City of Yarra
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Australian place The City of Yarra is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It is the second smallest LGA in the state (after the Borough of Queenscliffe) with an area of Template:Convert, and in June 2021 it had a population of 91,543,<ref name=ABSLGA/> making it the second most densely populated LGA (after the City of Port Phillip), with around 4,695 people per square kilometre.<ref name=ABSLGA/>
The administrative centre of the City of Yarra is the old Richmond Town Hall in Bridge Road, Richmond. The Collingwood Town Hall in Hoddle Street, Abbotsford is also still used by the council as secondary offices and as a service centre, and the Fitzroy Town Hall in Napier Street, Fitzroy is used for the local library and for use as a community space. Some council committees also meet at the Fitzroy and Collingwood Town Halls.
The city is culturally and socially diverse. The 2016 Australian Census found that 38.8% of residents were born outside Australia, with the largest numbers being born in England, New Zealand, Vietnam, China and Greece.<ref name=":0" />
The City of Yarra has some of Melbourne's best shopping streets. These include Bridge Road and Swan and Victoria streets in Richmond, Brunswick and Gertrude streets in Fitzroy and Smith Street in Collingwood. In 2021, Smith Street was named the coolest street in the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
As of November 2024, the mayor is Stephen Jolly, and the deputy mayor is Labor councillor Sarah McKenzie.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The CEO since June 2022 is Sue Wilkinson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
The suburbs of the City of Yarra were established in the mid-to-late 19th century and retain a Victorian appearance. The majority of housing in the city is made up of Victorian cottages or terraces or apartments built from the 1960s.
The City of Yarra was formed in 1994 as a result of the amalgamation of the former Cities of Richmond, Collingwood, Fitzroy, and parts of Carlton North (previously part of the City of Melbourne) and parts of Alphington and Fairfield (previously part of the former City of Northcote).
Council
Yarra City Council is composed of nine single-member wards. Prior to the 2024 election, it was composed of three multi-member wards with three members each, but the electoral structure changed as a result of the Local Government Act 2020.
All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected annually in November by a special meeting of the full council.<ref name="EC-1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Current composition
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Australian party style| | Yarra For All | 4 |
| Template:Australian party style| | Independent | 2 |
| Template:Australian party style| | Greens | 2 |
| Template:Australian party style| | Labor | 1 |
| Total | 9 | |
The current council, elected in 2024, is:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulevard | Template:Australian party style| | Sharon Harrison | Yarra For All | |
| Curtain | Template:Australian party style| | Edward Crossland | Greens | |
| Hoddle | Template:Australian party style| | Sophie Wade | Greens | |
| Langridge | Template:Australian party style| | Evangeline Aston | Yarra For All | |
| Lennox | Template:Australian party style| | Andrew Davies | Independent | |
| MacKillop | Template:Australian party style| | Stephen Jolly | Yarra For All | Mayor |
| Melba | Template:Australian party style| | Meca Ho | Independent | |
| Nicholls | Template:Australian party style| | Kenneth Gomez | Yarra For All | |
| Yarra Bend | Template:Australian party style| | Sarah McKenzie | Labor | Deputy Mayor |
Mayors
Past councillors
1996–2004 (five wards)
| Year | Carringbush | Docker | MacKillop | Merri | Nicholson | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | ||||||||||
| 1996 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | John Sawyer (Labor) | rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Li Hiam Lai (Labor) | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Marion Macleod (Independent) | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | James Martakis (Independent) | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Steve Watson (Labor) | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Linda Hoskins (Labor) | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Robyn Williams (Labor) | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | John Phillips (Labor) | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Ray Thomas (Labor) |
| 1999 | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Sue Corby (Labor) | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Fiona Harman (Labor) | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Kay Meadows (Labor) | ||||||||||||
| 2001 | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Gurm Sekhon (Greens) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Judy Morton (Ind. Labor) | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Greg Barber (Greens) | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Deborah Di Natale (Greens) | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Jenny Farrar (Greens) | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Jackie Fristacky (Independent) | ||||||||
2004–2024 (three wards)
Langridge Ward
Melba Ward
| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Kay Meadows | Labor | rowspan="5" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Gurm Sekhon | Greens | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Judy Morton | Independent Labor |
| 2008 | Josh Funder | Labor | Allison Clarke | Greens | rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Dale Smedley | Independent | ||
| 2012 | Simon Huggins | Labor | Misha Coleman | Greens | Phillip Vlahogiannis | Independent | |||
| 2016 | Mi-Lin Chen Yi Mei | Labor | James Searle | Greens | Daniel Nguyen | Independent | |||
| 2020 | rowspan="4" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Herschel Landes | Independent | Edward Crossland | Greens | Claudia Nguyen | Independent | ||
Nicholls Ward
| Year | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | Councillor | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | rowspan="6" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Kathleen Maltzahn | Greens | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Paul D'Agostino | Labor | rowspan="7" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Jackie Fristacky | Independent |
| 2008 | Sam Gaylard | Greens | Jane Garrett | Labor | |||||
| 2011 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Anthony Main | Socialist | ||||||
| 2012 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Roberto Colanzi | Labor | ||||||
| 2016 | Mike McEvoy | Greens | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Misha Coleman | Greens | ||||
| 2017 | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Independent | |||||||
| 2019 | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Bridgid O'Brien | Independent Socialist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | ||||||
| 2020 | rowspan="3" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Sophie Wade | Greens | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Amanda Stone | Greens | |||
| 2023 | rowspan="2" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Independent | |||||||
| 2024 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Yarra For All | |||||||
2024 (nine wards)
| Year | Boulevard | Curtain | Hoddle | Langridge | Lennox | MacKillop | Melba | Nicholls | Yarra Bend | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | ||||||||||
| 2024 | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Sharon Harrison (YFA) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Edward Crossland (Greens) | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Sophie Wade (Greens) | rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Evangeline Aston (YFA) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Andrew Davies (Ind) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Stephen Jolly (YFA) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Meca Ho (Ind) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Kenneth Gomez (YFA) |
rowspan="1" width="1px" Template:Australian party style| | Sarah McKenzie (Labor) |
Election results
2024
2020
2004
Controversies
Australia Day
In August 2017, the Yarra City Council voted unanimously at a town hall meeting to cancel annual Australia Day events, including citizenship ceremonies and instead hold a culturally sensitive event "marking the loss of Indigenous culture".<ref name=ABCnews/> The council also voted to begin lobbying the federal government to change the date of Australia's national day and to use council publications and media to campaign in favour of changing the date. Then Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accused the council of "using a day that should unite Australians to divide Australians".<ref name="ABCnews">Template:Cite news</ref> The City of Darebin later followed suit.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Captain Cook statue
In May 2025, the Yarra City Council voted unanimously to permanently remove a statue of Captain Cook from Edinburgh Gardens in North Fitzroy following frequent attacks from vandals, a decision which prompts criticism from Victorian premier Jacinta Allan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Townships and localities
In the 2021 census, the city had a population of 90,114 up from 86,657 in the 2016 census.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Template:VICcity | 8,184 | 9,088 |
| Template:VICcity^ | 5,080 | 5,702 |
| Template:VICcity | 769 | 794 |
| Template:VICcity^ | 6,300 | 6,177 |
| Template:VICcity | 6,341 | 6,606 |
| Template:VICcity | 8,513 | 9,179 |
| Template:VICcity | 2,018 | 2,158 |
| Template:VICcity^ | 6,558 | 6,535 |
| Template:VICcity | 10,445 | 10,431 |
| Template:VICcity^ | 12,339 | 12,781 |
| Template:VICcity | 2,126 | 2,005 |
| Template:VICcity | 27,705 | 28,587 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA
Economy
The City of Yarra has a high concentration of fashion, technology, and media businesses. Companies located in the City of Yarra include:
- Aesop has its global headquarters on Smith Street, Fitzroy.<ref>About Us – Aesop." Aesop (skin care). Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Carsales has its head office located on Punt Road, Richmond.<ref>"Help Centre – carsales.com.au Carsales Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Computershare, one of the largest stock exchange technology and registrar service businesses in the world is located on Johnston Street, Abbotsford.<ref>"Corporate Directory – ComputerShare Australia Template:Webarchive." Computershare. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref><ref>"About Us – ComputerShare Australia Template:Webarchive" Computershare. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Country Road, an upscale Australia clothing and homewares manufacturer and retailer is headquartered on Church Street, Richmond<ref>"Information – Country Road Template:Webarchive." Country Road. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Epworth the not-for-profit private health care group, employ 1,800 staff at their head office, and largest hospital, on Bridge Road.<ref>"Epworth Richmond." Epworth Hospital. Retrieved 21 June 2014.</ref>
- GSK operates offices of its pharmaceutical division on Johnston Street, Abbotsford.<ref name=gsk>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Just Group and its brands Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Jacqui E, Portmans, Dotti, Peter Alexander, and Smiggle are headquartered on Church Street, Richmond<ref>"Contact – Just Group Template:Webarchive." Just Group. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Madman Entertainment has its head office in the Richmond suburb and in the Melba Ward in Yarra.<ref>"Contact Information." Madman Entertainment. Retrieved 29 March 2010.</ref><ref>"Map of the Ward Boundaries Template:Webarchive." City of Yarra. Retrieved 29 March 2010.</ref>
- REA Group which includes realestate.com.au has its head office located on Church Street, Richmond.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Schwartz Publishing publisher of The Monthly, Quarterly Essay and the book imprint Black Inc is located on Langridge Street, Collingwood.<ref>"Contact – The Monthly." The Monthly. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref><ref>"About Us – Quarterly Essay Template:Webarchive." Quarterly Essay. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref><ref>"Contact – Black Inc Books." Black Inc. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- SitePoint, a global technology publisher and its website subsidiaries 99designs.com, Flippa.com, Learnable.com and Wave Digital are based on Cambridge Street and Wellingston Street, Collingwood.<ref>"About Us – SitePoint Pty Ltd." SitePoint. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref><ref>"Contact Us – SitePoint Pty Ltd." SitePoint. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref><ref>"About Us – 99designs." 99designs.com. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
- Star Entertainment Group, an ASX-listed radio broadcaster best known for SEN 1116, is based on Swan Street, Richmond.<ref>"Contact Us – Pacific Star Network Limited Template:Webarchive." Pacific Star Network Limited. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</ref>
References
Template:Notelist Template:Reflist
External links
- Official website
- Public Transport Victoria local public transport map
- Link to Land Victoria interactive maps Template:Webarchive
- Template:Victorian local government areas pre-1994 vs present map link
Template:Local Government Areas of Victoria Template:Authority control Template:City of Yarra suburbs