The Shire of Upper Yarra was a local government area centred on the upper reaches of the Yarra Valley, about 60 kilometres (37 mi) east of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, extending eastwards into Victoria's interior. The shire covered an area of 1,732 square kilometres (668.7 sq mi), and existed from 1888 until 1994.

Shire of Upper Yarra
Victoria
Location in Victoria
Population15,950 (1992)[1]
 • Density9.209/km2 (23.851/sq mi)
Established1888
Area1,732 km2 (668.7 sq mi)
Council seatYarra Junction
RegionYarra Valley
CountyEvelyn
LGAs around Shire of Upper Yarra:
Healesville Alexandra Mansfield
Lillydale Shire of Upper Yarra Narracan
Sherbrooke Pakenham Buln Buln

History

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Upper Yarra was incorporated as a shire on 19 October 1888. On 30 May 1919, it annexed the Lauraville Riding of the defunct Howqua Shire (the Howqua riding itself was annexed by the Shire of Mansfield), and on 4 December 1923 and 15 February 1984, it annexed parts of the Shire of Healesville.[2]

On 15 December 1994, the Shire of Upper Yarra was abolished, and along with the Shires of Lillydale, Healesville and parts of the Shire of Sherbrooke, was merged into the newly created Shire of Yarra Ranges.[3]

Wards

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The Shire of Upper Yarra was divided into three ridings on 31 March 1909, each of which elected three councillors:

  • Centre Riding
  • East Riding
  • West Riding

Suburbs and localities

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The Shire of Upper Yarra included the Yarra Valley district and towns along the Warburton Highway, extending east through the Yarra Ranges National Park, to a line between the Baw Baw plateau and the town of Matlock, 110 kilometres (68 mi) from Melbourne's central business district.[4]

* Council seat.

Population

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Year Population
1891 800
1911 3,644
1947 5,444
1954 6,952
1958 6,460*
1961 5,692
1966 5,458
1971 6,014
1976 7,858
1981 10,107
1986 13,637
1991 15,032

* Estimates in 1958 and 1988 Victorian Year Books.

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics, Victoria Office (1994). Victorian Year Book. p. 49. ISSN 0067-1223.
  2. ^ Victorian Municipal Directory. Brunswick: Arnall & Jackson. 1992. pp. 867–868. Accessed at State Library of Victoria, La Trobe Reading Room.
  3. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (1 August 1995). Victorian local government amalgamations 1994-1995: Changes to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. p. 11. ISBN 0-642-23117-6. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
  4. ^ Monash University (1999). "Australian Places - Upper Yarra Shire". Archived from the original on 29 April 2003. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
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37°47′S 145°36′E / 37.783°S 145.600°E / -37.783; 145.600