Located in Victoria's south west, the Colac Otway Shire is diverse, with volcanic lakes, craters and plains in the north, the hinterland forests of the Otway Ranges and the Great Ocean Road coastline.
Colac City is situated beside Lake Colac, on the Princes Highway, 138 kms south west of Melbourne, 74 kms south west of Geelong, and 101 kms south of Ballarat. The Colac region supports a network of over 1200 businesses and well over 800 farms.
The main industries are dairy, beef, sheep, crops, specified pastures, horticulture and organic farming; timber, manufacturing and service, construction, retail and wholesale.
Tourism, centring on the Great Ocean Road and the coastline, is becoming increasingly important.
Colac Otway is part of the Large Shire council grouping and can be compared with similar councils. More information on council groupings can be found here.
Colac Otway - Victoria in Future 2016
Colac Otway Aboriginal Community Profile (includes Aboriginal organisations)
Aire Valley, Alvie, Apollo Bay, Balintore, Barongarook, Barongarook West, Barramunga, Barwon Downs, Beeac, Beech Forest, Birregurra, Bungador, Cape Otway, Carlisle River, Carpendeit, Chapple Vale, Colac, Colac East, Colac West, Coragulac, Cororooke, Corunnun, Cressy, Cundare, Cundare North, Dreeite, Dreeite South, Elliminyt, Eurack, Ferguson, Forrest, Gellibrand, Gellibrand Lower, Gerangamete, Glenaire, Grey River, Horden Vale, Irrewarra, Irrewillipe, Irrewillipe West, Jancourt East, Johanna, Kawarren, Kennedys Creek, Kennett River, Larpent, Lavers Hill, Marengo, Mount Sabine, Murroon, Nalangil, Ombersley, Ondit, Pennyroyal, Petticoat Creek, Pirron Yallock, Separation Creek, Simpson, Skenes Creek, Skenes Creek North, Stonyford, Sugarloaf, Swan Marsh, Tanybryn, Warncoort, Warrion, Weeaproinah, Weering, Whoorel, Winchelsea, Wingeel, Wongarra, Wool Wool, Wye River, Wyelangta, Yeo, Yeodene and Yuulong.
For a detailed map showing shire boundaries and locality names, visit VICNAMES.
Colac Otway Shire Council Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey Results
Colac Otway Shire Council is an unsubdivided municipality consisting of 7 councillors.
Councillors are elected through proportional representation voting. Since 2008, all Victorian councillors serve a four year term. The next general election is in October 2020.
Visit the Guide for more information on Council Elections.
Visit the Victorian Electoral Commission for more elections details.
7 Councillors elected in October 2016.
Unsubdivided - Cr Stephen Hart
Unsubdivided - Cr Chris Smith
Unsubdivided - Cr Brian Cook
Unsubdivided - Cr Kate Hanson
Unsubdivided - Cr Joe McCracken - Deputy Mayor
Unsubdivided - Cr Chris Potter
Unsubdivided - Cr Jason Schram - Mayor
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.
| 2016-17 | 2015-16 | 2014-15 | 2013-14 | 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recurrent Expenditure ($) | 46.068m | 44.515m | 42.919m | 41.434m | 41.237m | 37.759m | 37.745m | 36.533m |
| Recurrent Revenue ($) | 50.637m | 45.960m | 54.412m | 43.789m | 44.295m | 43.485m | 40.051m | 38.504m |
| - Rates and Charges | 29.078m | 27.614m | 26.631m | 25.055m | 23.349m | 21.789m | 18.214m | 18.742m |
| - VGC Grants | 6.017m | 5.984m | 5.985m | 5.907m | 5.726m | 5.799m | 5.583m | 5.163m |
| Non-Recurrent Government Grants |
2.468m |
1.245m |
7.592m |
5.456m |
5.821m |
3.548m |
3.883m |
2.249m |
| Recurrent Government Grants |
12.274m |
10.952m |
4.950m |
5.293m |
3.853m |
4.663m |
4.700m |
4.791m |
View Colac Otway Shire's performance across a wide range of service areas
View Performance