The City of Melton is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, on Melbourne's western rural–urban fringe.

It covers , and as of the , Melton had a population of 178,960.

It is governed by the Melton City Council. The seat of local government and administrative offices are located at Council headquarters in Melton, the settlement after which the city takes its name which lies at the western end of the LGA and is currently its largest urban area with a population of over 54,000.

City of Melton has a rapid population growth rate, ranked 3rd fastest among LGAs in Victoria in 2010. It was granted city status in 2012.

History

Melton was first incorporated as a district on 16 September 1862, and became a shire on 24 May 1871. Parts of the north and south ridings of the Shire of Braybrook (later City of Sunshine) were annexed to Melton as the Rockbank Riding on 24 May 1916, and this was added to in 1951. Other minor boundary adjustments with Bulla and Keilor occurred in May 1959. The Shire had a total area of . Accessed at State Library of Victoria, La Trobe Reading Room.

In 1994, following large-scale statewide local government reform, Melton acquired the Exford district from the City of Werribee, growing to its present size.

Since the early 1970s the Shire had undergone tremendous population growth and , Melton was one of Victoria's fastest-growing local government areas along with neighbouring Wyndham.

After several years of community consultation to defer applying for city status until it had reached 150,000, the council nevertheless reversed the decision and city status was granted in September, 2012. The first elected Mayor under the 'City" status was Kathy Majdlik.

In the 2020 Local Government elections, Melton had its first Aboriginal Councillor elected, Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg (a Wiradjuri woman, the first Aboriginal Councillor in Melbourne's western suburbs).

The 1994 boundary between Melton and the City of Wyndham cut through the land set aside for urban development at Eynesbury. On 1 July 2026, the City of Melton's southern boundary was shifted outwards so as to unite this land in a single LGA.

Art and culture Bush ballad "Click Go the Shears" was first published in 1891 in a local newspaper by "C.C. of Eynesbury". Eynesbury was a homestead and grazing property owned by Samuel Staughton.

CS Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space located at Caroline Springs Library and Learning Hub. It provides opportunities for artists and groups to exhibit and does not charge fees or commission. Melton Library and Learning Hub provides a number of hanging walls for the presentation of visual art and community exhibitions.

Administration

Council

The City's area is divided into ten wards, each electing a single member. The Councillors elect a mayor from among the council's members.

Following the 2024 local election, the current councillors are:

WardPartyCouncillorNotes Bullum Bullum  Independent Labor Steve Abboushi Mayor Cambrian  Independent Bob Turner Coolibah  Independent Brandi Morris Hilltop  Independent Labor John Verdon Jackwood  Independent Labor Ashleigh Vandenberg Lake Caroline  Independent Kathy Majdlik Mount Atkinson  Independent Labor Phillip Zada Stringybark  Independent Liberal Julie Shannon Sugar Gum  Independent Labor Lara Carli Deputy Mayor Watts  Independent Sophie Ramsey

Townships and localities The city had a population of 178,960 at the 2021 census, up from 135,443 recorded at the 2016 census.

Population Locality 2016 2021 * 7,982 * 333 9,216 10,782 4,751 5,800 6,072 6,377 24,205 24,488 * 3,601 * 654 ^ 2,763 5,669 107 133 ^ 2,577 2,838 * # * 9,097 * 132 * 12,463 ^ 193 290 10,070 10,711 8,069 7,953 11,517 11,362 17,589 8,784 ^ 569 496 ^ 170 188 4,324 79 1,157 2,295 1,536 2,583 * 3,997 14,921 15,419 * 3,066 ^ 724 818 ^ 20,687 36,305 * 4,398

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

Population

Year Population AnnualGrowth (%) 1954 1,424 N/A 1958 1,5801958, 1983 and 1988 Victorian Year Book 2.63 1961 1,804 4.52 1966 2,542 7.10 1971 5,974 18.64 1976 13,856 18.32 1981 21,300 8.98 1986 29,500 6.73 1991 35,695 3.89 1996 39,109 1.84 2001 51,685 5.73 2006 78,448 8.70 2011 109,259 7.86 2016 135,443 2021 178,960

Residential estates Recent large housing projects include: Atherstone, within the new suburbs of Cobblebank and Strathtulloh. ($1.2 billion). Eynesbury Township. Waterford Estate, in the suburb of Weir Views. Woodlea, within the new suburb of Aintree. Seventh Bend, within the new suburb of Weir Views.

See also List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the City of Melton

References

External links

Melton City Council home page Public Transport Victoria local public transport map Link to Land Victoria interactive maps