The Shire of Bass was a Local Government Area located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-southeast 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 526 square kilometres (203.1 sq mi), and existed from 1871 until 1994. Its administrative centre was located in Archies Creek

Archies Creek, Victoria

Archies Creek is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on Dalyston - Korumburra Road, in the Bass Coast Shire, north-west of Wonthaggi.The Post Office, Archie's Creek, opened on 17 November 1899 and closed in 1986....

.

History

Bass was first incorporated as the Phillip Island District on 8 September 1871, and became the Shire of Phillip Island and Woolamai on 24 December 1874. When the Phillip Island Riding was severed on 19 September 1928, its name changed to simply Shire of Woolamai, and finally Bass on 8 January 1929. It was reduced and redefined in 1977, including the loss of North Wonthaggi to the Borough of Wonthaggi

Borough of Wonthaggi

The Borough of Wonthaggi was a Local Government Area located about south-southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The borough covered an area of , and existed from 1911 until 1994...

.

The shire area covered the majority of the mainland of the currently existing Bass Coast Shire

Bass Coast Shire

Bass Coast Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the south-eastern part of the state, less than 90 minutes from Melbourne, and includes the popular tourist destination, Phillip Island...

 except for the areas of Wonthaggi

Wonthaggi, Victoria

Wonthaggi is a town located south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass Highways, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia...

, Inverloch

Inverloch, Victoria

Inverloch is a seaside village in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Bass Highway 143 kilometres southeast of Melbourne, at the mouth of Anderson Inlet, in the Bass Coast Shire and is located close to Australia’s southernmost stand of mangroves...

, some of the areas south of Korumburra and some of the coastline southwest of The Gurdies. The shire area spanned from the tiny township of The Gurdies (located approximately 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Melbourne on the Bass Highway) to Dalyston while the northern parts spanned to around Kernot, Almurta, Glen Forbes and other areas northwest of Inverloch.

On 2 December 1994, the Shire was abolished, and merged with Shire of Phillip Island

Shire of Phillip Island

The Shire of Phillip Island was a Local Government Area located in Western Port about south of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1928 until 1994.-History:...

, Borough of Wonthaggi

Borough of Wonthaggi

The Borough of Wonthaggi was a Local Government Area located about south-southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The borough covered an area of , and existed from 1911 until 1994...

 and parts of Cranbourne

City of Cranbourne

The City of Cranbourne was a Local Government Area located about southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The City covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994...

, Korumburra

Shire of Korumburra

The Shire of Korumburra was a Local Government Area located about southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1891 until 1994.-History:...

 and Woorayl

Shire of Woorayl

The Shire of Woorayl was a Local Government Area located about southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1888 until 1994.-History:...

 into the Bass Coast Shire

Bass Coast Shire

Bass Coast Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the south-eastern part of the state, less than 90 minutes from Melbourne, and includes the popular tourist destination, Phillip Island...

.

Wards

Bass was divided into three ridings , each of which elected three councillors:

• Bass Valley Riding
• Powlett Riding
• Woolamai Riding

Towns and localities

• Almurta
  Almurta, Victoria
  Almurta is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located along Glen Alvie Road, in the Bass Coast Shire, 107 kilometres south east of Melbourne. A full Post Office opened here on 21 April 1914 but was closed in 1969....
  
  
• Anderson
  Anderson, Victoria
  Anderson is a locality in Victoria, Australia. The roundabout which the locality is centralised around has been named the Anderson Roundabout which is all the town is thought of today....
  
  
• Archies Creek
  Archies Creek, Victoria
  Archies Creek is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on Dalyston - Korumburra Road, in the Bass Coast Shire, north-west of Wonthaggi.The Post Office, Archie's Creek, opened on 17 November 1899 and closed in 1986....
  
  
• Bass
  Bass, Victoria
  Bass is a small rural town 113 kilometres  south-east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass Highways, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia...
  
  
• Corinella
  Corinella, Victoria
  Corinella is a town in Victoria, Australia, located 114 km south-east of Melbourne via the M1 and the Bass Highway, on the eastern shore of Western Port Bay...
  
  
• Coronet Bay
• Dalyston
• Glen Alvie
• Glen Forbes
• Grantville
  Grantville, Victoria
  Grantville is a small town in Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Grantville had a population of 456.The town was named after Lieutenant James Grant who surveyed the area in 1801.-History:...
  
  
• Kernot
• Kilcunda
  Kilcunda, Victoria
  Kilcunda is a seaside town in Victoria. It is located 117 km southeast from Melbourne on the Bass Highway in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Situated along the rugged coastline between Phillip Island and Wonthaggi, Kilcunda is well known for its popular fishing, surfing...
  
  
• San Remo
  San Remo, Victoria
  San Remo is a town in southern Victoria, Australia in the Gippsland region. Formed as a fishing village, its economy is now more largely based around tourism. It is also notable as the town on the mainland end of the bridge to Phillip Island...
  
  
• Woolamai

Population

Year	Population
1954	3,761
1958	3,990*
1961	3,851
1966	3,834
1971	3,752
1976	3,947
1981	3,221
1986	4,010
1991	4,903

* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.