The Bass Coast Shire is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the southeastern part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 35,327. It includes the towns of Bass, Cape Paterson, Cape Woolamai, Corinella, Coronet Bay, Cowes, Inverloch, Kilcunda, Lang Lang, Newhaven, Rhyll, San Remo, Summerlands and Wonthaggi as well as the historic locality of Krowera. It also includes the popular tourist destination Phillip Island.
The Shire is governed and administered by the Bass Coast Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is the council headquarters in Wonthaggi, with other service centres located in Cowes, Grantville and Inverloch. The Shire is named after its most precious asset, the coasts of Bass Strait and Western Port.
History The Bass Coast Shire was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Bass, Shire of Phillip Island and Borough of Wonthaggi, as well as parts of the Shire of Woorayl, Shire of Korumburra and City of Cranbourne.
Council Current composition
The council is composed of three wards and nine councillors, with three councillors elected to represent each ward. WardPartyCouncillorNotesBunurong Independent Les Larke Independent National Brett Tessari Independent Labor Leticia Laing Island Independent Ron Bauer President of the Reason Party in Victoria from 2017 until 2018. Independent David Rooks Independent Michael Whelan Westernport Independent Clare Le Serve Current Mayor (2023/24) Independent Labor Geoff Ellis Independent Rochelle Halstead Deputy Mayor (2023/24)
2020 election results
Administration and governance The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Wonthaggi Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Wonthaggi, and its service centre in Cowes.
Townships and localities At the 2021 census, the shire had a population of 40,789, as compared to 32,804 in the 2016 census.
Population Locality 2016 2021 59 83 48 66 28 26 22 32 359 405 891 1,111 1,676 2,301 0 0 791 1,181 791 1,108 4,839 6,593 583 843 165 182 106 118 831 1,168 37 62 ^ 5,437 6,526 97 106 100 118 396 578 ^ 197 207 ^ 108 134 136 143 ^ 1,585 2,556 ^ 638 707 449 547 2,806 3,475 ^ 235 270 352 365 ^ 104 126 * # 568 836 271 324 1,254 1,700 211 322 226 315 461 421 49 44 0 0 234 306 427 503 533 670 184 206 191 243 855 982 177 250 109 113 373 421 4,965 5,215 125 126 208 245 ^ - Territory divided with another LGA * - Not noted in 2016 Census # - Not noted in 2021 Census
Facilities Local markets
Cape Paterson Swimming Rockpool – Safety Beach, Browns Bay, Surf Beach Road Bunurong Marine Park
Wonthaggi Lower Powlett Road – Williamsons Beach, Powlett River, Wonthaggi Wind Farm and Victorian Desalination Plant (tours and walking/cycling/horse riding) Bass Coast Rail Trail – walk/cycle/horse trot Historic mine whistle – sounds 12 noon every day in the centre of Wonthaggi, mine shaft tower, Apex Park, Murray Street Wonthaggi Museum – open Saturday mornings, Murray Street State Coal Mine – museum and tours, Garden Street Coal mine ruins – Number 5 Brace & the McBride tunnel entry, off West Area Road Wonthaggi and scattered around the region Wonthaggi Golf Course – 18 hole, par 72, ACR 70, easy walk, McKenzie Street Large chain stores Wonthaggi Hospital – Smoking ban, Graham Street
Phillip Island Phillip Island Penguin Parade Australian motorcycle Grand Prix Nobbies Centre at Seal Rocks
Krowera Garlic Farm, Olive Farm, Wayside Lookout, Dairy Farms
Kilcunda Kilcunda Trestle Bridge
Inverloch Inverloch Shell Museum and Dinosaur Exhibition
Protected areas Collecting empty seashells, driftwood, twigs, sea glass and other non-living materials or interesting rubbish of small size and in small quantities is legal from most beaches along the Bass Coast, with the exception of Wilsons Promontory, the Bunurong Marine National Park and most of Phillip Island.
On Phillip Island most beaches are off-limits for shell collecting and are run by Phillip Island Nature Parks, with the exceptions of Ventnor, Cowes, Rhyll and Newhaven.
The Bunurong Marine National Park is a middle outstretching section of Bunurong Marine Park along the coastline of Harmers Haven, Cape Paterson and Inverloch. The restricted zone (Bunurong Marine National Park inside Bunurong Marine Park) is an area south-west past Cape Paterson's Safety Beach and Undertow Bay; namely The Oaks, Twin Reefs, Shack Bay and Eagles Nest.
See also List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in Bass Coast Shire Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve
References
External links
Bass Coast Shire Council official website Metlink local public transport map Link to Land Victoria interactive maps Bass Coast Security