Rural City of Mildura

Rural City Of Mildura

The Rural City of Mildura is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the north-western part of the state. It has an area of 22,214 square kilometres. Localities within the LGA include Mildura city itself and the towns of Merbein, Red Cliffs, Irymple, Ouyen, Werrimull, Murrayville, Walpeup, and Hattah. It was formed in 1995 from a merger of the City of Mildura, Shire of Mildura and Shire of Walpeup.

The Rural City of Mildura covers most of the Mallee region of Victoria. Before the less infertile soils were fertilised and developed for the production of wheat and barley the whole region was covered in a dense mallee scrub of deep-rooting eucalypts that regenerated after the frequent bushfires in the region. Many of the soils are so sandy that clearing is impractical, and Murray-Sunset National Park covers almost a third of the area of the LGA. Other protected areas include Hattah-Kulkyne National Park and Murray-Kulkyne Park on the Murray River.

The climate of the region is the driest in Victoria, and Neds Corner in the remote northwest has the lowest average annual rainfall in the State at 240 millimetres (9.5 inches). In the south at Ouyen the average is 335 millimetres (13.5 inches). In all areas there can be considerable variation in annual rainfall: the range historically has been from 110 millimetres (4.5 inches) in 1967 to 605 millimetres (23.8 inches) in 1973. Temperatures are the hottest in Victoria and in summer maxima average 32°C (90°F) but often exceed 40°C (104°F). The winter is very pleasant with maxima of 16°C (60°F), but frosts are common in the morning and sometimes severe.

The southeast of the LGA is used primarily for grain growing; however yield are erratic and often poor due to drought. In the north irrigated fruit (primarily oranges and grapes) growing is a huge earner of money and supports Mildura and nearby towns; however, salinity in the Murray River is a major threat to the long-term sustainability of these activities, as is competition from overseas citrus growers.

In 2006 the Rural City of Mildura had a population of 49,815, most of which was located in Mildura (30,016) and adjacent areas (that is Victorian Sunraysia). Many of the small towns in the region have practically disappeared as more efficient farming methods reduce the quantity of human labour required.

The council is composed of nine councillors elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality.