City of Altona explained

Type:lga
City of Altona
State:vic
Region:Southwestern Melbourne
Area:40.18
Est:1957
Seat:Altona
Pop:35,900
Pop Year:1992
Pop Footnotes:[1]
County:Bourke
Near-Nw:Werribee
Near-N:Sunshine
Near-Ne:Footscray
Near-W:Werribee
Near-E:Williamstown
Near-Sw:Werribee
Near-S:Port Phillip
Near-Se:Port Phillip
Noautocat:yes

The City of Altona was a local government area about 13km (08miles) west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of 40.18km2, and existed from 1957 until 1994.

History

The city was named after the town of Altona near Hamburg, Germany, in 1844 by Robert Wrede, a pastoralist and early settler. Land in the area was first incorporated as part of the Wyndham Road District on 6 October 1862, which became the Shire of Wyndham on 7 March 1864, and was renamed the Shire of Werribee on 15 December 1909.[2]

On 20 February 1957, the Altona Riding of the Shire of Werribee was severed, and incorporated as the Shire of Altona, which was proclaimed by the Governor of Victoria on 29 May 1957, with nine councillors. It was declared a city on 21 December 1968. Only two changes occurred to Altona's boundaries; in 1958, a 4.051NaN1 reserve at Laverton was annexed to Werribee, while 83ha in the east was severed and annexed to the City of Williamstown.[2]

On 22 June 1994, the City of Altona was abolished, and along with the City of Williamstown and a couple of small neighbouring areas, was merged into the newly created City of Hobsons Bay.[3]

Council met at the Altona Civic Centre, near the intersection of Civic Parade and Pier Street, Altona. The facility is still used for council meetings by the City of Hobsons Bay.

Wards

Altona was the only municipality in Metropolitan Melbourne never to be subdivided. The council consisted of nine councillors, who represented the entire area.

Suburbs

Population

YearPopulation
1954 6,300#
1958 9,500*
1961 15,811
1966 24,984
1971 30,589
1976 30,272
1981 30,909
1986 32,838
1991 34,492
  1. As the Shire of Altona was created in 1957, this figure is an estimate only. Source: 1958 Victorian Year Book.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Victorian Year Book. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Victoria Office. 1994. 49. 0067-1223.
  2. Book: Victorian Municipal Directory. 1992. Arnall & Jackson. Brunswick. 282, 524–525. Accessed at State Library of Victoria, La Trobe Reading Room.
  3. Book: Victorian local government amalgamations 1994-1995: Changes to the Australian Standard Geographical Classification. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1 August 1995. Commonwealth of Australia. 7. 0-642-23117-6. 2007-12-16.