The Rural City of Marong was a Local Government Area located about 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-northwest of Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, the state capital of Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, 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...

. The shire covered an area of 1488.93 square kilometres (574.9 sq mi), and existed from 1861 until 1994.

History

Marong was first incorporated as a district on 27 August 1861, and became a shire on 23 December 1864. On 1 October 1915, the Borough of Raywood, which was gazette

Gazette

A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...

d on 17 January 1865 on 23.31 square kilometres (9 sq mi) of land 28 kilometres (17 mi) north of Bendigo, was united with Marong. On 1 October 1990, the Shire of Marong became a Rural City under the Local Government Act 1989.

Amalgamation

The council briefly made State headlines in the circumstances surrounding its amalgamation. The Kennett

Jeff Kennett

Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...

 Liberal

Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

 government, elected in 1992, had embarked on an ambitious program of local government reform and restructuring across Victoria. Under the Local Government (General Amendment) Act 1993, a Local Government Board chaired by Leonie Burke

Leonie Burke

Leonie Therese Burke, née Hemingway is a former Australian politician. She was the Liberal member for Prahran in the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1996 to 2002....

 was established to advise the State Government on municipal matters. In a report on 17 February 1994, the Local Government Board recommended that the five councils in the Bendigo region merge to form a "super city" with a population of about 81,000, much as Geelong

City of Greater Geelong

The City of Greater Geelong is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia.It is located in the western part of the state, south-west of Melbourne. It has an area of 1,240 square kilometres. In 2006 it had a population of 191,000...

 had done the previous year. Marong, Eaglehawk

Borough of Eaglehawk

The Borough of Eaglehawk was a Local Government Area which covered the northwestern suburbs of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The borough covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1994....

 and Huntly

Shire of Huntly

The Shire of Huntly was a Local Government Area located immediately to the northeast of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1994.-History:...

 had earlier objected to the proposal, and the Board noted a weak no vote against the merger proposal in a referendum in the region—about 70% had voted against, but with a turnout of between 30% and 40% of eligible voters.

The three councils filed a writ in the Supreme Court alleging failure to follow process by the Minister for Local Government, Roger Hallam, but by the time the new "super city" was announced, the writ had not yet been heard, and on 24 March 1994, the Rural City of Marong successfully applied for an injunction blocking the publication of the gazette the following day abolishing the five councils and appointing three commissioners led by Peter Ross-Edwards, the former leader of the Victorian National Party

National Party of Australia

The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...

. The government responded by introducing legislation, the City of Greater Bendigo Bill 1994, to Parliament to effectively override the Supreme Court action, with Hallam saying "the bill would make clear that the Government is determined to achieve its objective for a more efficient municipal structure for the Bendigo region." Marong mayor Robert Hynes described the action as "terribly disappointing", adding, "One way or another, I believe it does mean an end to our fight... it seems the Government are above the law to me." On 6 April 1994, the Marong council voted to drop the Supreme Court action—effectively in doing so voting itself out of existence—and on 7 April 1994, the City was abolished and merged with the City of Bendigo

City of Bendigo

The City of Bendigo was a Local Government Area which covered the central area and inner western suburbs of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia...

, the Borough of Eaglehawk

Borough of Eaglehawk

The Borough of Eaglehawk was a Local Government Area which covered the northwestern suburbs of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The borough covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1994....

 and the Shires of Huntly

Shire of Huntly

The Shire of Huntly was a Local Government Area located immediately to the northeast of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1994.-History:...

 and Strathfieldsaye

Shire of Strathfieldsaye

The Shire of Strathfieldsaye was a Local Government Area located immediately to the east and southeast of the regional city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, and included the eastern suburbs of Bendigo's metropolitan area...

 to form the City of Greater Bendigo

City of Greater Bendigo

The City of Greater Bendigo is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the central-western part of the state. It has an area of 3,048 square kilometres...

. On 29 April 1994, the Minister confirmed the Bill was not being proceeded with.

Wards

Marong was divided into three wards on 30 May 1988, each of which elected three councillors:

• Central Ward
• North Ward
• South Ward

Towns and localities

• Big Hill
• Bridgewater On Loddon
  Bridgewater On Loddon, Victoria
  Bridgewater On Loddon is a town in north central Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the Calder Highway, north west of Bendigo, astride the Loddon River. At the 2006 census, Bridgewater On Loddon had a population of 391...
  
  
• Campbell's Forest
• Crusoe Gully
• Derby
• Eastville
• Kangaroo Flat
  Kangaroo Flat, Victoria
  Kangaroo Flat is an outer suburb of Bendigo in Victoria, Australia. The suburb is neighbours with Golden Square.-History:Prior to the gold rush the Bendigo district was part of a large station "the Ravenswood Run". The discovery of very significant gold deposits in the 1850's resulted in a huge...
  
  
• Laanecoorie
  Laanecoorie, Victoria
  Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river Laanecoorie is a locality situated on the Loddon river ( in Victoria, Australia. It has a community hall, church, and caravan Park.Laanecoorie was originally part of the “Simpson Run”...
  
  
• Leichhardt
• Lockwood
• Maiden Gully
  Maiden Gully, Victoria
  Maiden Gully is a suburb of the regional city of Bendigo in central Victoria, Australia, located west of the central business district along Calder Highway. At the 2006 census, Maiden Gully had a population of 3,225....
  
  
• Marong
  Marong, Victoria
  Marong is a town in Victoria, Australia. At the 2001 census, Marong had a population of 393. It is located kilometres to the west of Bendigo. Its local government area is the City of Greater Bendigo...
  
  
• Myer's Flat
• Newbridge
  Newbridge, Victoria
  Newbridge is a town in central Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the Loddon River and in the Shire of Loddon Local Government Area, north of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Newbridge had a population of 476....
  
  
• Ravenswood
• Raywood
  Raywood, Victoria
  Raywood is a town in northern Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the City of Greater Bendigo, north of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Raywood had a population of 291.Raywood Post Office opened on 4 January 1864...
  
  
• Sebastian
• Shelbourne

Population

Year	Population
1954	5,421
1958	5,960*
1961	6,100
1966	6,483
1971	6,905
1976	8,168
1981	9,869
1986	11,744
1991	14,723

* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.