# Shire of Murrindindi

The Shire of Murrindindi is a local government area in the Hume region of Victoria, Australia, located in the north-east part of the state. It covers an area of 3,880 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi) and, in August 2021, had a population of 15,197. It includes the towns of Alexandra, Buxton, Eildon, Flowerdale, Kinglake, Marysville, Molesworth, Strath Creek, Taggerty, Yarck and Yea. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Alexandra, Shire of Yea, and parts of the Shire of Broadford, Shire of Eltham, Shire of Euroa, Shire of Healesville and City of Whittlesea.
The Shire is governed by the Murrindindi Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Alexandra, it also has service centres located in Kinglake and Yea. The Shire is named after the locality of Murrindindi, which is located near the geographical centre of the LGA.
Parts of Murrindindi were badly affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires, notably the towns of Marysville and Kinglake. In total, 106 people died across the Shire including 38 in Kinglake and 34 in Marysville.
The Lake Mountain ski resort is an unincorporated area near the southern border of the shire, which creates a small exclave.

## Council
### Current composition

The council is composed of seven wards and seven councillors, with one councillor elected to represent each ward.
| Ward | Councillor |
| Cathedral | Sandice McAulay |
| Cheviot | Sue Carpenter |
| Eildon | Karine Haslem |
| King Parrot | Eric Lording |
| Kinglake | Ilona Gerencser |
| Koriella | John Walsh |
| Red Gate | Damien Gallagher |

### Administration and governance

The Council meets on a monthly basis for Scheduled Meetings and from time to time for Unscheduled Meetings. The meetings are streamed live on Council's Facebook page. Council provides customer services from its Library and Customer Service Centres in Alexandra, Kinglake and Yea and also from its Mobile Library and Customer Service.

### Media

Murrindindi Shire activities are covered weekly in local print publications and also on local radio UGFM. The latest information is also made available on Council's website and Facebook pages.

## Townships and localities

The 2021 census recorded the shire population at 15,197, compared to 13,732 in the 2016 census.
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Acheron | 171 | 146 |
| Alexandra | 2,695 | 2,801 |
| Buxton | 492 | 591 |
| Castella | 268 | 257 |
| Cathkin | 25 | 27 |
| Caveat | 41 | 59 |
| Devils River | 14 | 14 |
| Dropmore | 8 | 19 |
| Eildon | 974 | 944 |
| Enochs Point^ | 0 | 3 |
| Fawcett | 60 | 82 |
| Flowerdale^ | 689 | 790 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Ghin Ghin | 41 | 64 |
| Glenburn | 415 | 443 |
| Gobur | 85 | 102 |
| Gooram^ | 148 | 141 |
| Highlands^ | 122 | 151 |
| Homewood | 54 | 70 |
| Kanumbra^ | 59 | 53 |
| Kerrisdale | 73 | 86 |
| Killingworth | 106 | 156 |
| Kinglake^ | 1,536 | 1,662 |
| Kinglake Central | 345 | 413 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Kinglake West^ | 1,166 | 1,305 |
| Koriella | 60 | 66 |
| Limestone | 82 | 121 |
| Maintongoon | 60 | 75 |
| Marysville^ | 394 | 501 |
| Merton^ | 190 | 216 |
| Molesworth | 72 | 91 |
| Murrindindi | 107 | 114 |
| Narbethong | 205 | 201 |
| Pheasant Creek | 322 | 360 |
| Rubicon | 56 | 44 |
Population :
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Ruffy^ | 112 | 164 |
| Strath Creek | 164 | 231 |
| Taggerty | 328 | 405 |
| Taylor Bay | 38 | 76 |
| Terip Terip | 57 | 72 |
| Thornton | 299 | 311 |
| Toolangi^ | 344 | 366 |
| Trawool^ | 108 | 90 |
| Whanregarwen | 100 | 130 |
| Yarck | 168 | 194 |
| Yea | 1,587 | 1,789 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA