City of Melton

History

Melton was first incorporated as a district on 16 September 1862, and became a shire on 24 May 1871. Parts of the north and south ridings of the Shire of Braybrook (later City of Sunshine) were annexed to Melton as the Rockbank Riding on 24 May 1916, and this was added to in 1951. Other minor boundary adjustments with Bulla and Keilor occurred in May 1959. The Shire had a total area of 450.4 km2.

In 1994, following large-scale statewide local government reform, Melton acquired the Exford district from the City of Werribee, growing to its present size.

Since the early 1970s the Shire had undergone tremendous population growth and , Melton was one of Victoria's fastest-growing local government areas along with neighbouring Wyndham.

After several years of community consultation to defer applying for city status until it had reached 150,000, the council nevertheless reversed the decision and city status was granted in September, 2012. The first elected Mayor under the 'City" status was Kathy Majdlik.

In the 2020 Local Government elections, Melton had its first Aboriginal Councillor elected, Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg, (a Wiradjuri woman, the first Aboriginal Councillor in Melbourne's Western Suburbs).

Art and culture

Bush ballad "Click Go the Shears" was first published in 1891 in a local newspaper by "C.C. of Eynesbury". Eynesbury was a homestead and grazing property owned by Samuel Staughton.

CS Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space located at Caroline Springs Library and Learning Hub. It provides opportunities for artists and groups to exhibit and does not charge fees or commission. Melton Library and Learning Hub provides a number of hanging walls for the presentation of visual art and community exhibitions.

Administration

Council

The City's area is divided into ten wards, each electing a single member. The Councillors elect a mayor from among the council's members.

Following the 2024 local election, the current councillors are:

Townships and localities

The city had a population of 178,960 at the 2021 census, up from 135,443 recorded at the 2016 census.

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

***** - Not noted in 2016 Census

# - Not noted in 2021 Census

Population

Residential estates

Recent large housing projects include:

• Atherstone, within the new suburbs of Cobblebank and Strathtulloh. ($1.2 billion).
• Eynesbury Township.
• Waterford Estate, in the suburb of Weir Views.
• Woodlea, within the new suburb of Aintree.
• Seventh Bend, within the new suburb of Weir Views.

References

References

1. "2021 Melton, Census All persons QuickStats". [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]].
2. (27 March 2019). "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]].
3. Census QuickStats. (2016). "Melton (UCL) – UCL211004". Government of Australia.
4. (30 March 2012). "3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2010-11".
5. (1992). "Victorian Municipal Directory". Arnall & Jackson.
6. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1 August 1995). "Victorian local government amalgamations 1994-1995: Changes to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification". Commonwealth of Australia.
7. (2016). "Planning Melbourne: Lessons for a Sustainable City". CSIRO Publishing.
8. (2010-11-10). "Community Engagement – Application for City status". Shire of Melton.
9. "Welcome to the City of Melton". City of Melton.
10. (6 September 2012). "HAVE YOUR SAY: Status change confirmed, Melton now a City". Melton Leader.
11. Millar, Benjamin. (2020-11-15). "Proud Wiradjuri woman Ashleigh Vandenberg makes her mark as Melton councillor".
12. Gregory, Mark. (2016). ""The bare belled ewe": The origin of "click go the shears"". Quadrant.
13. Staughton, John Frederick. (2003). "The Staughtons of Eynesbury".
14. "Arts, Culture, Heritage".
15. "Councillors".
16. (11 January 2023). "Census {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics".
17. 1958, 1983 and 1988 Victorian Year Book
18. {{Census 2006 AUS