City of Orange New South Wales
Location inNew South Wales
Orange Civic Centre
Coordinates	33°17′S149°06′E / 33.283°S 149.100°E /-33.283; 149.100
Population	43,512 (LGA2021)[2]
Established	9 January 1860
Area	285 km2 (110.0 sq mi)
Mayor	Jason Hamling (Independent)
Council seat	Orange[1]
Region	Central West
State electorate(s)	Orange
Federal division(s)	Calare
Website	City of Orange
LGAs around City of Orange: Cabonne Dubbo Regional Mid-Western Cabonne City of Orange Bathurst Cowra Blayney

TheCity of Orange is alocal government area in theCentral West region ofNew South Wales,Australia. Based inOrange, the area is located adjacent to theMitchell Highway and theMain Western railway line.

The City of Orange has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• 4570–4578Mitchell Highway,Lucknow:Wentworth and Reform Gold Mines^[3]
• 219–255 Anson Street, Orange:Uniting Church and Kindergarten Hall^[4]
• 3–25 Bathurst Road, Orange:Bowen Terrace^[5]
• 84 Byng Street, Orange:Union Bank of Australia building^[6]
• Forest Road, Orange:Bloomfield Hospital^[7]
• Peisley Street, Orange:Orange railway station^[8]
• 24–26 Summer Street, Orange:Cook Park^[9]
• 29 Summer Street, Orange:Berrilea^[10]
• 221 Summer Street, Orange:Orange Post Office^[11]
• Woodward Street, Orange:Duntryleague^[12]

Situated on Blackman's Swamp Creek, Orange was proclaimed a village in 1846 and the local parish was named by theSurveyor General, MajorSir Thomas Mitchell, in honour ofPrince William of Orange, whom had been an associate of in thePeninsular War, when both wereaides-de-camp to theDuke of Wellington, whose title was bestowed on the valley to the west byJohn Oxley.^[13] Much of the town's subsequent growth and development in the early years was due to the discovery of gold in 1851 atOphir andLucknow. The resulting gold rush attracted a wide range of people and business to the district, many of whom settled in the region and developed a strong agricultural industry, particularly in the growing of wheat and barley.

Orange was first incorporated on 9 January 1860 when theMunicipality of Orange was proclaimed.^[14] The first election for a six-member council was held on 9 February 1860, withJohn Peisley elected as the first chairman. The first meeting of the council was held at the Court House on 18 February 1860, with George Dolquhorn appointed as the first Town Clerk.^[15]

This new council fell into controversy within a few years however, with the legality of the council constitution questioned in 1866 and the council suspended by order of theSupreme Court of New South Wales. With theMunicipalities Act 1867, the Council was reconstituted and a new council was elected on 14 February 1868. In 1888, the Municipality of East Orange was proclaimed and merged with the Orange Municipality on 24 December 1912.^[15][16][17]

Orange was proclaimed a City on 19 July 1946 when its population was over 15,000.^[18] On 1 October 1977, the City of Orange was extended in area to 298 km2 when parts of the surrounding shires of Cabonne, Blayney, and Lyndhurst were transferred to the City of Orange.^[15]

A2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the City of Orange merge with theCabonne Shire andBlayney Shire Councils to form a new council with an area of 7,833 square kilometres (3,024 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 63,000.^[19] Despite originally planning for the amalgamation to go ahead, the merger scheduled for May 2016 was delayed due to legal action, and in February 2017 the NSW Government decided not to proceed with the amalgamation.^[20][21][22]

Orange City Council is composed of elevencouncillors electedproportionally as a singleward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. Themayor is elected directly by a popular vote. Areferendum was held on 8 September 2012 and anabsolute majority of voters resolved in favour todirectly-elect the mayor, which took effect from the 2017 election.^[23] The most recent election was held on 14 September 2024. The makeup of the council is as follows:^[24]

The current Council, elected in 2024, is:

• Orange City Council

• Local government areas of New South Wales
• 1860 establishments in Australia
• City of Orange (New South Wales)

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