# Hume (region)

The Hume is an economic rural region located in the north-eastern part of Victoria, Australia. Comprising an area in excess of 40,000 square kilometres (15,000 sq mi) with a population that has grown from 263,000 (in 2011) to 309,684 (in 2021), the Hume region includes the local government areas of Alpine Shire, Rural City of Benalla, City of Wodonga, City of Greater Shepparton, Shire of Indigo, Shire of Mansfield, Shire of Strathbogie, Shire of Towong and the Rural City of Wangaratta, and also includes five unincorporated areas encompassing the alpine ski resorts in the region.
The Hume region is located along the two major interstate transport corridors – the Hume corridor and the Goulburn Valley corridor. The region comprises four distinct and inter-connected sub-regions or districts: Upper Hume, Central Hume, Goulburn Valley, and Lower Hume. The regional cities and centres of Wodonga, Shepparton and Wangaratta (supported by Benalla) function as a network of regional hubs that service their own distinct sub-regions. The region is bounded by the Victorian Alps in the south and east, the New South Wales border defined by the Murray River in the north, the Loddon Mallee region in the west and the Greater Melbourne northern, western, and eastern metropolitan and Gippsland regions to the south.

## Administration
### Political representation

For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives, the Hume region is contained within all or part of the electoral divisions of Bendigo, Indi, McEwen, and Nicholls.
For the purposes of Victorian elections for the Legislative Assembly, the Hume region is contained within all or part of the electoral districts of Benambra, Eildon, Euroa, Kalkallo, Ovens Valley, Shepparton and Yan Yean.

#### Local government areas

The region contains twelve local government areas and five unincorporated areas of Victoria, which are:
Hume region LGA populations :
| Local government area | Area | Area | Population (2016 census) | Source(s) | Population (2021 census) | Source(s) |
| Local government area | km$^2$ | sq mi | Population (2016 census) | Source(s) | Population (2021 census) | Source(s) |
| Alpine Shire | 4,787 | 1,848 | 12,337 | | 13,235 | |
| Rural City of Benalla | 2,345 | 905 | 13,861 | | 14,528 | |
| Shire of Indigo | 2,044 | 789 | 15,952 | | 17,368 | |
| Shire of Mansfield | 3,843 | 1,484 | 8,584 | | 10,178 | |
| Shire of Mitchell | 2,864 | 1,106 | 40,918 | | 49,460 | |
| Shire of Moira | 4,045 | 1,562 | 29,112 | | 30,522 | |
| Shire of Murrindindi | 3,889 | 1,502 | 13,732 | | 15,197 | |
| City of Greater Shepparton | 2,422 | 935 | 63,837 | | 68,409 | |
| Shire of Strathbogie | 3,302 | 1,275 | 10,274 | | 11,455 | |
| Shire of Towong | 6,673 | 2,576 | 5,985 | | 6,223 | |
| Rural City of Wangaratta | 3,639 | 1,405 | 28,310 | | 29,808 | |
| City of Wodonga | 433 | 167 | 39,351 | | 43,253 | |
| Totals | 40,286 | 15,555 | 282,253 | | 309,363 | |
Hume region unincorporated areas populations :
| Unincorporated area | Area | Area | Population (2021 census) | Source(s) |
| Unincorporated area | km$^2$ | sq mi | Population (2021 census) | Source(s) |
| Falls Creek Alpine Resort | 15.5 | 6.0 | 321 | |
| Lake Mountain Alpine Resort | unknown | unknown | Nil | |
| Mount Buller Alpine Resort | 22.6 | 8.7 | Nil | |
| Hotham Alpine Resort | 29.1 | 11.2 | Nil | |
| Mount Stirling Alpine Resort | 28.2 | 10.9 | Nil | |
| Totals | 95.4 | 36.8 | 321 | |
Hume region total populations :
| LGAs and Unincorporated areas | Area | Area | Population (2021 census) |
| LGAs and Unincorporated areas | km$^2$ | sq mi | Population (2021 census) |
| Total local government areas | 40,286 | 15,555 | 309,363 |
| Total unincorporated areas | 95.4 | 36.8 | 321 |
| Totals | 40,381 | 15,591 | 309,684 |

### Environmental protection

The Hume region contains many protected areas such as Barmah, Burrowa-Pine Mountain and Chiltern-Mt Pilot national parks; and the Winton Wetlands restoration site.