Bass Coast Shire

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]

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 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

Current composition

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

Section 'Bass Coast' not found

Administration and governance

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

At the 2021 census, the shire had a population of 40,789, as compared to 32,804 in the 2016 census.^[6]

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

• Local markets^[7]

Cape Paterson

• Swimming Rockpool – Safety Beach, Browns Bay, Surf Beach Road^[8]
• Bunurong Marine Park

Wonthaggi

• 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^[7]
• Wonthaggi Museum – open Saturday mornings, Murray Street^[9]
• State Coal Mine – museum and tours, Garden Street^[10]
• Coal mine ruins – Number 5 Brace & the McBride tunnel entry, off West Area Road Wonthaggi and scattered around the region^[7]
• Wonthaggi Golf Course – 18 hole, par 72, ACR 70, easy walk, McKenzie Street^[11]
• Large chain stores
• Wonthaggi Hospital – Smoking ban, Graham Street^[12]

Phillip Island

• Phillip Island Penguin Parade
• Australian motorcycle Grand Prix
• Pyramid Rock Festival on New Year's Eve
• Nobbies Centre at Seal Rocks

Krowera

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

Kilcunda

• Kilcunda Trestle Bridge

Inverloch

• Inverloch Shell Museum and Dinosaur Exhibition^[13]

Protected areas

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.^[14]

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

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

References

1. "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. 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. "Census | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 11 January 2023.
7. Bass Coast Information Centres (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2012, retrieved 19 November 2013
8. Bass Coast Information Centres, retrieved 13 November 2013
9. Wonthaggi Historical Society, retrieved 11 November 2013
10. Parks Victoria, retrieved 27 October 2013
11. Wonthaggi Golf Club, retrieved 11 November 2013
12. Bass Coast Regional Health, archived from the original on 28 September 2013, retrieved 30 October 2013
13. Inverloch Shell Museum, retrieved 14 November 2013
14. Department of Environment And Primary Industries, retrieved 11 November 2013

External links

• 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

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