The Shire of Lowan was a Local Government Area located in the Wimmera

Wimmera

The Wimmera is a region in the west of the Australian state of Victoria.It covers the dryland farming area south of the range of Mallee scrub, east of the South Australia border and north of the Great Dividing Range...

 region of western 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 2861 square kilometres (1,104.6 sq mi), and existed from 1875 until 1995.

History

Lowan was originally part of the Shire of Wimmera

Shire of Wimmera

The Shire of Wimmera was a Local Government Area located in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1995. Although its shire offices were located in Horsham, Horsham was governed by a separate city council.-History:Wimmera was...

 which incorporated in 1862. On 31 December 1875, Lowan became a shire in its own right. Several parts of it split away in its first 20 years—Dimboola

Shire of Dimboola

The Shire of Dimboola was a Local Government Area located in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1885 until 1995.-History:...

 on 2 April 1885, the West Riding as Kaniva

Shire of Kaniva

The Shire of Kaniva was a Local Government Area located in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia, near the South Australian town of Bordertown. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1891 until 1995.-History:...

 (Lawloit) on 29 May 1891 and the South Riding as Kowree

Shire of Kowree

The Shire of Kowree was a Local Government Area located in western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1995.-History:Kowree was first incorporated as a district on 24 June 1862, and became a shire on 26 January 1872...

 on 29 May 1894. Like many western shires, it lost a remote section to its north when Shire of Walpeup

Shire of Walpeup

The Shire of Walpeup was a Local Government Area located in northwestern Victoria, Australia, along the South Australian border. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1911 until 1995.-History:...

 was created on 1 November 1911.

On 20 January 1995, the Shire was abolished, and merged with the Shire of Dimboola

Shire of Dimboola

The Shire of Dimboola was a Local Government Area located in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1885 until 1995.-History:...

 into the Shire of Hindmarsh.

Wards

Lowan was divided into four ridings on 31 May 1901, each of which elected three councillors:

• East Riding
• West Riding
• South Riding
• Southwest Riding

Towns and localities

• Nhill
  Nhill, Victoria
  Nhill is a town in the Wimmera, in western Victoria, Australia. Nhill is located on the Western Highway, half-way between Adelaide and Melbourne. At the 2006 census Nhill had a population of 1915.-History:...
  
  
• Yannac
• Baker
• Balrootan North
• Boyeo
• Broughton
• Kinimakatka
• Netherby
• Propodollah
• Tarraginnie
• Waggon Flat
• Winiam

Population

Year	Population
1954	3,999
1958	4,130*
1961	3,872
1966	3,822
1971	3,489
1976	3,510
1981	3,350*
1986	3,220*
1991	2,990

* Estimates in 1958, 1983 and 1988 Victorian Year Books.