# City of Moonee Valley

The City of Moonee Valley is a local government area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. It comprises the inner north-western suburbs between 3 and 13 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre. In 2023, the City of Moonee Valley Estimated Resident Population was 126,486, with a population density of 2,935 persons per square km, based on the 2023 Census.

## History

Moonee Valley was formed in December 1994 after the merger of the City of Essendon and eastern parts of the City of Keilor.
The original council logo from 1994 was replaced in February 2010.
Exchange prefixes in the city are 937x, 837x, 933x or 833x (the latter left over from the old City of Keilor).

## Features

The Moonee Valley is a culturally diverse region with a substantial residential population and various commercial set-ups and industries. It comprises the Moonee Valley Racecourse, Essendon Airport and has several shopping precincts, restaurants, parks and offices. It is well connected and easily accessible through trams and the Craigieburn train line. It is also a thriving business centre, with close to 10,000 businesses operating in the region.

## Council
### Wards

Prior to the 2024 Council Elections, The City of Moonee Valley had three wards: Buckley, Myrnong and Rose Hill.
Buckley Ward comprises Essendon Fields, Essendon North, Strathmore, Aberfeldie, most of Essendon and Strathmore Heights, and parts of Moonee Ponds and Essendon West.
Myrnong Ward comprises Ascot Vale, Flemington, Travancore, most of Moonee Ponds and part of Essendon.
Rose Hill Ward comprises Avondale Heights, Keilor East, Airport West, Niddrie, most of Essendon West and part of Strathmore Heights.
At the 2024 Council Elections, nine wards were established with each ward electing once councillor each. The following wards were established;
* Airport Ward
* Buckley Ward
* Canning Ward
* Fairbairn Ward
* Milleara Ward
* Myrnong Ward
* Queens Park Ward
* Steele Creek Ward
* Woodlands Ward

### Current composition

Councillors are elected from nine single member wards. The current council was elected in October 2024, its composition is:
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Notes |
| Airport | Independent Liberal | Hamish Jones | |
| Buckley | Independent Liberal | John Barnes | |
| Canning | Labor | Paula Theocharides | |
| Fairbairn | Labor | Phil Burn | |
| Milleara | Independent | John Sipek | |
| Myrnong | Labor | Rose Iser | |
| Queens Park | Independent | Ava Adams | Mayor |
| Steele Creek | Independent | Samantha Byrne | |
| Woodlands | Labor | Fran Cosgriff | Deputy Mayor |

### Mayors

The current mayor is Ava Adams and the Deputy Mayor is Fran Cosgriff. They were elected by council in October 2024 and will serve the 2024–25 year.

## Past councillors
### 2008−2024 (three wards)
#### Buckley Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2008 | Jan Chantry | Labor | Paul Giuliano | Independent | Narelle Sharpe | Independent |
| 2012 | Jan Chantry | Labor | Paul Giuliano | Independent | Narelle Sharpe | Independent |
| 2016 | Rebecca Gauci Maurici | Liberal | Richard Lawrence | Independent | Narelle Sharpe | Independent |
| 2020 | Cam Nation | Independent | Ava Adams | Independent | Narelle Sharpe | Independent |
| 2024 | Jessica O'Neil | Independent | Ava Adams | Independent | Narelle Sharpe | Independent |

#### Myrnong Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2008 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Rose Iser | Greens | James Rankin | Independent |
| 2011 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Miriam Gillis | Independent | James Rankin | Independent |
| 2012 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Nicole Marshall | Labor | Cam Nation | Liberal |
| 2014 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Nicole Marshall | Labor | Cam Nation | No East West Link |
| 2015 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Nicole Marshall | Labor | Cam Nation | Independent |
| 2016 | Jim Cusack | Labor | Nicole Marshall | Labor | Cam Nation | Independent |
| 2020 | Katrina Hodgson | Labor | Rose Iser | Independent | Jacob Bettio | Independent |
| 2024 | Katrina Hodgson | Labor | Rose Iser | Labor | Jacob Bettio | Independent |

#### Rose Hill Ward

| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party |
| 2008 | John Sipek | Labor | Shirley Cornish | Labor | Ange Kenos | Independent |
| 2012 | John Sipek | Labor | Shirley Cornish | Labor | Andra Surace | Independent |
| 2016 | John Sipek | Independent | Shirley Cornish | Labor | Andra Surace | Independent |
| 2016 | John Sipek | Independent | Samantha Byrne | Independent | Andra Surace | Independent |
| 2020 | John Sipek | Independent | Samantha Byrne | Independent | Pierce Tyson | Labor |

## Libraries

The City of Moonee Valley has five libraries:
* Ascot Vale Library
* Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre
* Flemington Library
* Niddrie Library
* Sam Merrifield Library (Moonee Ponds)
The libraries offer uncommon services such as a seed library, where customers can take home seeds to grow plants or flowers. In 2024, Moonee Valley Libraries removed overdue fines for late return of items. The change was made to remove a potential barrier of people using the library services.

## Townships and localities

At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 121,851 up from 116,671 at the 2016 census.
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Aberfeldie | 3,897 | 3,925 |
| Airport West | 7,564 | 8,173 |
| Ascot Vale | 14,750 | 15,197 |
| Avondale Heights | 11,633 | 12,388 |
| Essendon | 20,596 | 21,240 |
| Essendon Fields | 0 | 13 |
| Essendon North | 2,987 | 3,071 |
| Essendon West | 1,439 | 1,559 |
| Flemington^ | 7,719 | 7,025 |
| Keilor East^ | 14,514 | 15,078 |
| Moonee Ponds | 14,250 | 16,224 |
| Niddrie | 5,479 | 5,901 |
| Strathmore | 8,419 | 8,980 |
| Strathmore Heights | 1,004 | 1,047 |
| Travancore | 2,480 | 2,116 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA