Mitchell Shire is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located North of Melbourne. It covers an area of and, in April 2024, had a projected population of 61,362. Larger towns include Beveridge, Broadford, Kilmore, Seymour, Tallarook, Pyalong and Wallan.
The Shire is governed and administered by Mitchell Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the Council headquarters in Broadford, it also has service centres located in Kilmore, Beveridge, Seymour and Wallan. The Shire is named after an early British surveyor and explorer, Major Thomas Mitchell, who explored the south-eastern part of Australia, and whose return route for his third expedition passed through the present-day LGA.
The Shire is Victoria’s fastest growing regional municipality. By 2041 it is expected that 170,000 people will live in Mitchell Shire. It is anticipated that most of this growth will occur in and around the southern townships of Beveridge, Kilmore/Kilmore East and Wallan.
History The Mitchell Shire was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Pyalong, the Shire of Kilmore, most of the Shire of Broadford and Rural City of Seymour, and parts of the Shire of McIvor.
Council Current composition
The Council is composed of three wards and nine councillors, with three councillors per ward elected to represent each ward. WardCouncillorNotesCentral Nathan Clark Independent. Timothy Hanson Independent Bob Humm IndependentNorth John Dougall (Mayor) Independent Ned Jeffery Independent Andrea Pace IndependentSouth Bob Cornish (Deputy Mayor) Independent Riley Evans Independent Claudia James Independent
Administration and governance Mitchell Shire Council meets in the Council Chambers at Mitchell Civic Centre in Broadford. It also has Customer and Library Service Centres in Broadford, Kilmore, Seymour and Wallan.
Townships and localities The population of Mitchell Shire has grown significantly over the early 21st century. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing, the population was 30,928 in 2006, 34,637 in 2011, 40,918 in 2016, and 49,460 in 2021. The forecast population for 2026 is 69,600.
Locality 2006 2011 2016 2021 Avenel^ 815 1,047 1,049 1,112 Beveridge^ 1,193 870 2,328 4,642 Broadford 3,621 4,175 4,319 4,592 Bylands^ # # 131 117 Clonbinane 686 381 333 347 Flowerdale^ # 429 689 790 Forbes # # 121 158 Glenaroua # # 156 208 Glenhope # # 76 66 Glenhope East # # 26 17 Heathcote Junction 885 847 838 811 Heathcote South # # 18 22 High Camp # # 106 122 Highlands^ # 219 122 151 Hilldene 405 452 340 330 Kilmore 5,231 6,678 7,955 9,207 Kilmore East # 351 418 450 Mangalore^ # 210 180 183 Mia Mia^ # 264 173 213 Moranding # # 185 193 Northwood # # 193 203 Nulla Vale # # 69 96 Puckapunyal 1,177 1,154 1,075 1,108 Pyalong 653 735 660 772 Reedy Creek # 242 164 157 Seymour 6,301 6,370 6,332 6,569 Sugarloaf Creek 506 314 247 255 Sunday Creek # # 309 368 Tallarook 774 789 734 748 Tarcombe^ # # 39 32 Tooborac 275 404 309 319 Trawool^ # # 108 90 Tyaak # # 70 85 Upper Plenty 504 324 338 415 Wallan 6,641 8,504 11,076 15,004 Wandong 1,533 1,293 1,343 1,477 Waterford Park 205 202 192 217 Whiteheads Creek 522 373 353 347 Willowmavin 474 498 221 241 ^ - Territory divided with another LGA # - Not noted in Census
See also List of localities (Victoria) List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the Shire of Mitchell
References
External links Mitchell Shire Council official website Metlink local public transport map Link to Land Victoria interactive maps