Bass Coast Shire

Local government area in Victoria, Australia

Bass Coast Shire
Victoria

Location in Victoria

Population| 35,327 (2018)[1]
• Density| 40.793/km2 (105.65/sq mi)
Established| 1994
Gazetted| 2 December 1994[2]
Area| 866 km2 (334.4 sq mi)[1]
Mayor| Cr Clare Le Serve[3]
Council seat| Wonthaggi
Region| Gippsland
State electorate(s)| Bass
Federal division(s)| Monash
Website| Bass Coast Shire
| LGAs around Bass Coast Shire:

Casey | Cardinia | Baw Baw
Mornington Peninsula | Bass Coast Shire | South Gippsland
Bass Strait | Bass Strait | Bass Strait

The Bass Coast Shire is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the southeastern part of the state. It covers an area of 866 square kilometres (334 sq mi) and in June 2018 had a population of 35,327.[1] It includes the towns of Bass, Cape Paterson, Cape Woolamai, Corinella, Coronet Bay, Cowes, Inverloch, Kilcunda, Lang Lang, Newhaven, Rhyll, San Remo, Summerlands and Wonthaggi as well as the historic locality of Krowera. It also includes the popular tourist destination Phillip Island. It was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the Shire of Bass, Shire of Phillip Island, Borough of Wonthaggi, parts of the Shire of Woorayl, Shire of Korumburra and City of Cranbourne.[2]

The Shire is governed and administered by the Bass Coast Shire Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is the council headquarters in Wonthaggi, with other service centres located in Cowes, Grantville and Inverloch. The Shire is named after its most precious asset, the coasts of Bass Strait and Western Port.

## Council

[edit]

### Current composition

[edit]

The council is composed of three wards and nine councillors, with three councillors elected to represent each ward.[4]

Ward | Party | Councillor | Notes

|
|
|

Bunurong  |  | Independent | Les Larke  |
| Independent National | Brett Tessari
| Independent Labor | Leticia Laing  |
Island  |  | Independent  | Ron Bauer  | President of the Reason Party in Victoria from 2017 until 2018.[5]
| Independent  | David Rooks  |
| Independent  | Michael Whelan  |
Westernport  |  | Independent  | Clare Le Serve  | Current Mayor (2023/24)
| Independent Labor | Geoff Ellis  |
| Independent  | Rochelle Halstead  | Deputy Mayor (2023/24)

### 2020 election results

[edit]

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2020 Victorian local elections in Gippsland § Bass Coast.[edit]

2020 Victorian local elections: Bass Coast[6][7] Party  | Votes  | %  | Swing  | Seats  | Change

|
|
|
|
|

| Independent | 16,082  | 47.68  |  | 6  |
| Independent National | 6,372  | 18.89  |  | 1  |
| Independent Liberal | 4,645  | 13.77  |  | 1  |
| Independent Labor | 4,284  | 12.70  |  | 1  |
| Greens | 1,639  | 4.86  |  | 0  |
| Liberal | 708  | 2.10  |  | 0  |
Formal votes  | 33,730  | 96.91  |  |  |
Informal votes  | 1,077  | 3.09  |  |  |
Total  | 34,807  | 100.0  |  | 9  |
Registered voters / turnout  | 42,627  | 81.65  |  |  |

### Administration and governance

[edit]

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Wonthaggi Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Wonthaggi, and its service centre in Cowes.

## Townships and localities

[edit]

At the 2021 census, the shire had a population of 40,789, as compared to 32,804 in the 2016 census.[8]

Population

Locality | 2016 | 2021
Adams Estate | 59 | 83
Almurta | 48 | 66
Anderson | 28 | 26
Archies Creek | 22 | 32
Bass | 359 | 405
Cape Paterson | 891 | 1,111
Cape Woolamai | 1,676 | 2,301
Churchill Island | 0 | 0
Corinella | 791 | 1,181
Coronet Bay | 791 | 1,108
Cowes | 4,839 | 6,593
Dalyston | 583 | 843
Glen Alvie | 165 | 182

Population

Locality | 2016 | 2021
Glen Forbes | 106 | 118
Grantville | 831 | 1,168
Harmers Haven | 37 | 62
Inverloch^ | 5,437 | 6,526
Jam Jerrup | 97 | 106
Kernot | 100 | 118
Kilcunda | 396 | 578
Kongwak^ | 197 | 207
Krowera^ | 108 | 134
Lance Creek | 136 | 143
Lang Lang^ | 1,585 | 2,556
Loch^ | 638 | 707
Newhaven | 449 | 547

Population

Locality | 2016 | 2021
North Wonthaggi | 2,806 | 3,475
Outtrim^ | 235 | 270
Pioneer Bay | 352 | 365
Pound Creek^ | 104 | 126
Queensferry | * | #
Rhyll | 568 | 836
Ryanston | 271 | 324
San Remo | 1,254 | 1,700
Silverleaves | 211 | 322
Smiths Beach | 226 | 315
South Dudley | 461 | 421
St Clair | 49 | 44
Summerlands | 0 | 0

Population

Locality | 2016 | 2021
Sunderland Bay | 234 | 306
Sunset Strip | 427 | 503
Surf Beach | 533 | 670
Tenby Point | 184 | 206
The Gurdies | 191 | 243
Ventnor | 855 | 982
Wattle Bank | 177 | 250
West Creek | 109 | 113
Wimbledon Heights | 373 | 421
Wonthaggi | 4,965 | 5,215
Woodleigh | 125 | 126
Woolamai | 208 | 245

^ \- Territory divided with another LGA
* \- Not noted in 2016 Census
# \- Not noted in 2021 Census

## Facilities

[edit]

* Local markets[9]

### Cape Paterson

[edit]

* Swimming Rockpool – Safety Beach, Browns Bay, Surf Beach Road[10]
* Bunurong Marine Park

### Wonthaggi

[edit]

* Lower Powlett Road – Williamsons Beach, Powlett River, Wonthaggi Wind Farm and Victorian Desalination Plant (tours and walking/cycling/horse riding)
* Bass Coast Rail Trail – walk/cycle/horse trot
* Historic mine whistle – sounds 12 noon every day in the centre of Wonthaggi, mine shaft tower, Apex Park, Murray Street[9]
* Wonthaggi Museum – open Saturday mornings, Murray Street[11]
* State Coal Mine – museum and tours, Garden Street[12]
* Coal mine ruins – Number 5 Brace & the McBride tunnel entry, off West Area Road Wonthaggi and scattered around the region[9]
* Wonthaggi Golf Course – 18 hole, par 72, ACR 70, easy walk, McKenzie Street[13]
* Large chain stores
* Wonthaggi Hospital – Smoking ban, Graham Street[14]

### Phillip Island

[edit]

* Phillip Island Penguin Parade
* Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
* Nobbies Centre at Seal Rocks

### Krowera

[edit]

* Garlic Farm, Olive Farm, Wayside Lookout, Dairy Farms

### Kilcunda

[edit]

* Kilcunda Trestle Bridge

### Inverloch

[edit]

* Inverloch Shell Museum and Dinosaur Exhibition[15]

## Protected areas

[edit]

Collecting empty seashells, driftwood, twigs, sea glass and other non-living materials or interesting rubbish of small size and in small quantities is legal from most beaches along the Bass Coast, with the exception of Wilsons Promontory, the Bunurong Marine National Park and most of Phillip Island.

On Phillip Island most beaches are off-limits for shell collecting and are run by Phillip Island Nature Parks, with the exceptions of Ventnor, Cowes, Rhyll and Newhaven.[16]

The Bunurong Marine National Park is a middle outstretching section of Bunurong Marine Park along the coastline of Harmers Haven, Cape Paterson and Inverloch. The restricted zone (Bunurong Marine National Park inside Bunurong Marine Park) is an area south-west past Cape Paterson's Safety Beach and Undertow Bay; namely The Oaks, Twin Reefs, Shack Bay and Eagles Nest.

## See also

[edit]

* List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in Bass Coast Shire
* Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017-18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 October 2019. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
2. ^ a b Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive (1837–1997). "S94 of 1994 - Order estg (Part 2) the Bass Coast Shire". State Library of Victoria. State Government of Victoria (published 2 December 1994). p. 2. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
3. ^ "Councillors and Elections".
4. ^ Local Government in Victoria. "Bass Coast Shire Council". Victorian Electoral Commission. State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
5. ^ "RON BAUER". BASS COAST RATEPAYERS AND RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION.
6. ^ "Bass Coast Shire Council election results 2020". Victorian Electoral Commission.
7. ^ "Election 2020". Bass Coast Post.
8. ^ "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
9. ^ a b c Bass Coast Information Centres (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012, retrieved 19 November 2013
10. ^ Bass Coast Information Centres, retrieved 13 November 2013
11. ^ Wonthaggi Historical Society, retrieved 11 November 2013
12. ^ Parks Victoria, retrieved 27 October 2013
13. ^ Wonthaggi Golf Club, retrieved 11 November 2013
14. ^ Bass Coast Regional Health, archived from the original on 28 September 2013, retrieved 30 October 2013
15. ^ Inverloch Shell Museum, retrieved 14 November 2013
16. ^ Department of Environment And Primary Industries, retrieved 11 November 2013

## External links

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bass Coast.

* Bass Coast Shire Council official website
* Metlink local public transport map
* Link to Land Victoria interactive maps Archived 24 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine
* Bass Coast Security
* Interactive map of Victorian local government areas (pre-1994 vs present) \- Victorian Government - Digital Twin Victoria

* v
* t
* e

Localities in the Bass Coast Shire

Mainland|

| Town|

* Bass
* Cape Paterson
* Corinella
* Coronet Bay
* Dalyston
* Grantville
* Inverloch^
* Kilcunda
* Kongwak^
* Lang Lang^
* Loch^
* North Wonthaggi
* Outtrim^
* Pioneer Bay
* Ryanston
* San Remo
* South Dudley
* Tenby Point
* The Gurdies
* Wattle Bank
* Wonthaggi
* Woolamai

|

Locality|

* Adams Estate
* Almurta
* Anderson
* Archies Creek
* Glen Alvie
* Glen Forbes
* Harmers Haven
* Jam Jerrup
* Kernot
* Krowera^
* Lance Creek
* Pound Creek^
* Queensferry
* St Clair
* West Creek
* Woodleigh

Philip Island|

| Town|

* Cape Woolamai
* Cowes
* Newhaven
* Rhyll
* Silverleaves
* Smiths Beach
* Sunderland Bay
* Sunset Strip
* Surf Beach
* Ventnor
* Wimbledon Heights

|

Locality|

* Churchill Island
* Summerlands

^ \- Territory divided with another LGA

* v
* t
* e

Local government areas of Victoria

Current|

| Greater Melbourne region|

| Inner Melbourne|

* Melbourne
* Port Phillip
* Stonnington
* Yarra

|

Metropolitan|

* Banyule
* Bayside
* Boroondara
* Brimbank
* Darebin
* Glen Eira
* Hobsons Bay
* Kingston
* Manningham
* Maribyrnong
* Maroondah
* Merri-bek
* Monash
* Moonee Valley
* Whitehorse

Outer Metropolitan|

* Cardinia
* Casey
* Frankston
* Greater Dandenong
* Hume
* Knox
* Melton
* Mornington Peninsula
* Nillumbik
* Whittlesea
* Wyndham
* Yarra Ranges

Barwon South West region|

* Colac Otway
* Corangamite
* Glenelg
* Greater Geelong
* Moyne
* Queenscliffe
* Southern Grampians
* Surf Coast
* Warrnambool

Gippsland region|

* Bass Coast
* Baw Baw
* East Gippsland
* Latrobe
* South Gippsland
* Wellington

Grampians region|

* Ararat
* Ballarat
* Golden Plains
* Hepburn
* Hindmarsh
* Horsham
* Moorabool
* Northern Grampians
* Pyrenees
* West Wimmera
* Yarriambiack

Hume region|

* Alpine
* Benalla
* Greater Shepparton
* Indigo
* Mansfield
* Mitchell
* Moira
* Murrindindi
* Strathbogie
* Towong
* Wangaratta
* Wodonga

Loddon Mallee region|

* Buloke
* Campaspe
* Central Goldfields
* Gannawarra
* Greater Bendigo
* Loddon
* Macedon Ranges
* Mildura
* Mount Alexander
* Swan Hill

Unincorporated areas|

* Elizabeth Island
* Falls Creek
* French Island
* Gabo Island
* Lady Julia Percy Island
* Lake Mountain
* Mount Baw Baw
* Mount Buller
* Mount Hotham
* Mount Stirling
* Sandstone Island

Former|

| Greater Melbourne region|

| Inner Melbourne|

* Collingwood
* Fitzroy
* Malvern
* Port Melbourne
* Prahran
* Richmond
* South Melbourne
* St Kilda

|

Metropolitan|

* Altona
* Box Hill
* Brighton
* Broadmeadows
* Brunswick
* Camberwell
* Caulfield
* Coburg
* Diamond Valley (S)
* Doncaster & Templestowe
* Essendon
* Footscray
* Hawthorn
* Heidelberg
* Keilor
* Kew
* Moorabbin
* Northcote
* Nunawading
* Sandringham
* Sunshine
* Oakleigh
* Preston
* Williamstown
* Waverley

Outer Metropolitan|

* Berwick
* Bulla (S)
* Chelsea
* Cranbourne
* Croydon
* Dandenong
* Eltham (S)
* Flinders (S)
* Frankston (former)
* Hastings (S)
* Healesville (S)
* Lillydale (S)
* Mordialloc
* Mornington (S)
* Pakenham (S)
* Ringwood
* Sherbrooke (S)
* Springvale
* Upper Yarra (S)

Barwon South West region|

* Bannockburn
* Barrabool
* Belfast
* Bellarine (RC)
* Camperdown (T)
* Colac, City of
* Colac, Shire of
* Corio
* Dundas
* Geelong
* Geelong West
* Glenelg (former)
* Hamilton
* Hampden
* Heytesbury
* Heywood
* Koroit (B)
* Minhamite
* Mortlake
* Mount Rouse
* Newtown
* Otway
* Port Fairy (B)
* Portland
* South Barwon
* Wannon
* Warrnambool
* Winchelsea

Gippsland region|

* Alberton
* Avon
* Bairnsdale, City of
* Bairnsdale, Shire of
* Bass
* Buln Buln
* Korumburra
* Maffra
* Mirboo
* Moe
* Morwell
* Narracan
* Omeo
* Orbost
* Phillip Island
* Rosedale
* Sale
* South Gippsland (former)
* Tambo
* Traralgon, City of
* Traralgon, Shire of
* Warragul (RC)
* Wonthaggi (B)
* Woorayl

Grampians region|

* Arapiles
* Ararat, City of
* Ararat, Shire of
* Avoca
* Bacchus Marsh
* Ballaarat, City of
* Ballan
* Ballarat, Shire of
* Bungaree
* Buninyong
* Creswick
* Daylesford and Glenlyon
* Dimboola
* Dunmunkle
* Grenville
* Horsham
* Kaniva
* Kara Kara
* Karkarooc
* Kowree
* Leigh
* Lexton
* Lowan
* Ripon
* Sebastopol (B)
* St Arnaud (T)
* Stawell, City of
* Stawell, Shire of
* Talbot and Clunes
* Warracknabeal
* Wimmera

Hume region|

* Alexandra
* Beechworth
* Benalla, City of
* Benalla, Shire of
* Bright
* Broadford
* Chiltern
* Cobram
* Delatite
* Euroa
* Goulburn
* Kilmore
* Mansfield (former)
* McIvor
* Myrtleford
* Nathalia
* Numurkah
* Oxley
* Pyalong
* Rodney
* Rutherglen
* Seymour (RC)
* Shepparton, City of
* Shepparton, Shire of
* Tallangatta
* Tungamah
* Upper Murray
* Violet Town
* Wangaratta, City of
* Wangaratta, Shire of
* Waranga
* Yackandandah
* Yarrawonga
* Yea

Loddon Mallee region|

* Bendigo
* Bet Bet
* Birchip
* Castlemaine
* Charlton
* Cohuna
* Deakin
* Donald
* Eaglehawk (B)
* East Loddon
* Echuca
* Gisborne
* Gordon
* Huntly
* Kerang, Borough of (B)
* Kerang, Shire of
* Korong
* Kyabram (T)
* Kyneton
* Maldon
* Marong (RC)
* Maryborough
* Metcalfe
* Mildura, City of
* Mildura, Shire of
* Newham and Woodend
* Newstead
* Rochester
* Romsey
* Strathfieldsaye
* Swan Hill, City of
* Swan Hill, Shire of
* Tullaroop
* Walpeup
* Wycheproof

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