Grampians (region)
As at the 2016 Australian census, the Grampians region had a population of 236,739, with almost half of the population located in the City of Ballarat. The principal centres of the region, in descending order of population, are Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Horsham, Ararat, and Stawell.
Administration
Political representation
For the purposes of Australian federal elections for the House of Representatives, the Grampians region is contained within all or part of the electoral divisions of Ballarat, Corangamite, Mallee, and Wannon.
For the purposes of Victorian elections for the Legislative Assembly, the Grampians region is contained within all or part of the electoral districts of Buninyong, Lowan, Melton, Mildura, Murray Plains, Polwarth, Ripon and Wendouree.
Local government areas
The region contains eleven local government areas, which are:
Local government area | Area | Population (2011 census) |
Source(s) | Population (2016 census) |
Source(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
km | sq mi | |||||
Rural City of Ararat | 4,230 | 1,630 | 11,183 | 11,600 | ||
City of Ballarat | 740 | 290 | 93,501 | 101,686 | ||
Golden Plains Shire | 2,704 | 1,044 | 18,770 | 21,688 | ||
Shire of Hepburn | 1,470 | 570 | 14,367 | 15,330 | ||
Shire of Hindmarsh | 7,527 | 2,906 | 5,798 | 5,721 | ||
Rural City of Horsham | 4,249 | 1,641 | 19,279 | 19,642 | ||
Shire of Moorabool | 2,110 | 810 | 28,124 | 31,818 | ||
Shire of Northern Grampians | 5,918 | 2,285 | 11,845 | 11,439 | ||
Shire of Pyrenees | 3,433 | 1,325 | 6,669 | 7,238 | ||
Shire of West Wimmera | 9,107 | 3,516 | 4,251 | 3,903 | ||
Shire of Yarriambiack | 7,158 | 2,764 | 7,088 | 6,674 | ||
Totals | 48,646 | 18,782 | 220,875 | 236,739 |
Food and Wine Festival
The Grampians Region is home to one of Australia's longest running food and wine festivals, Grampians Grape Escape, held over the first weekend of May in Halls Gap every year. Launched in 1992, the Grampians Grape Escape is a hallmark event for Victoria and provides food and wine offerings by more than 100 local artisan producers, live music and family entertainment.
Environmental protection
The Grampians region contains the Grampians National Park and Little Desert National Park.