019–20205 Andrea Metcalf Whipstick2020–20216 Matthew Evans Eppalock2021–2022(2) Jennifer Alden Lockwood2022–2023(6) Matthew EvansEppalock2023–20247 Abhishek AwasthiKennington2024–20258 Karen CorrGolden Square2025–present
Eaglehawk Borough of Eaglehawk (1862–1994) Prior to 1862, Eaglehawk was included under the Marong District Roads Board. Eaglehawk became a borough on 29 July 1862. The first council election for the Borough of Eaglehawk took place on 5 September 1862, where James Mouat was elected Eaglehawk's first and only Chairman. (Information pertains up to 1891 only.) (Information pertains up to 1909 only.) John Thomas Caldwell was the first Mayor of Eaglehawk.
The council comprised nine members, including the mayor. In 1984, the council purchased "Caradon", an historic two-story house located in Victoria Street, Eaglehawk, which served as the council's municipal office. The property was sold in 1997 by the City of Greater Bendigo.