City of Moonee Valley

The City of Moonee Valley is a local government area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country. It comprises the inner north-western suburbs between 3 and 13 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre. In 2023, the City of Moonee Valley Estimated Resident Population was 126,486, with a population density of 2,935 persons per square km, based on the 2023 Census.

City of Moonee Valley Victoria
Location within Melbourne metropolitan area, on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country.
Population	127,883 (2018)[1]
• Density	2,970/km2 (7,700/sq mi)
Established	December 1994
Area	43 km2 (16.6 sq mi)[1]
Mayor	Cr Ava Adams
Council seat	Moonee Ponds
Region	Greater Melbourne
State electorate(s)	Essendon Niddrie
Federal division(s)	Maribyrnong
Website	City of Moonee Valley
LGAs around City of Moonee Valley: Brimbank Merri-bek Merri-bek Brimbank City of Moonee Valley Merri-bek Brimbank Maribyrnong Melbourne

History

The original logo

Moonee Valley was formed in December 1994 after the merger of the City of Essendon and eastern parts of the City of Keilor.

The original council logo from 1994 was replaced in February 2010.^[2]

Exchange prefixes in the city are 937x, 837x, 933x or 833x (the latter left over from the old City of Keilor).

Features

The Moonee Valley is a culturally diverse region with a substantial residential population and various commercial set-ups and industries. It comprises the Moonee Valley Racecourse, Essendon Airport and has several shopping precincts, restaurants, parks and offices. It is well connected and easily accessible through trams and the Craigieburn train line. It is also a thriving business centre, with close to 10,000 businesses operating in the region.^[3]

Council

Wards

Prior to the 2024 Council Elections, The City of Moonee Valley had three wards: Buckley, Myrnong and Rose Hill.^[4]

Buckley Ward comprises Essendon Fields, Essendon North, Strathmore, Aberfeldie, most of Essendon and Strathmore Heights, and parts of Moonee Ponds and Essendon West.^[4]

Myrnong Ward comprises Ascot Vale, Flemington, Travancore, most of Moonee Ponds and part of Essendon.^[4]

Rose Hill Ward comprises Avondale Heights, Keilor East, Airport West, Niddrie, most of Essendon West and part of Strathmore Heights.^[4]

At the 2024 Council Elections, nine wards were established with each ward electing once councillor each.^[5] The following wards were established;

• Airport Ward
• Buckley Ward
• Canning Ward
• Fairbairn Ward
• Milleara Ward
• Myrnong Ward
• Queens Park Ward
• Steele Creek Ward
• Woodlands Ward

Current composition

Councillors are elected from nine single member wards. The current council was elected in October 2024, its composition is:^[6]

Ward	Party		Councillor	Notes
Airport		Independent Liberal	Hamish Jones
Buckley		Independent Liberal	John Barnes[7]
Canning		Labor	Paula Theocharides
Fairbairn		Labor	Phil Burn
Milleara		Independent	John Sipek
Myrnong		Labor	Rose Iser
Queens Park		Independent	Ava Adams	Mayor[8]
Steele Creek		Independent	Samantha Byrne
Woodlands		Labor	Fran Cosgriff	Deputy Mayor[8]

Mayors

The current mayor is Ava Adams and the Deputy Mayor is Fran Cosgriff. They were elected by council in October 2024 and will serve the 2024–25 year.

Past councillors

2008−2024 (three wards)

Buckley Ward^[a]

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2008		Jan Chantry	Labor		Paul Giuliano	Independent		Narelle Sharpe	Independent
2012
2016		Rebecca Gauci Maurici	Liberal		Richard Lawrence	Independent
2020		Cam Nation	Independent		Ava Adams	Independent
2024		Jessica O'Neil	Independent

Myrnong Ward^[b]

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2008		Jim Cusack	Labor		Rose Iser	Greens		James Rankin	Independent
2011					Miriam Gillis	Independent
2012					Nicole Marshall	Labor		Cam Nation	Liberal
2014									No East West Link
2015									Independent
2016
2020		Katrina Hodgson	Labor		Rose Iser	Independent		Jacob Bettio	Independent
2024						Labor

Rose Hill Ward^[c]

Year	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party	Councillor		Party
2008		John Sipek	Labor		Shirley Cornish	Labor		Ange Kenos	Independent
2012								Andra Surace	Independent
2016			Independent
2016					Samantha Byrne	Independent
2020								Pierce Tyson	Labor

Libraries

The City of Moonee Valley has five libraries:^[10]

• Ascot Vale Library
• Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre
• Flemington Library
• Niddrie Library
• Sam Merrifield Library (Moonee Ponds)^[11]

The libraries offer uncommon services such as a seed library, where customers can take home seeds to grow plants or flowers.^[12] In 2024, Moonee Valley Libraries removed overdue fines for late return of items. The change was made to remove a potential barrier of people using the library services.^[10]

Townships and localities

At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 121,851 up from 116,671 at the 2016 census.^[13]

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Aberfeldie	3,897	3,925
Airport West	7,564	8,173
Ascot Vale	14,750	15,197
Avondale Heights	11,633	12,388
Essendon	20,596	21,240
Essendon Fields	0	13
Essendon North	2,987	3,071
Essendon West	1,439	1,559
Flemington^	7,719	7,025
Keilor East^	14,514	15,078
Moonee Ponds	14,250	16,224
Niddrie	5,479	5,901
Strathmore	8,419	8,980
Strathmore Heights	1,004	1,047
Travancore	2,480	2,116

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

^[14]

See also

• List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the City of Moonee Valley
• Moonee Ponds, Victoria
• Moonee Ponds Creek Trail
• Moonee Ponds Creek
• Clocktower Centre
• Keilor East railway station
• Airport West, Victoria
• Moonee Valley Racing Club
• Maribyrnong River
• Essendon Airport

Notes

1. Known as Central Ward until 2012.^[9]
2. Known as South Ward until 2012.^[9]
3. Known as West Ward until 2012.^[9]