The City of Yarra is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It is the second smallest LGA in the state with an area of 19.5 square kilometres (7.5 sq mi), and in June 2018 it had a population of 98,521,[1] making it the second most densely populated LGA, with around 5,040 people per square kilometre.[1] The City of Yarra was formed in 1994 as a result of the amalgamation of the former Cities of Richmond, Collingwood, Fitzroy, and parts of Carlton North (previously part of the City of Melbourne) and parts of Alphington and Fairfield (previously part of the former City of Northcote).
City of Yarra Victoria | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | |||||||||||||||
Population | 98,521 (2018)[1] | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 5,052/km2 (13,090/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Established | 1994 | ||||||||||||||
Area | 19.5 km2 (7.5 sq mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||
Mayor | Sophie Wade (Greens) | ||||||||||||||
Council seat | Richmond | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) |
| ||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) |
| ||||||||||||||
![]() | |||||||||||||||
Website | City of Yarra | ||||||||||||||
|
The administrative centre of the City of Yarra is the old Richmond Town Hall in Bridge Road, Richmond. The Collingwood Town Hall in Hoddle Street, Abbotsford is also still used by the council as secondary offices and as a service centre, and the Fitzroy Town Hall in Napier Street, Fitzroy is used for the local library and for use as a community space. Some council committees also meet at the Fitzroy and Collingwood Town Halls.
The city is culturally and socially diverse. The 2016 Australian Census found that 38.8% of residents were born outside Australia, with the largest numbers being born in England, New Zealand, Vietnam, China and Greece.[citation needed]
The suburbs of the City of Yarra were established in the mid-to-late 19th century and retain a Victorian appearance. The majority of housing in the city is made up of Victorian cottages or terraces or apartments built from the 1960s.
The City of Yarra has some of Melbourne's best shopping streets. These include Bridge Road and Swan and Victoria Streets in Richmond, Brunswick and Gertrude streets in Fitzroy and Smith Street in Collingwood. In 2021, Smith Street was named the coolest street in the world.[2][3][4][5]
Yarra Council CEO is Vijaya Vaidyanath since July 2012.[6]
As of November 2021, the City of Yarra is the only local council in Australia where the majority of councillors are members of the Australian Greens,[7] and where both the mayor and deputy mayor are members of the Australian Greens.[8]
In August 2017, the City of Yarra Council voted unanimously at a town hall meeting to cancel annual Australia Day events, including citizenship ceremonies and instead hold a culturally sensitive event "marking the loss of Indigenous culture".[9] The council also voted to begin lobbying the federal government to change the date of Australia's national day and to use council publications and media to campaign in favour of changing the date. Then Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accused the council of "using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians".[9] The City of Darebin later followed suit.[10]
Yarra City Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing three councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected annually in November by a special meeting of the full council. The most recent local government election was held in October 2020.[11]
Yarra City Council | |
---|---|
Leadership | |
Mayor | Sophie Wade |
Deputy Mayor | Edward Crossland |
Structure | |
![]() | |
Council political groups | Greens (5) Independent Socialist (2) Independent (2) |
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Greens | 5 | |
Independent Socialist | 2 | |
Independent | 2 | |
Total | 9 |
The current Council, elected in 2020, in order of election by ward, is:
Ward | Councillor | Party | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Langridge[11] | Stephen Jolly | Independent Socialist[12] | ||
Anab Mohamud | Greens | |||
Gabrielle de Vietri | Greens | |||
Melba[11] | Edward Crossland | Greens | Deputy Mayor | |
Claudia Nguyen | Independent | |||
Herschel Landes | Independent | |||
Nicholls[11] | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist[12] | ||
Sophie Wade | Greens | Mayor | ||
Amanda Stone | Greens | |||
Ward | 1996–1999 | 1999–2002 | 2002–2004 |
---|---|---|---|
Nicholson (2 councillors) | John Phillips (Labor) Ray Thomas (Labor) | John Phillips (Labor) 1999–2002 Ray Thomas (Labor) 1999–2001 Gurm Sekhon (Greens) 2001–2002 | Gurm Sekhon (Greens) Jackie Fristacky (Independent) |
MacKillop (2 councillors) | Steve Watson (Labor) Linda Hoskins (Labor) | Steve Watson (Labor) Linda Hoskins (Labor) | Greg Barber (Greens) Deborah Di Natale (Greens) |
Merri (1 councillor) | Robyn Williams (Labor) | Robyn Williams (Labor) | Jenny Farrar (Greens) |
Carringbush (2 councillors) | John Sawyer (Labor) Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) Sue Corby (Labor) | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) Sue Corby (Labor) |
Docker (2 councillors) | Marion Macleod (Independent) James Martakis (Independent) | Kay Meadows (Labor) Fiona Harman (Labor) | Judy Morton (Labor-aligned Ind) Kay Meadows (Labor) |
Ward | 2004–2008 | 2008–2012 | 2012–2016 | 2016–2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nicholls (3 councillors) | Kathleen Maltzahn (Greens) Jackie Fristacky (Independent) Paul D'Agostino (Labor) | Sam Gaylard (Greens) Jane Garrett (Labor) Jackie Fristacky (Independent) |
Sam Gaylard (Greens) Roberto Colanzi (Labor) Jackie Fristacky (Independent) |
Mike McEvoy (Greens) Misha Coleman (Greens) Jackie Fristacky (Independent) |
Langridge (3 councillors) | Jenny Farrar (Greens) Annabel Barbara (Labor) / Geoff Barbour (Labor) Stephen Jolly (Socialist) | Stephen Jolly (Socialist) Amanda Stone (Greens) Geoff Barbour (Labor) |
Stephen Jolly (Socialist) Amanda Stone (Greens) Geoff Barbour (Labor) |
Stephen Jolly (Socialist) Amanda Stone (Greens) Danae Bosler (Labor) |
Melba (3 councillors) | Kay Meadows (Labor) Judy Morton (Labor-aligned Ind) Gurm Sekhon (Greens) | Josh Funder (Labor) Allison Clarke (Greens) Dale Smedley (Independent) |
Simon Huggins (Labor) Misha Coleman (Greens) Phillip Vlahogiannis (Independent) |
James Searle (Greens) Mi-Lin Chen Yi Mei (Labor) Daniel Nguyen (Independent) |
The City of Yarra has a high concentration of fashion, technology, and media businesses. Companies located in the City of Yarra include:
Local government areas of Victoria | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Port Phillip region |
| ||||||
Barwon South West region | |||||||
Gippsland region | |||||||
Grampians region | |||||||
Hume region | |||||||
Loddon Mallee region |
| ||||||
Unincorporated areas |
|