# Shire of Southern Grampians

The Shire of Southern Grampians is a local government area (LGA) in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the south-western part of the state. It covers an area of 6,654 square kilometres (2,569 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 16,135. It includes the city of Hamilton and the towns of Coleraine, Dunkeld and Penshurst. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the City of Hamilton, Shire of Wannon and parts of the Shire of Dundas, Shire of Kowree, Shire of Mount Rouse and Shire of Heywood.
The Shire is governed and administered by the Southern Grampians Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Hamilton, it also has service centres located in a couple of other locations within Hamilton. The Shire is named after the major geographical feature in the region, The Grampians, and that the southern part of this feature occupies the northern part of the LGA.

## Traditional owners

The traditional owners of this shire are the Gunditjmara, Tjap Wurrung and Bunganditj people.

## Council
### Current composition

The council is composed of seven councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality. Council Composition as of September 2022:
| Ward | Councillor | Term | Notes |
| Unsubdivided | David Robertson | 2020–Present | Mayor |
| Unsubdivided | Bruach Colliton | 2008–2016, 2020–Present | |
| Unsubdivided | Helen Henry | 2020–Present | |
| Unsubdivided | Mary-Ann Brown | 2016–Present | (Mayor 2016–2019) |
| Unsubdivided | Albert Cavano | 2008–Present | (Mayor 2012-2014) |
| Unsubdivided | Greg McAdam | 2016–Present | |
| Unsubdivided | Katrina Rainsford | 2004–Present | |

### Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Hamilton Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre on Brown Street in Hamilton, and its service centres on Market Pl and Roberts St in Hamilton.

## Townships and localities

The 2021 census recorded the shire population at 16,588, compared to 15,944 in the 2016 census.
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Balmoral | 294 | 281 |
| Bellfield | 1,793 | 1,996 |
| Bochara | 81 | 84 |
| Branxholme^ | 351 | 304 |
| Brit Brit | 39 | 42 |
| Buckley Swamp | 25 | 21 |
| Bulart | 93 | 104 |
| Byaduk^ | 123 | 129 |
| Byaduk North | 119 | 134 |
| Caramut^ | 246 | 256 |
| Carapook^ | 70 | 67 |
| Cavendish | 334 | 366 |
| Cherrypool^ | 3 | 3 |
| Clover Flat^ | 17 | 15 |
| Coleraine | 1,029 | 1,062 |
| Coojar | 38 | 38 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Croxton East | 70 | 70 |
| Culla | 35 | 31 |
| Dunkeld^ | 678 | 688 |
| Englefield | 23 | 23 |
| Gatum | 29 | 35 |
| Gazette^ | 43 | 42 |
| Glenisla^ | 16 | 23 |
| Glenthompson^ | 232 | 256 |
| Grampians | 0 | 0 |
| Gringegalgona | 21 | 44 |
| Gritjurk | 55 | 61 |
| Hamilton | 9,974 | 10,346 |
| Harrow^ | 200 | 184 |
| Hensley Park | 59 | 75 |
| Hilgay | 19 | 29 |
| Karabeal | 30 | 29 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Konongwootong | 50 | 60 |
| Melville Forest | 42 | 63 |
| Mirranatwa | 26 | 31 |
| Mooralla | 83 | 79 |
| Morgiana | 31 | 29 |
| Mount Napier | 17 | 16 |
| Moutajup | 83 | 108 |
| Muntham^ | 31 | 29 |
| Nareeb^ | 36 | 48 |
| Nareen^ | 93 | 79 |
| Penshurst^ | 622 | 677 |
| Pigeon Ponds | 29 | 29 |
| Purdeet^ | 14 | 21 |
| Rocklands | 14 | 25 |
| Strathkellar | 93 | 84 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Tabor | 39 | 38 |
| Tahara^ | 36 | 30 |
| Tarrayoukyan^ | 21 | 25 |
| Tarrenlea | 37 | 25 |
| Tarrington | 301 | 328 |
| Vasey | 49 | 45 |
| Victoria Point | 17 | 16 |
| Victoria Valley | 79 | 65 |
| Wando Vale^ | 104 | 96 |
| Wannon | 108 | 124 |
| Warrayure | 24 | 50 |
| Woodhouse | 39 | 34 |
| Wootong Vale | 46 | 32 |
| Yatchaw | 26 | 35 |
| Yulecart | 127 | 128 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA