Located at the geographic heart of Victoria, Central Goldfields Shire is home to just over 13,000 people. Maryborough is the Shire’s major business centre and is a health and retail centre for surrounding towns including Castlemaine, St Arnaud, Avoca, Talbot, Carisbrook, and Dunolly.
The Shire is part of the Goldfields Tourism Region, with many visitors coming to see the historic buildings and townships that date back to the 1850s when the region supported a prosperous gold mining industry, as well as visitors to the annual Energy Breakthrough event and the Highland Gathering. Central Goldfields Shire is bounded by Northern Grampians Shire in the north-west, Pyrenees Shire in the west, Hepburn Shire in the south, Mount Alexander Shire in the east and Loddon Shire in the north-east.
Agricultural industries are spread across the municipality and include grain, sheep grazing and broiler farming. The Shire is also home to a number of major manufacturing, infrastructure, agricultural, freight, printing and food production companies. The Shire’s road network assets include 512 km of sealed roads, 768 km of gravel roads and 110 bridges. Residents have access to affordable housing and a wide variety of health services, schools and recreational facilities.
Central Goldfields is part of the Small Shire council grouping and can be compared with similar councils. More information on council groupings can be found here.
Central Goldfields - Victoria in Future 2016
Central Goldfields Aboriginal Community Profile (includes Aboriginal organisations)
Adelaide Lead, Alma, Amherst, Archdale, Archdale Junction, Bealiba, Bet Bet, Betley, Bowenvale, Bromley, Bung Bong, Campbelltown, Caralulup, Carisbrook, Cotswold, Craigie, Daisy Hill, Dunach, Dunluce, Dunolly, Eddington, Emu, Flagstaff, Glengower, Golden Point, Goldsborough, Havelock, Inkerman, Joyces Creek, Lillicur, Majorca, Maryborough, Moliagul, Moolort, Moonlight Flat, Mount Cameron, Mount Glasgow, Mount Hooghly, Natte Yallock, Rathscar, Red Lion, Rodborough, Simson, Stony Creek, Strathlea, Talbot, Timor, Timor West and Wareek.
For a detailed map showing shire boundaries and locality names, visit VICNAMES.
Central Goldfields Shire Council Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey Results
Central Goldfield Shire Council Annual Report 2018/19
Central Goldfields Shire Council is a subdivided municipality consisting of 4 wards and 7 Councillors.
Councillors in the 3 single member wards are elected through preferential voting.
Councillors in the 1 multi-member wards are elected through proportional representation voting.
Since 2008, all Victorian Councillors serve a four year term.
The councillors of the Central Goldfields Shire council were dismissed by the Local Government (Central Goldfields Shire Council) Act 2017 on 25 August 2017. Interim administrators have been appointed to constitute the council. Councillors will be elected at the next general election in October 2020.
The council's last independent Electoral Representation Review was conducted prior to the 2012 elections.
Visit the Guide for more information on Council Elections.
Visit the Victorian Electoral Commission for more elections details.
Panel of administrators:
Mr Noel Harvey (Chairperson)
Mr Hugh Delahunty
Ms Karen Douglas
Flynn - Vacant
Maryborough - Vacant
Maryborough - Vacant
Maryborough - Vacant
Maryborough - Vacant
Paddys Ranges - Vacant
Tullaroop - Vacant
Estimated resident population. Source: Victoria in Future 2016 - Population and Household Projections to 2031
Source: Victoria Grants Commission.
The figures in the bottom two rows of the table show combined one-off and ongoing funding received by council from both the Federal and State Governments. It is important to note that this amount can change significantly from year to year as individual government funding programs change and natural events such as fires and floods occur.
Data shows the amount allocated in respect of the relevant financial year. In some years, that amount will vary from the payments received that year, as a result of the Commonwealth "bringing forward" some payments.
| 2018-19 | 2017-18 | 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | 2013-14 | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recurrent Expenditure ($) | 29.908m | 29.988m | 28.318m | 25.985m | 28.876m | 26.403m | 28.274m | 30.152m | 24.684m | 20.142m |
| Recurrent Revenue ($) | 33.511m | 33.677m | 32.874m | 26.478m | 29.824m | 26.697m | 37.219m | 41.596m | 29.062m | 19.492m |
| - Rates and Charges | 14.618m | 13.997m | 13.580m | 13.081m | 12.244m | 11.475m | 10.672m | 9.996m | 9.081m | 8.322m |
| - VGC Grants | 4.013m | 3.768m | 3.618m | 3.539m | 3.588m | 3.512m | 3.348m | 3.348m | 3.180m | 2.978m |
| Non-Recurrent Government Grants | 3.101m |
5.015m |
2.066m |
0.371m |
1.968m |
2.128m |
12.592m |
19.895m |
9.017m |
1.170m |
| Recurrent Government Grants |
9.206m |
9.638m |
10.927m |
7.607m |
5.797m |
7.625m |
6.151m |
3.624m |
3.914m |
3.481m |
View Central Goldfields Shire's performance across a wide range of service areas
View Performance