# City of Yarra

The City of Yarra is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It is the second smallest LGA in the state (after the Borough of Queenscliffe) with an area of 19.5 square kilometres (7.5 sq mi), and in June 2021 it had a population of 91,543, making it the second most densely populated LGA (after the City of Port Phillip), with around 4,695 people per square kilometre. The City of Yarra was formed in 1994 as a result of the amalgamation of the former Cities of Richmond, Collingwood, Fitzroy, and parts of Carlton North (previously part of the City of Melbourne) and parts of Alphington and Fairfield (previously part of the former City of Northcote).
The administrative centre of the City of Yarra is the old Richmond Town Hall in Bridge Road, Richmond. The Collingwood Town Hall in Hoddle Street, Abbotsford is also still used by the council as secondary offices and as a service centre, and the Fitzroy Town Hall in Napier Street, Fitzroy is used for the local library and for use as a community space. Some council committees also meet at the Fitzroy and Collingwood Town Halls.
The city is culturally and socially diverse. The 2016 Australian Census found that 38.8% of residents were born outside Australia, with the largest numbers being born in England, New Zealand, Vietnam, China and Greece.
The suburbs of the City of Yarra were established in the mid-to-late 19th century and retain a Victorian appearance. The majority of housing in the city is made up of Victorian cottages or terraces or apartments built from the 1960s.
The City of Yarra has some of Melbourne's best shopping streets. These include Bridge Road and Swan and Victoria streets in Richmond, Brunswick and Gertrude streets in Fitzroy and Smith Street in Collingwood. In 2021, Smith Street was named the coolest street in the world.
As of November 2024, the mayor is Stephen Jolly, and the deputy mayor is Labor councillor Sarah McKenzie. The CEO since June 2022 is Sue Wilkinson.

## Council

Yarra City Council is composed of nine single-member wards. Prior to the 2024 election, it was composed of three multi-member wards with three members each, but the electoral structure changed as a result of the Local Government Act 2020.
All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected annually in November by a special meeting of the full council.

### Current composition

| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Yarra For All | 4 |
| | Independent | 2 |
| | Greens | 2 |
| | Labor | 1 |
| Total | Total | 9 |
The current council, elected in 2024, is:
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Notes |
| Boulevard | Sharon Harrison | Yarra For All | |
| Curtain | Edward Crossland | Greens | |
| Hoddle | Sophie Wade | Greens | |
| Langridge | Evangeline Aston | Yarra For All | |
| Lennox | Andrew Davies | Independent | |
| MacKillop | Stephen Jolly | Yarra For All | Mayor |
| Melba | Meca Ho | Independent | |
| Nicholls | Kenneth Gomez | Yarra For All | |
| Yarra Bend | Sarah McKenzie | Labor | Deputy Mayor |

### Mayors
## Past councillors
### 1996–2004 (five wards)

| Year | Carringbush | Carringbush | Carringbush | Carringbush | Docker | Docker | Docker | Docker | MacKillop | MacKillop | MacKillop | MacKillop | Merri | Merri | Nicholson | Nicholson | Nicholson | Nicholson |
| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor |
| 1996 | | John Sawyer (Labor) | | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | | Marion Macleod (Independent) | | James Martakis (Independent) | | Steve Watson (Labor) | | Linda Hoskins (Labor) | | Robyn Williams (Labor) | | John Phillips (Labor) | | Ray Thomas (Labor) |
| 1999 | | Sue Corby (Labor) | | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | | Fiona Harman (Labor) | | Kay Meadows (Labor) | | Steve Watson (Labor) | | Linda Hoskins (Labor) | | Robyn Williams (Labor) | | John Phillips (Labor) | | Ray Thomas (Labor) |
| 2001 | | Sue Corby (Labor) | | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | | Fiona Harman (Labor) | | Kay Meadows (Labor) | | Steve Watson (Labor) | | Linda Hoskins (Labor) | | Robyn Williams (Labor) | | John Phillips (Labor) | | Gurm Sekhon (Greens) |
| 2002 | | Sue Corby (Labor) | | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | | Judy Morton (Ind. Labor) | | Kay Meadows (Labor) | | Greg Barber (Greens) | | Deborah Di Natale (Greens) | | Jenny Farrar (Greens) | | Jackie Fristacky (Independent) | | Gurm Sekhon (Greens) |

### 2004–2024 (three wards)
#### Langridge Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2004 | Jenny Farrar | Greens | Annabel Barbara | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Socialist |
| 2008 | Jenny Farrar | Greens | Geoff Barbour | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Socialist |
| 2008 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Geoff Barbour | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Socialist |
| 2012 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Geoff Barbour | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Socialist |
| 2016 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Geoff Barbour | Labor | Stephen Jolly | The Socialists |
| 2016 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Danae Bosler | Labor | Stephen Jolly | The Socialists |
| 2017 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Danae Bosler | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist |
| 2018 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Danae Bosler | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Victorian Socialists |
| 2019 | Amanda Stone | Greens | Danae Bosler | Labor | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist |
| 2020 | Anab Mohamud | Greens | Gabrielle de Vietri | Greens | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist |
| 2023 | Anab Mohamud | Greens | Michael Glynatsis | Independent | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist |
| 2024 | Anab Mohamud | Independent | Michael Glynatsis | Yarra For All | Stephen Jolly | Yarra For All |

#### Melba Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2004 | Kay Meadows | Labor | Gurm Sekhon | Greens | Judy Morton | Independent Labor |
| 2008 | Josh Funder | Labor | Allison Clarke | Greens | Dale Smedley | Independent |
| 2012 | Simon Huggins | Labor | Misha Coleman | Greens | Phillip Vlahogiannis | Independent |
| 2016 | Mi-Lin Chen Yi Mei | Labor | James Searle | Greens | Daniel Nguyen | Independent |
| 2020 | Herschel Landes | Independent | Edward Crossland | Greens | Claudia Nguyen | Independent |

#### Nicholls Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2004 | Kathleen Maltzahn | Greens | Paul D'Agostino | Labor | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2008 | Sam Gaylard | Greens | Jane Garrett | Labor | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2011 | Sam Gaylard | Greens | Anthony Main | Socialist | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2012 | Sam Gaylard | Greens | Roberto Colanzi | Labor | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2016 | Mike McEvoy | Greens | Misha Coleman | Greens | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2017 | Mike McEvoy | Greens | Misha Coleman | Independent | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2019 | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist | Misha Coleman | Independent | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2020 | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist | Sophie Wade | Greens | Amanda Stone | Greens |
| 2023 | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist | Sophie Wade | Greens | Amanda Stone | Independent |
| 2024 | Bridgid O'Brien | Yarra For All | Sophie Wade | Greens | Amanda Stone | Independent |

### 2024 (nine wards)

| Year | Boulevard | Boulevard | Curtain | Curtain | Hoddle | Hoddle | Langridge | Langridge | Lennox | Lennox | MacKillop | MacKillop | Melba | Melba | Nicholls | Nicholls | Yarra Bend | Yarra Bend |
| Year | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor |
| 2024 | | Sharon Harrison (YFA) | | Edward Crossland (Greens) | | Sophie Wade (Greens) | | Evangeline Aston (YFA) | | Andrew Davies (Ind) | | Stephen Jolly (YFA) | | Meca Ho (Ind) | | Kenneth Gomez (YFA) | | Sarah McKenzie (Labor) |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 Victorian local elections: Yarra :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change |
| | Yarra For All | Yarra For All | 16,157 | 32.80 | +15.85 | 4 | 2 |
| | Greens | Greens | 13,108 | 26.61 | +0.07 | 2 | 3 |
| | Independents | Independents | 12,685 | 25.75 | −3.03 | 2 | |
| | Victorian Socialists | Victorian Socialists | 3,814 | 7.74 | +7.74 | 0 | |
| | Labor | Labor | 3,491 | 7.08 | −7.23 | 1 | 1 |
| Formal votes | Formal votes | Formal votes | 49,255 | 97.90 | +3.09 | | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,058 | 2.10 | −3.09 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 50,313 | 100.0 | | | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 68,723 | 73.21 | +3.07 | | |

### 2020

2020 Victorian local elections: Yarra :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change |
| | Independent | Independent | 15,081 | 28.78 | | 2 | |
| | Greens | Greens | 13,909 | 26.54 | | 5 | 1 |
| | Labor | Labor | 7,501 | 14.31 | | 0 | 2 |
| | Independent Socialist | Independent Socialist | 7,380 | 14.08 | | 2 | 2 |
| | Reason | Reason | 2,609 | 4.99 | +4.99 | 0 | |
| | Independent Liberal | Independent Liberal | 2,217 | 4.23 | +4.23 | 0 | |
| | Richmond First | Richmond First | 1,897 | 3.62 | +3.62 | 0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liberal Democrats | 1,282 | 2.45 | | 0 | |
| | Animal Justice | Animal Justice | 524 | 1.00 | | 0 | |
| Formal votes | Formal votes | Formal votes | 52,400 | 94.81 | +2.86 | | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,872 | 5.19 | −2.86 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 55,272 | 100.0 | | 9 | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 78,795 | 70.14 | +18.99 | | |

### 2004

2004 Victorian local elections: Yarra :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | Change |
| | Labor | Labor | 9,486 | 31.91 | 3 | |
| | Greens | Greens | 8,264 | 27.79 | 3 | 1 |
| | Independent | Independent | 4,839 | 16.27 | 1 | |
| | Independent Labor | Independent Labor | 4,104 | 13.81 | 1 | |
| | Campaign for a Better City | Campaign for a Better City | 1,897 | 6.38 | 0 | |
| | Socialist Left-Wing Team | Socialist Left-Wing Team | 1,359 | 4.57 | 1 | 1 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Socialist Alliance | 302 | 1.02 | 0 | |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 29,729 | 92.06 | | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,563 | 7.94 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 32,292 | 100.0 | 9 | |
| Registered voters / Turnout | Registered voters / Turnout | Registered voters / Turnout | 61,407 | 52.59 | | |

## Australia Day

In August 2017, the Yarra City Council voted unanimously at a town hall meeting to cancel annual Australia Day events, including citizenship ceremonies and instead hold a culturally sensitive event "marking the loss of Indigenous culture". The council also voted to begin lobbying the federal government to change the date of Australia's national day and to use council publications and media to campaign in favour of changing the date. Then Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accused the council of "using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians". The City of Darebin later followed suit.

## Townships and localities

In the 2021 census, the city had a population of 90,114 up from 86,657 in the 2016 census.
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Abbotsford | 8,184 | 9,088 |
| Alphington^ | 5,080 | 5,702 |
| Burnley | 769 | 794 |
| Carlton North^ | 6,300 | 6,177 |
| Clifton Hill | 6,341 | 6,606 |
| Collingwood | 8,513 | 9,179 |
| Cremorne | 2,018 | 2,158 |
| Fairfield^ | 6,558 | 6,535 |
| Fitzroy | 10,445 | 10,431 |
| Fitzroy North^ | 12,339 | 12,781 |
| Princes Hill | 2,126 | 2,005 |
| Richmond | 27,705 | 28,587 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA

## Economy

The City of Yarra has a high concentration of fashion, technology, and media businesses. Companies located in the City of Yarra include:
* Aesop has its global headquarters on Smith Street, Fitzroy.
* Carsales has its head office located on Punt Road, Richmond.
* Computershare, one of the largest stock exchange technology and registrar service businesses in the world is located on Johnston Street, Abbotsford.
* Country Road, an upscale Australia clothing and homewares manufacturer and retailer is headquartered on Church Street, Richmond
* Epworth the not-for-profit private health care group, employ 1,800 staff at their head office, and largest hospital, on Bridge Road.
* GSK operates offices of its pharmaceutical division on Johnston Street, Abbotsford.
* Just Group and its brands Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Jacqui E, Portmans, Dotti, Peter Alexander, and Smiggle are headquartered on Church Street, Richmond
* Madman Entertainment has its head office in the Richmond suburb and in the Melba Ward in Yarra.
* REA Group which includes realestate.com.au has its head office located on Church Street, Richmond.
* Schwartz Publishing publisher of The Monthly, Quarterly Essay and the book imprint Black Inc is located on Langridge Street, Collingwood.
* SitePoint, a global technology publisher and its website subsidiaries 99designs.com, Flippa.com, Learnable.com and Wave Digital are based on Cambridge Street and Wellingston Street, Collingwood.
* Star Entertainment Group, an ASX-listed radio broadcaster best known for SEN 1116, is based on Swan Street, Richmond.