Shire of Colac Otway

The Shire of Colac Otway is a local government area in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the south-western part of the state. It covers an area of 3,438 square kilometres (1,327 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 21,503.[1] It includes the towns of Apollo Bay, Beeac, Beech Forest, Birregurra, Colac, Cressy, Forrest, Johanna, Kennett River, Lavers Hill, Warrion and Wye River. It came into existence on 23 September 1994 through the amalgamation of the local government areas of City of Colac, Shire of Colac, part of the Shire of Otway and part of the Shire of Heytesbury.[2]

Shire of Colac Otway
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population21,503 (2018)[1]
 • Density6.2545/km2 (16.1991/sq mi)
Established1994
Gazetted23 September 1994[2]
Area3,438 km2 (1,327.4 sq mi)[1]
MayorCr Kate Hanson
Council seatColac
RegionBarwon South West
State electorate(s)Polwarth
Federal division(s)Wannon
WebsiteShire of Colac Otway
LGAs around Shire of Colac Otway:
Corangamite Golden Plains Golden Plains
Corangamite Shire of Colac Otway Surf Coast
Southern Ocean Bass Strait Bass Strait

The Shire is governed and administered by the Colac Otway Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Colac, it also has a service centre located in Apollo Bay. The Shire is named after the combination of the names for the former City of Colac, and Shires of Colac and Otway, from which the majority of the LGA was formed. The name Colac is used for both the main urban settlement and the lake, Lake Colac, which are located in the north-centre of the LGA. Colac is also the most populous urban centre in the LGA with a population of almost 12,000.[3] The name Otways is used for the major geographical features located in the south of the LGA, which are The Otways and Cape Otway. Cape Otway was originally named by Lieutenant James Grant who was the commander of the vessel, the Lady Nelson.[4] He named it after Captain William Otway who was one of the commissioners of the Transport Board, on 7 December 1800.[4]

History

The Colac district is the traditional land for the Gulidjan people and was known as “Kolak” or “Kolakgnat” which means ‘belonging to sand’.[5] The Gulidjan people are of the Easter Maar Nation.[5]

The earliest European settlers arrived in the district in the 1830s and settled around Lake Colac.[6]

Council

Current composition

The council is composed of seven councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality. In order of election in 2020, they are:[7]

WardParty CouncillorNotes
Unsubdivided Restore Democracy Sack Dan AndrewsTosh-Jake Finnigan
IndependentChris Potter
IndependentGraham Lesie Costin
IndependentKate Hanson
GreensStephen Hart
IndependentJamie Bell
IndependentMargaret White

Former Wards (1996–2008)
  • Colac – had three councillors
  • Murray – had one councillor
  • Otway – had one councillor
  • Warrion – had one councillor

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Colac Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Colac, and its service centre in Apollo Bay.

Townships and localities

The 2021 census, the shire had a population of 22,423 up from 20,972 in the 2016 census[9]

Population
Locality20162021
Aire Valley00
Alvie132141
Apollo Bay1,5981,790
Balintore6759
Barongarook434458
Barongarook West235291
Barramunga711
Barunah Plains910
Barwon Downs131136
Beeac370394
Beech Forest82125
Birregurra^828942
Bungador6265
Cape Otway1534
Carlisle River^135168
Carpendeit^134115
Chapple Vale^3642
Colac9,0489,243
Colac East217168
Colac West8189
Population
Locality20162021
Coragulac161171
Cororooke310358
Corunnun115119
Cressy^175176
Cundare1115
Cundare North^910
Dreeite5577
Dreeite South3028
Elliminyt2,9003,260
Eurack6543
Ferguson1913
Forrest230257
Gellibrand210230
Gellibrand Lower^1319
Gerangamete105112
Glenaire2833
Grey River44
Hordern Vale4344
Irrewarra345365
Irrewillipe125100
Population
Locality20162021
Irrewillipe East7684
Jancourt East^188185
Johanna6385
Kawarren166189
Kennett River4174
Larpent194200
Lavers Hill7887
Marengo239272
Mount Sabine00
Murroon8395
Nalangil7672
Ombersley^9793
Ondit94101
Pennyroyal^86110
Petticoat Creek07
Pirron Yallock^113132
Separation Creek1928
Simpson^569583
Skenes Creek164249
Population
Locality20162021
Skenes Creek North1619
Stonyford^5165
Sugarloaf1420
Swan Marsh121127
Tanybryn1915
Warncoort130146
Warrion198204
Weeaproinah1115
Weering6762
Whoorel1825
Winchelsea^1,9542,456
Wingeel^2326
Wongarra3747
Wool Wool3855
Wye River6367
Wyelangta3840
Yeo148124
Yeodene121107
Yuulong3749

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

See also

References
  1. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
  2. Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S63 of 1994: Order estg (Part 2) the Shire of Colac-Otway". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 23 September 1994). p. 3. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. Census QuickStats (2016). "Colac (UCL) – UCL213003". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Government of Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  4. "Otways and Otway Shire". Victorian Places. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  5. "About Colac Otway". Colac Otway Shire. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  6. "A short history of Colac". Colac & District Historical Society. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  7. "Colac Otway Shire Council election results 2020". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  8. Egging, Kiel. "Victoria elects trans councillor Tosh-Jake Finnigan to Colac Otway Council". Herald Sun. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  9. "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.

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