Latrobe City

Latrobe City Victoria
Population	72,396 (2011)[1]
• Density	50.769/km2 (131.49/sq mi)
Established	1994
Gazetted	2 December 1994[2]
Area	1,426 km2 (550.6 sq mi)
Mayor	Cr Sharon Gibson
Council seat	Morwell
Region	Eastern Victoria
State electorate(s)	Morwell Narracan
Federal Division(s)	Gippsland McMillan
Website	www.latrobe.vic.gov.au
LGAs around Latrobe City: Baw Baw Baw Baw Wellington Baw Baw Latrobe City Wellington South Gippsland South Gippsland Wellington

The Latrobe City is a local government area in the Gippsland region in eastern Victoria, Australia, located in the eastern part of the state. It covers an area of 1,426 square kilometres (551 sq mi) and, at the 2011 Census, had a population of 72,396.^[1] It is primarily urban with the vast majority of its population living within three major urban areas, which are Moe, Morwell and Traralgon, while other significant settlements within the LGA include Boolarra, Callignee, Churchill, Glengarry, Jeeralang, Newborough, Toongabbie, Tyers, Yallourn North and Yinnar. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the City of Moe, City of Morwell, City of Traralgon, Shire of Traralgon, and parts of the Shire of Narracan and Shire of Rosedale. When formed the municipality was originally called the Shire of La Trobe, but on 6 April 2000, was renamed to its current name.^[2][3]

The City is governed and administered by the Latrobe City Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Morwell, it also has service centres located in Moe and Traralgon. The City is named after the Latrobe River and Latrobe Valley, major geographical features that meander through the north of the LGA.

The LGA has three cities—Moe, Morwell and Traralgon in the Latrobe Valley—which form the same statistical area (or Tri-city) and accounts for most of the City's population and as such, the LGA is primarily an urban area with many of the smaller settlements forming suburban areas separated by areas of secondary industry, although there are large tracts of crown and rural land to the north and south.

Industry and economy

The City has traditionally been recognised as the centre of Victoria's electricity industry, which is derived from one of the largest brown coal reserves in the world. It also the centre of a large forestry industry which services Australian Paper's pulp and paper mill (the largest in Australia) and other sawmills. Other industries in the area include food processing (National Foods - Morwell), engineering, post secondary education (Monash University Gippsland)and the service sector. Being the largest population centre in the Gippsland region, Latrobe acts as the regional headquarters for Government agencies and private operators including banks and insurance companies.

Latrobe is also close to popular tourist attractions including the Baw Baw and Tarra-Bulga National Parks and the historic gold mining town of Walhalla.

The power generators include:

• Loy Yang A & B Power Stations
• International Power Hazelwood
• Energy Brix Australia
• Yallourn Power Station, Yallourn

Towns and localities

Council

Current composition

The council is composed of four wards and nine councillors, with four councillors elected to represent the East Ward, two councillors per ward elected to represent each of the Central and West wards, and one councillor elected to represent the South Ward.^[4]

Former wards

Burnet Ward

The current councillor is Cr Kellie O'Callaghan. She also was Mayor in 2010, she served at Deputy Mayor in her first year with Council in 2009.

From 2005-2009 Susan Lloyd represented this ward. Prior to the 2005 election, Sheridan Bond was the elected representative.

Dunbar Ward

The current councillor is Cr Rohan Fitzgerald, who won the seat in the 2008 election. His precedecessor, David Wilson was elected in 2005. Prior to the 2005 election, the representative of this ward was Peter Tyler.

Farley Ward

The current councillor is Cr Lisa Price. She was previously the mayor in 2009 and 2006, and deputy mayor in 2004. She has held the seat since the 2003 election when this ward came into being.

Firmin Ward

Cr Darrell White is the current councillor for this ward. He has represented this ward since it was created in 2003. He was Mayor in 2004, 2010 and deputy in 2005.

Galbraith Ward

The current councillor is Cr Sandy Kam. She won the seat in a by-election caused by the resignation of Derek Amos in 2007. In the 2008 election, Cr Kam retained the seat.

Derek Amos was elected in 2005. Prior to his election, Lisa Proctor represented the Galbraith Ward.

Gunyah Ward

The current councillor is Cr Ed Vermeulen.

From 2005 - 2008 the representative was Doug Caulfield. Prior to the 2005 election, Bob Smith held this seat.

Merton Ward

Cr Sharon Gibson is the current councillor for this seat.

The seat was previously held by Tony (Anthony) Zimora, who was elected to council in 1997. He was mayor in 2007.

Rintoull Ward

Cr Graeme Middlemiss has represented this ward since it came into being in 2003.

Tanjil Ward

This seat is currently held by Cr Bruce Lougheed who was first elected in 2003. He served as mayor in 2005.

Other former wards

Currawong Ward

Until the council election of 2003, the representative was Tony Hanning.

Heron Ward

Darrell White held this seat, until the 2003 election.

Rosella Ward

Tony Zimora represented this ward until the 2003 election.

Kestrel Ward

Brendan Jenkins was the representative of this ward, until his resignation in November 2002 to move into state politics.

Kingfisher Ward

Graeme Middlemiss was the representative of this ward until it was replaced.

Ibis Ward

Lisa Proctor was the representative of this ward until it was replaced.

Lorikeet Ward

Peter Tyler was the representative of this ward until it was replaced.

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Morwell Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Morwell, and its service centres in Moe and Traralgon.

See also

• List of localities (Victoria)

References

External links

• Latrobe City Council official website
• Metlink local public transport map
• Link to Land Victoria interactive maps
• 2005 Latrobe City Council elections results, Victorian Electoral Commission
• 2007 Latrobe City Council by-election results, Victorian Electoral Commission

Coordinates: 38°14′00″S 146°24′00″E / 38.23333°S 146.40000°E / -38.23333; 146.40000