# Shire of Buloke

The Shire of Buloke is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of 8,000 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 6,201. It includes the towns of Birchip, Charlton, Tittybong, Donald, Sea Lake and Wycheproof. It was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Wycheproof, Shire of Birchip, Shire of Charlton, Shire of Donald, and parts of the Shire of Kara Kara.
The Shire is governed and administered by the Buloke Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the Council headquarters in Wycheproof, it also has service centres located in Birchip, Charlton, Donald and Sea Lake. The Shire is named after a major geographical feature in the region, Lake Buloke, which is located in the south of the LGA; the name also comes from the "buloke" or "bulloak" tree Allocasuarina luehmannii, which is common in the region.
Within the Shire, agriculture, particularly grain production, is the predominant source of income and employment.

## Council
### Current composition

The Council is composed of three wards and six Councillors, with two Councillors elected to represent each of the wards.
| Ward | Councillor | Notes |
| Lower Avoca | Bruce Stafford | |
| Lower Avoca | Stephen Barratt | |
| Mallee | Bernadette Hogan | |
| Mallee | Alan Getley | Mayor 2024-25 |
| Mount Jeffcott | Graeme Milne | Deputy Mayor 2024-25 |
| Mount Jeffcott | Charmaine Delaney | |

### Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Wycheproof Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at its administrative centre in Wycheproof.

## Election results
### 2024

2024 Victorian local elections: Buloke :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats |
| | Independent | Independent | 2,589 | 100.00 | 0.00 | 6 |
| Formal votes | Formal votes | Formal votes | 2,589 | 98.18 | | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 48 | 1.82 | | |
| Total | Total | Total | 2,637 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | Registered voters / turnout | 3,085 | 85.48 | | |

### 2020

2020 Victorian local elections: Buloke :
| Party | Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Independent | Independent | 1,346 | 100.0 | 7 |
| Formal votes | Formal votes | Formal votes | 1,346 | 99.12 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 12 | 0.88 | |
| Total | Total | Total | 1,358 | 100.00 | |

## Townships and localities

In the 2021 census, the shire's population was 6,178, down from 6,201 in the 2016 census.
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Ballapur | 10 | 19 |
| Banyan | 25 | 22 |
| Barrakee | 18 | 22 |
| Berriwillock | 184 | 180 |
| Bimbourie | 9 | 11 |
| Birchip | 702 | 694 |
| Birchip West | 3 | 9 |
| Boigbeat | 8 | 19 |
| Buckrabanyule^ | 51 | 52 |
| Bunguluke | 21 | 18 |
| Carron | 18 | 18 |
| Charlton | 1,050 | 1,095 |
| Chirrip | 8 | 8 |
| Cokum | 3 | 0 |
| Coonooer Bridge^ | 31 | 30 |
| Cope Cope^ | 58 | 42 |
| Corack | 23 | 33 |
| Corack East | 22 | 10 |
| Culgoa | 101 | 86 |
| Curyo | 26 | 20 |
| Donald | 1,498 | 1,472 |
| Dooboobetic | 9 | 13 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Dumosa | 24 | 18 |
| Gil Gil | 12 | 23 |
| Glenloth | 6 | 7 |
| Glenloth East^ | 13 | 14 |
| Granite Flat | * | # |
| Jeffcott | 34 | 34 |
| Jeffcott North | 9 | 18 |
| Jeruk | 14 | 6 |
| Jil Jil | 18 | 17 |
| Kalpienung | 28 | 28 |
| Karyrie | 20 | 15 |
| Kinnabulla | 32 | 26 |
| Laen^ | * | 4 |
| Laen East | 11 | 6 |
| Laen North | 15 | 14 |
| Lake Marmal^ | 21 | 21 |
| Lake Tyrrell | 0 | 0 |
| Lawler^ | 19 | 16 |
| Litchfield | 51 | 36 |
| Marlbed | 0 | 6 |
| Massey | 10 | 23 |
| Morton Plains | 9 | 10 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Myall | 10 | 17 |
| Nandaly | 39 | 30 |
| Nareewillock | 23 | 24 |
| Narraport | 46 | 50 |
| Ninda | 14 | 9 |
| Nine Mile^ | 22 | 19 |
| Nullawil | 93 | 92 |
| Nyarrin | 24 | 17 |
| Pier Milan | 8 | 6 |
| Reedy Dam | 24 | 28 |
| Rich Avon | 3 | 3 |
| Richmond Plains^ | 3 | 9 |
| Sea Lake | 640 | 619 |
| Springfield | 3 | 9 |
| Straten | 4 | 11 |
| Sutton | 3 | 3 |
| Teddywaddy | 17 | 23 |
| Teddywaddy West | 15 | 12 |
| Terrappee^ | 22 | 20 |
| Thalia | 10 | 4 |
| Tittybong^ | 3 | 3 |
| Towaninny^ | 11 | 4 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Towaninny South | 0 | 0 |
| Turriff East | 3 | 7 |
| Tyenna | 3 | 4 |
| Tyrrell^ | 13 | 16 |
| Tyrrell Downs | 11 | 9 |
| Wangie | 5 | 11 |
| Warmur | 16 | 31 |
| Warne | 4 | 13 |
| Watchem | 114 | 124 |
| Watchem West^ | 18 | 29 |
| Watchupga | 41 | 43 |
| Whirily | 30 | 25 |
| Wilkur^ | 49 | 28 |
| Willangie | 35 | 35 |
| Wooroonook | 20 | 26 |
| Woosang^ | 11 | 12 |
| Wycheproof | 635 | 610 |
| Wycheproof South | 12 | 6 |
| Yawong Hills | 0 | 5 |
| Yeungroon | 31 | 34 |
| Yeungroon East^ | 16 | 11 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA * - Not noted in 2016 Census # - Not noted in 2021 Census

## Traditional owners

The traditional owners of this area are the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk and Dja Dja Wurrung.