The Shire of Colac was a Local Government Area located about 150 kilometres (93 mi) west-southwest of Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

, the state capital of Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

. The shire covered an area of 1458.2 square kilometres (563 sq mi), and existed from 1859 until 1994.

History

Colac was first incorporated as a district on 11 May 1859, and became a shire on 10 May 1864. On 31 May 1901 it was divided into four ridings, although these were later abolished. A significant portion of the Shire seceded to join parts of Heytesbury

Shire of Heytesbury

The Shire of Heytesbury was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1895 until 1994.-History:...

 and Winchelsea

Shire of Winchelsea

The Shire of Winchelsea was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.-History:...

 in forming the new Shire of Otway

Shire of Otway

The Shire of Otway was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1919 until 1994.-History:...

 on 6 May 1919. On 19 January 1938 the town of Colac

Colac, Victoria

Colac is a small city located in the Western District of Victoria, Australia, situated approximately 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne on the southern shore of Lake Colac and the surrounding volcanic plains, approximately 40 km inland from Bass Strait. Colac is the largest city in and...

 itself split away to form the Borough, later City of Colac

City of Colac

The City of Colac was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1938 until 1994...

.

On 23 September 1994, the Shire was abolished, and merged with City of Colac

City of Colac

The City of Colac was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1938 until 1994...

, most of the Shire of Otway

Shire of Otway

The Shire of Otway was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1919 until 1994.-History:...

 and parts of the Shires of Heytesbury

Shire of Heytesbury

The Shire of Heytesbury was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1895 until 1994.-History:...

 and Winchelsea

Shire of Winchelsea

The Shire of Winchelsea was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.-History:...

 into the Colac-Otway Shire.

Towns and localities

Alvie Alvie, Victoria Alvie is a small town in Victoria, Australia. It is located along Baynes Road, in the Colac Otway Shire, north-west of Colac. It was named after a Scottish town of the same name, which was the birthplace of James Macpherson Grant, the Minister of Lands.... Balintore Barongarook Beeac Beeac, Victoria Beeac is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the shore of the hyper saline Lake Beeac in the Colac Otway Shire Local Government Area, 160 kilometres south of the state capital, Melbourne... Coragulac Cororooke Cressy Cressy, Victoria Cressy is a country town in Victoria, Australia, about 38 km north of Colac on the Ballarat road. At the 2006 census, Cressy and the surrounding area had a population of 122.-History:... Cundare Dreeite Elliminyt Eurack Gerangamete Irrewarra Irrewillipe

Kawarren Larpent Nalangil Ondit Pirron Yallock Swan Marsh Warncoort Warrion Warrion, Victoria Warrion is a village in south west Victoria, Australia. Its buildings include a motor vehicle and farm equipment workshop, the Ti Tree Hotel, a church, a fire brigade station manned by volunteers and a community hall. Warrion sits at the foot of Warrion Hill... Wool Wool Yeo Yeodene

Population

Year	Population
1954	6,963
1958	7,060*
1961	7,326
1966	6,956
1971	6,264
1976	6,160
1981	6,161
1986	6,429
1991	6,793

* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.