Population 7,900 (1992) Shire of Rochester Deakin Founded 1864 | Established 1864 Area 1,934 km² Council seat Rochester | |
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County Bendigo, Gunbower, Rodney | ||
The Shire of Rochester was a local government area of Victoria, Australia, about 190 kilometres (118 mi) north of Melbourne, the state capital, and immediately west and southwest of the town of Echuca. The shire covered an area of 1,934.25 square kilometres (746.8 sq mi), and existed from 1864 until 1994.
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History
Rochester was once part of the vast Echuca Road District, incorporated on 19 February 1864 and a shire from 26 May 1871 It extended along the south bank of the Murray River from Mount Hope Creek in the west to the Ovens River in the east. Despite the name, the district never included Echuca itself, which was formed as a separate borough in 1865 and became the City of Echuca a century later.
The Shire lost the eastern two-thirds of its area in 1878-1879 with the severances of the Shires of Shepparton and Yarrawonga, but on 10 October 1879 the Shire was added to when a large area was annexed from the Shire of Waranga. The Moira Ward was annexed to the Shire of Nathalia (then known as Numurkah) on 30 May 1892, fixing the boundary between Numurkah and Echuca at the Goulburn River. Following this, the Shire of Deakin, representing the eastern part of what remained, severed from Echuca and incorporated on 20 April 1893.
The western part, still known as the Shire of Echuca, was renamed Rochester on 27 October 1909. On 1 January 1966 and again on 1 February 1976, the City of Echuca annexed land at Rochester's northeastern corner.
On 18 November 1994, the Shire was abolished, and merged with the City of Echuca, the Town of Kyabram, the Shires of Deakin and Waranga and some neighbouring districts into the Shire of Campaspe.
Wards
Rochester was divided into three wards, each of which elected three councillors:
Population
* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.