The Rural City of Mildura is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the north-western part of the state. It covers an area of being the largest LGA in the state by land size. In August 2021 the area had a population of 56,972. It includes the city of Mildura and the towns of Merbein, Red Cliffs, Irymple, Ouyen, Murrayville and Underbool.

The Rural City is governed and administered by the Mildura Rural City Council; its seat of local government and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Mildura, it also has service centres located in Ouyen and a couple of other locations within Mildura. The Rural City is named after the main urban settlement, Mildura, which is also the LGA's most populous urban centre with a population of 30,647.

In 2006 the Rural City of Mildura had a population of 49,815, most of which was located in Mildura (30,016) and adjacent areas (that is Victorian Sunraysia). Many of the small towns in the region have practically disappeared as more efficient farming methods reduce the quantity of human labour required.

History The Rural City of Mildura was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the City of Mildura, Shire of Mildura and Shire of Walpeup.

Geography The Rural City of Mildura covers most of the Mallee region of Victoria. Before the less infertile soils were fertilised and developed for the production of wheat and barley the whole region was covered in a dense mallee scrub of deep-rooting eucalypts that regenerated after the frequent bushfires in the region. Many of the soils are so sandy that clearing is impractical, and Murray-Sunset National Park covers almost a third of the area of the LGA. Other protected areas include Hattah-Kulkyne National Park and Murray-Kulkyne Park on the Murray River.

The climate of the region is the driest in Victoria, and Neds Corner in the remote northwest has the lowest average annual rainfall in the state at . In the south at Ouyen the average is . In all the areas of the LGA there can be considerable variation in annual rainfall: the range historically has been from in 1967 to in 1973. Temperatures in the LGA are the hottest in Victoria and the average summer maximum is , but it often exceeds . Winter can be very pleasant with a maximum of , but frosts are common in the morning and can sometimes be severe.

The southeast of the LGA is used primarily for grain growing; however yields are erratic and often poor due to drought. In the north irrigated fruit growing (primarily oranges and grapes) is highly productive and supports Mildura and nearby towns; however, salinity in the Murray River is a major threat to the long-term sustainability of these activities, as is competition from overseas citrus growers. Council

Current composition The council is composed of nine councillors elected to represent single member wards. Council Composition as of May 2026: WardCouncillorTermNotesCity Gate  Katie Clements 2024—PresentHenderson Park  Helen Healy2020—PresentDeputy MayorKaradoc  Rebecca Louise Crossling 2024—PresentKings Billabong  Glenn Milne2008—PresentLake Ranfurly  Troy Bailey 2022—PresentMildura Wetlands  Ali Cupper 2024—PresentMayorMillewa  Ian Richard Arney2020—PresentNowingi Place  Jodi Ewings2020—PresentSunset Country  Greg Brown2022—Present

Administration and governance The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Mildura Municipal Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre on Madden Avenue in Mildura, and its service centres in Ouyen and on Deakin Avenue in Mildura. Townships and localities At the 2021 census, the rural city had a population of 56,972 up from 53,878 in the 2016 census

Population Locality 2016 2021 ^ 3 8 643 748 13 14 488 482 821 847 22 26 70 68 329 305 36 33 69 81 28 27 128 118 5,325 5,977 366 397 15 16 38 32 10 13 2,713 2,770 405 407 190 223 67 70 48 42 32,738 34,565 14 12 4 8 280 278 141 153 4 3 1,551 1,723 1,191 1,170 65 67 ^ 133 149 5,060 5,294 ^ 57 62 32 51 20 21 215 215 158 171 71 53 112 97 322 325 ^ - Territory divided with another LGA

Sister cities

Mildura has sister city relations with the following cities:

Dali, Yunnan Province of China (established 2006) Kumatori, Japan (established 2001) Upland, California, United States of America (established 1969)

See also List of localities (Victoria) List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the Rural City of Mildura

Notes

References

External links

Mildura Rural City Council official website