City of Darebin

The City of Darebin (Template:IPAc-en) is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of Template:Convert and in June 2018 Darebin had a population of 161,609.<ref name=ABSLGA/> Municipal offices are located at 350 High Street, Preston.

Darebin was rated 386th of 590 Australian Local Government Areas in the BankWest Quality of Life Index 2008.<ref name="BankWest">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

The City of Darebin was formed in 1994 with the merger of most of the former Cities of Northcote and Preston, with the transfer of the portion of the City of Northcote of Heidelberg Road to the City of Yarra and minor adjustments with the former Cities of Coburg, Heidelberg and the Shire of Diamond Valley.

File:Victoria LGAs pre- vs post-amalgamation Darebin.png

The City of Darebin's predecessor LGAs (green) as they were in 1994

Council

Current composition

Darebin is divided into nine single-member wards, each elected through preferential voting. Prior to 2020, councillors were elected from three multi-member wards.

Following the 2024 local election, the councillors are:

Party		Councillors
Template:Australian party style|	Labor	5
Template:Australian party style|	Greens	3
Template:Australian party style|	Independent	1
Total		9

Ward	Party		Councillor	Notes
Central	Template:Australian party style |	Labor	Kristine Olaris	Mayor
North Central	Template:Australian party style |	Labor	Vasilios Tsalkos
North East	Template:Australian party style |	Labor	Matt Arturi
North West	Template:Australian party style |	Independent	Angela Villella
South	Template:Australian party style |	Greens	Julie O'Brien
South Central	Template:Australian party style |	Greens	Ruth Jelley
South East	Template:Australian party style |	Labor	Emily Dimitriadis	Deputy Mayor
South West	Template:Australian party style |	Greens	Alexandra Sangster
West	Template:Australian party style |	Labor	Connie Boglis

Past councillors

2020−present

Year	Central		North Central		North East		North West		South		Template:Nowrap		South East		South West		West
	Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor		Councillor
2020	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Lina Messina (Ind)	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Julia Williams (Labor/Ind)	rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Tim Laurence (Labor/Ind)	rowspan="3"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Gaetano Greco (Ind)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Tom Hannan (Greens)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Susan Rennie (Ind)	rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Emily Dimitriadis (Labor)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Trent McCarthy (Greens)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Susanne Newton (Greens)
2024	rowspan="1"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|		rowspan="1"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|
2024	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Kristine Olaris (Labor)	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Vasilios Tsalkos (Labor)	rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Matt Arturi (Labor)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|		Julie O'Brien (Greens)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Ruth Jelley (Greens)	rowspan="2"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Alexandra Sangster (Greens)		rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style|	Connie Boglis (Labor)
2025	rowspan="1"; width="1px" Template:Australian party style|		Angela VillellaTemplate:Efn (Ind)

Townships and localities

At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 148,570 up from 146,719 at the 2016 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Population
Locality	2016	2021
Template:VICcity^	5,080	5,702
Template:VICcity^	28,653	28,068
Template:VICcity^	6,558	6,535
Template:VICcity	3,780	3,460
Template:VICcity^	9,769	9,892
Template:VICcity	24,561	25,276
Template:VICcity	32,851	33,790
Template:VICcity	50,474	51,096
Template:VICcity	18,568	19,005

^ - Territory divided with another LGA

Economy of Darebin

File:Darebin Railway Station.jpg

Darebin railway station

The 2012 Business Register states that Darebin currently has 11,575 businesses operating within the region. These businesses create 55,278 jobs for locals and residents of Melbourne, and the Darebin area itself has 74,291 employed residents. Darebin had a Gross Regional Product of A$5.23 billion in 2012, a 0.3% increase on the previous year. Since 2001, approximately A$1 billion of extra GRP has been created in the region.<ref name="economy.id.com.au">Template:Cite web</ref> The biggest exports in Darebin are:

• Manufacturing ($1,072 million)
• Education & training ($313 million)
• Wholesale trade ($243 million)

Since 2006, gentrification in the Darebin area has seen average incomes and property values increase significantly in the region, particularly in the suburbs of Northcote, Fairfield, Alphington and Thornbury. As a result, there has been a dramatic change in the economy of Darebin and the types of businesses that operate. For example, since 2006, there has been increases in the total exports of the following industry sectors:<ref name="economy.id.com.au"/>

• Accommodation & food services – 49% increase ($39 million to $88.8 million)
• Wholesale trade – 39.4% increase ($203 million to $243 million)

Darebin also experienced growth thanks to the mining boom, with a 57% increase in mining-relating exports from 2006 to 2012, despite there being no mines in the municipality.

Of the 11,575 registered businesses in Darebin, the most common industry sectors are:

• Construction – 1,992 registered businesses (17.2%)
• Professional, scientific & technical services – 1,442 registered businesses (12.3%)
• Rental, hiring & real estate services – 1,167 registered businesses (10.1%)
• Transport, postal & warehousing – 1,031 registered businesses (8.9%)

Demographics of Darebin

As of 2012, Darebin has 144,086 residents living in its boundaries which include 5,344 hectares or 53 km². This gives the area of Darebin a population density of 26.96 persons per hectare. Darebin residents have a median age of 36 and earn on average $1,178 per week. According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics census, in Darebin:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• 28% of households are couples with children. (4% lower than Victorian average)
• 34% live in Medium/High density housing (11% higher than Victorian average)
• 34% of residents rent their property (8% higher than Victorian average)
• 28% have a bachelor's degree or Higher (7% higher than Victorian average)
• 21% travel on Public Transport to work (10% higher than Victorian average)
• 29% from Non-English speaking backgrounds (9% higher than Victorian average)

The most common occupations in Darebin are:

• Professionals (28.7%)
• Clerical & Administrative Workers (14.7%)
• Technicians & Trade Workers (12.0%)

With gentrification, more educated and affluent residents are moving to the Darebin area, particularly in the suburbs of Northcote and Fairfield. This has seen a marked change in the occupations of residents in Darebin since 2006. There has been a decline in the number of residents employed in manual labour sectors and an increase in the number of residents employed in managerial, professional and community service sectors. This is also related to the number of residents living in Darebin with tertiary education, with a 6% increase in residents with degrees in the last 7 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Furthermore, the largest increase in residents in Darebin came from those earning in the top 25%, with a 3.4% increase in these households since 2006.

Darebin has a diverse multicultural population, with 33.7% of residents being born overseas. The most common countries of birth are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Italy (5.3%)
• Greece (3.7%)
• India (3.3%)
• China (3.2%)

26% of Darebin residents also arrived in Australia within the last 5 years.

Darebin as a region is home to many environmentalists, and this, along with Darebin's proximity to the Melbourne CBD, is reflected in the transportation methods used by Darebin residents compared to Melbourne as a whole. Most residents still drive to work, with 50.1% of residents driving alone to work, however this is 10% lower than the Greater Melbourne average. Furthermore, 14.2% of Darebin residents travel to work by bus, compared to 11.9% in the rest of Melbourne. Darebin residents also walk to work, cycle to work or catch other modes of public transport more often than the rest of Melbourne. Since 2006, the largest single increase in transportation use has been in train travel, with 2,423 more residents catching the train, compared to 2,416 new vehicle drivers. This is the largest increase in Victoria.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Arts and entertainment

Darebin City has an active artist community which is contemporary, experimental and culturally diverse. Writers, musicians and visual artists flock to the locality for performance, collaboration and acceptance. Notable contributors to the Darebin arts community are locals, Rose Turtle Ertler, Sundown and/or Last Stand, The Contrast, The Melbourne Ukulele Kollective, DIY art shows and house gigs collective, Loveanarchistpress Publishing, Performing Older Women's Circus (POW Circus) and TRAX Arts.

Darebin celebrates the artistry and diversity of the community with regular festivals and events such as the Darebin Music Feast and the High Vibes festival. The city also funds community music, such as the Preston Symphony Orchestra and public artwork, such as the Fairfield Industrial Dog Object.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Preston Market is a central feature of Darebin and attracts people from all around the area.

File:DarebinCity 2008 Iveco Acco1.JPG

City of Darebin automated waste collection truck (2009)

Controversies

Australia Day

In August 2017 the City of Darebin followed the City of Yarra Council in deciding not to celebrate Australia Day events. This was criticised by conservative commentators,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with the Federal government subsequently removing the council's powers to hold citizenship ceremonies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Same-sex marriage

In the lead-up to the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey the council announced it would allow pro same-sex marriage campaigners to use its facilities and services (for free) and deny this access to those of an alternate view. This was criticised by conservative commentators but welcomed by community members.<ref name="darebin">Template:Cite web</ref>

The council subsequently reversed its plans to oppose those campaigning for the 'no' vote.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Men banned from applying for a council position

In September 2021, it was widely reported in the Australian media that the Darebin City Council had banned men from applying for a new position despite being an "equal opportunity employer".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2022 state election

During the 2022 Victorian state election Labor took what they described as a 'Greens-dominated' Darebin council to court for removing Labor's billboards in the state seat of Northcote.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Labor was able to obtain a court order that the council not interfere with Labor's campaign material.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the City of Darebin

References

• Population – Darebin City Council – Research and Statistics

External links

• Template:Commonscat-inline
• Official website
• Metlink local public transport map
• Link to Land Victoria interactive maps Template:Webarchive
• Template:Webarchive
• Darebin Council Waste Management photos
• Template:Webarchive
• Darebin City Council
• Template:Victorian local government areas pre-1994 vs present map link