Shire of Leigh
Local government area in Victoria, Australia
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The Shire of Leigh was a local government area about 140 kilometres (87 mi) west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 982 square kilometres (379.2 sq mi), and existed from 1861 until 1994.
Shire of Leigh | |||||||||||||
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Location in Victoria | |||||||||||||
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 The Shire of Leigh as at its dissolution in 1994 | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Victoria | ||||||||||||
| Region | Grampians | ||||||||||||
| Established | 1861 | ||||||||||||
| Council seat | Rokewood | ||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 982 km2 (379 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 2,340 (1992)[1] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 2.383/km2 (6.172/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| County | Grant, Grenville | ||||||||||||
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History
Leigh Shire was first incorporated as the Shelford Road District in 1861, and was renamed Leigh at the time of its redesignation as a shire on 22 March 1864.[2]
The Shire offices were in Rokewood, but Council meetings took place at an isolated hall at Warrambine Creek, halfway between the towns of Rokewood and Shelford.[2][3]
On 6 May 1994, the Shire of Leigh was abolished, and along with the Shires of Bannockburn and Grenville, and parts of the Shire of Buninyong, was merged into the newly created Golden Plains Shire.
Wards
The Shire of Leigh was divided into three ridings in May 1965, each of which elected three councillors:
- East Riding
- Middle Riding
- West Riding
Towns and localities
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 1,096 |
| 1958 | 1,370* |
| 1961 | 1,460 |
| 1966 | 1,403 |
| 1971 | 1,177 |
| 1976 | 1,184 |
| 1981 | 1,285 |
| 1986 | 1,791 |
| 1991 | 2,226 |
* Estimate in 1958 Victorian Year Book.