Ward Boundary Review

Under section 17 of the Local Government Act 2020 (Vic) (the Act), the Minister for Local Government asked the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) to conduct ward boundary reviews for 10 local council areas prior to the general local council elections in October 2024.

Baw Baw Shire Council was one of the 10 local council areas under review and is made up of three wards (West, Central, and East).

For these 10 councils, the number of voters per councillor was forecast to be out of balance by October 2024, with the number of voters per councillor in one or more wards forecast to vary from the average number of voters per councillor for all of the wards by more than 10 per cent.

The purpose of the VEC review was to correct this forecast imbalance for the October 2024 local council election.

A report summarising the VEC's findings and recommendations, which were accepted by the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Melissa Horne MP, can be downloaded here.

Click through the drop down boxes for a summary of the report.

What did the VEC review?

During its review, the VEC looked at:

the number of currently enrolled voters in each ward
the forecast number of enrolled voters at the next election
adjustments to the locations of existing ward boundaries

A ward boundary review does not change a council’s electoral structure, number of councillors, or ward names. A ward boundary review also cannot change the external boundaries of a local council, divide local councils, or amalgamate local councils.

How did the VEC develop its recommendations?

The VEC’s final recommendations comply with the Act and were developed through careful consideration of:

Research and analysis conducted by the VEC, including geospatial, electoral and demographic data.
Rates or patterns of population and voter change over time, and relevant forecasts of growth or decline based on forecast information provided by .id (informed decisions, a company specialising in demographics and forecasting).

When developing the final recommendation, the VEC considered:

Whether the adjusted wards would comply with section 15(2) of the Act, and how long they are likely to comply.
Whether meaningful and effective ward boundaries could be established and whether these would be easily identifiable to local communities.
The representation of communities of interest.
The voter distribution and physical features of the area, and the impact these may have on the shape and size of wards.
The scale of ward boundary changes, aiming for minimal change (where possible).
Other matters raised in public submissions not already listed above.

What changes have been made to the three wards?

The revised boundaries include substantial changes to West and Eard Ward and minor adjustments to Central Ward to ensure an even distribution of electors per ward.

Click on the images below to view the recommended ward structure, which has been accepted by the minister. The legend details the boundary changes.

Final Ward Boundary Review 2024 Recommended Boundary Map

(JPG, 996KB)

Final Ward Boundary Review 2024 Recommended Boundary Map Inset

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Data for recommended Ward boundary model

(JPG, 419KB)