Leeton Shire is a local government area in the Riverina

Riverina

The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...

 region of New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area

Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area

The Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area is geographically located within the Riverina area of New South Wales was created to control and divert the flow of local river and creek systems for the purpose of food production...

. It is on the Murrumbidgee River

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

.

The Shire includes the town of Leeton

Leeton, New South Wales

Leeton is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Leeton is situated approximately 550 km west of Sydney and 450 km north of Melbourne in the productive Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Leeton is administered by Leeton Shire Council...

 and the small towns of Yanco

Yanco, New South Wales

Yanco is a village with a population of 572 in Leeton Shire in South Western New South Wales, Australia. Yanco is a Wiradjuri aboriginal language word meaning the sound of running water. Yanco is located three kilometres from Leeton along the Irrigation Way...

, Gogeldrie

Gogeldrie, New South Wales

Gogeldrie is a town community in the central north part of the Riverina and situated about 11 kilometres west from Leeton and 11 kilometres east from Whitton. At the 2006 census, Gogeldrie had a population of 144 people....

, Whitton

Whitton, New South Wales

Whitton is a small town located in Leeton Shire in the Australian state of New South Wales. Founded in 1850, it is named after John Whitton , Engineer-in-Charge of the New South Wales Government Railways. The railway reached Whitton in 1881...

, Wamoon

Wamoon, New South Wales

Wamoon is a village in Leeton Shire in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Wamoon is located 8 km from Leeton along the Irrigation Way to the Leeton CBD and Henry Lawson Drive to the Leeton suburb of Wattle Hill...

, Stoney Point, Murrami

Murrami, New South Wales

Murrami is a village located in the Leeton Shire in New South Wales, Australia. Murrami has a small primary school, post office, a rice storage facility and a small community centre and park. The former Vetta Pasta Factory is located nearby. The place name is derived from an aboriginal word for...

, Corbie Hill

Corbie Hill, New South Wales

Corbie Hill is a small locality to the south east of Leeton, New South Wales, Australia in Leeton Shire. It can be accessed by Corbie Hill Road which links to the Irrigation Way at Gralee....

, Amesbury, Merungle Hill

Merungle Hill, New South Wales

Merungle Hill is a village community in the central north part of the Riverina. It is situated by road, about 3 kilometres north from Yanco and 5 kilometres south east from Leeton. At the 2006 census, Merungle Hill had a population of 535 people....

, Fivebough and Stanbridge

Stanbridge, New South Wales

Stanbridge is a town/community in the central part of the Riverina. It is situated by road, about 6 kilometres east from Whitton and 8 kilometres north west from Gogeldrie. At the 2006 census, Stanbridge had a population of 275 people....

 and the suburbs of Parkview

Parkview, New South Wales

Parkview is a residential suburb of Leeton, New South Wales in Leeton Shire. Parkview is located to the south west of town, and can be accessed via the Oak Street Bridge. Parkview is home to Leeton's second state school, Parkview Public School, a small shop and butcher, two churches, and an array...

, Wattle Hill

Wattle Hill, New South Wales

Wattle Hill is a north-western suburb of Leeton, New South Wales. Wattle Hill was developed in the 1970s and 80's as a joint venture between Leeton Shire Council and the New South Wales Department of Housing. Wattle Hill has a large concentration of housing department homes particularly on...

, Wiradjuri

Wiradjuri, New South Wales

Wiradjuri is a subdivision in the rapidly growing Northern area of Leeton, New South Wales in Leeton Shire. Wiradjuri was developed in the 1980s and 90's to cope with Leeton's housing shortage and population boom. The Leeton High School sporting ovals are located to the east.The Geographical Names...

, North Leeton

North Leeton, New South Wales

North Leeton is a suburb located in northern Leeton, New South Wales in Leeton Shire. It is the most rapidly growing area of Leeton with many housing estates such as Karri Estate and Nobel Park Estate being constructed to meet housing demands...

, Gralee

Gralee, New South Wales

Gralee is a suburb of Leeton, New South Wales in Leeton Shire. Gralee facilities include:* St Francis De Sales Regional College* Gralee Special School* Ricegrowers Co-operative Limited Headquarters* Leeton Caravan Park* Leeton Soldiers Club...

 and Willimbong

Willimbong, New South Wales

Willimbong is a suburb of Leeton, New South Wales, Australia in Leeton Shire. Willimbong has a mix of industrial and residential properties. Leeton's SunRice and Coprice Mills are located in Willimbong as well as the Berri Juice Factory, MIA Rural Services, Cummins and the Country Energy Field...

.

Council

Leeton Shire Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally. The area is divided into three wards, each electing three councillors. A referendum on 13 February 2010 will result in the removal of the ward system at the next general election. The mayor is not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:

Party		Councillors
	Independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...  and Unaffiliated	9
	Total	9

The current council, elected in 2008, is:

Ward

A Ward

Peter Davidson

Unaffiliated

Elected on 13 February 2010 to replace Peter Woods

Bill Arnold

Unaffiliated

Emerson Doig

Unaffiliated

B Ward

Tracey Valenzisi

Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...

Paul Maytom

Unaffiliated

Mayor

George Weston

Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...

Deputy Mayor

C Ward

Greg O'Callaghan

Unaffiliated

Sim Ciccia

Unaffiliated

Jack Egan

Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...