By Deanne Jeffers
The local government elections in October will look vastly different this year, with the City of Greater Shepparton being restructured into nine distinct wards. Voters will choose a single representative for their ward, resulting in nine councillors representing the one ward, instead of the current nine councillors for the entire municipality. Voting will be by postal vote in October. To find out if you are on the state electoral roll, go online to https://enrolment.vec.vic.gov.au/
You must vote in your local council election if you are on the state roll by 4pm on the day the roll closes. If you do not vote, you may get a fine.
Council-enrolled voters include ratepayers who are property owners, occupiers or corporations. You can check your status or apply to become a council-enrolled voter directly with your council.
Under the restructure, the City of Greater Shepparton will be divided into five wards: McEwan and Balaclava (northern suburbs), Poplar (east), Kialla (south), and Yanha Gurtji (city centre). The remaining four wards focus on rural communities: Midland Ward (Tatura, Merrigum, surrounding agricultural land), Pine Lodge Ward (Congupna, Tallygaroopna, Katandra West, Dookie, outskirts of Shepparton North), Goulburn River Ward (Mooroopna south of Midland Hwy, Murchison, Toolamba), and Lower Goulburn Ward (Mooroopna north of Midland Hwy, northern rural area).
Wards have been designed to have roughly equal numbers of voters. Despite opposition from the council, the State Government enforced these changes to ensure councils better reflect their communities. To help local voters better understand the changes, The Adviser will be breaking down the new wards and introducing candidates standing in the elections over the coming weeks. If you have any questions, or you are running for council, contact us on editorial@sheppartonadviser.com.au or message The Adviser on social media!
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City of Greater Shepparton Wards… a closer look:
McEwan Ward – 5,397 voters, 9 km2
This ward extends to Wanganui Road to Numurkah Road in the west, and south to Knight Street and the Goulburn River. It includes one of Shepparton’s major sporting precincts, John McEwan Reserve, as well as Shepparton Golf Club, the Resource Recovery Centre and DECA.
Balaclava Ward – 5,388 voters, 10 km2
Bordering McEwan Ward, with its western boundary on Numurkah Road and Wyndham Street, it extends east to Grahamvale Road, north to Ford Road, and south to Benalla Road and Knight Street. It includes GV Health, the Vines Estate, Shepparton Christian College and prominent commercial and light industrial sectors north of Benalla Road.
Poplar Ward – 5,026 voters, 8 km2
This ward to the east is positioned south of Benalla Road extending to the Broken River in the south. It’s eastern boundary is Doyles Road, and along the western boundary are Archer Street, St Georges and St Andrews Roads. Within Poplar Ward there is Shepparton Marketplace and shopping areas like Bunnings; the Lifestyle Communities and Kensington Gardens retirement villages on Channel Road; local schools including St Georges Road Primary School, as well as some rural and commercial and light industrial properties.
Kialla Ward – 5,161 voters, 18 km2
Kialla Ward has the Seven Creeks and Goulburn River as its western and north-western boundary, and the Broken River marks the northern boundary. It extends south to River Road. This ward is primarily residential, but also includes Shepparton Airport and Riverside Plaza.
Yanha Gurtji Ward – 5,079 voters, 6 km2
This is only ward to carry a name in the local Yorta Yorta language, meaning ‘Come walk with me friend’, captures the city centre. This includes Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton Railway, and CBD businesses, including Maude Street. It is bordered by the aforementioned city central wards, with the Broken River marking its southern boundary, extending north to Knight Street, the Goulburn River in the west; and to Archer St, St Georges and St Andrews Roads in the east.
Greater Shepparton rural wards… a closure look:
Midland Ward – 5,216 voters, 471 km2
This ward includes the communities of Tatura, Merrigum and the surrounding agricultural land, particularly to the west of Tatura. Its southern boundary is Bitcon Road, extending north to Echuca Road, and its western boundary is Craven and Minchin Roads.
Pine Lodge Ward – 5,468 voters, 821 km2
This ward is in the north-east of Shepparton and includes towns like Congupna, Tallygaroopna, Katandra West and Dookie, using the boundaries of the Goulburn and Broken Rivers. To include enough voters in this ward, the outskirts of Shepparton North were added to the Pine Lodge Ward.
Goulburn River Ward – 4,976 wards, 818 km2
This ward takes in the area of Mooroopna south of the Midland Highway, extending into the southern rural areas of the municipality. This includes towns of Murchison and Toolamba, and Kialla East.
Lower Goulburn Ward – 5,248 voters, 259 km2
This ward includes the area of Mooroopna north of the Midland Highway between the Goulburn River and the Echuca and Minchin Roads. It includes Undera, Ardmona, Mooroopna North and Coomboona.
