| Shire of Bet Bet Victoria | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Location in Victoria | |||||||||||||||
 Shire of Bet Bet Town Hall in the 1970's | |||||||||||||||
| Population | 2,120 (1992)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 2.284/km2 (5.916/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1861 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 928.2 km2 (358.4 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Dunolly | ||||||||||||||
| Region | North Central Victoria | ||||||||||||||
| County | Gladstone | ||||||||||||||
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TheShire of Bet Bet was alocal government area located about 180 kilometres (112 mi) northwest ofMelbourne, the state capital ofVictoria,Australia. The shire covered an area of 928.2 square kilometres (358.4 sq mi), and existed from 1861 until 1995.
Bet Bet was first incorporated as aroad district on 18 January 1861, and became a shire on 20 September 1864.
On 1 October 1915, two boroughs were united with Bet Bet; Tarnagulla Borough, established on 12 August 1857, with an area of 20.77 square kilometres (8.02 sq mi), and Dunolly Borough, established on 21 May 1858, with an area of 23.31 square kilometres (9.00 sq mi).[2]
On 20 January 1995, the Shire of Bet Bet was abolished, and along with theCity of Maryborough, theShire of Tullaroop and a number of surrounding districts, was merged into the newly createdShire of Central Goldfields. The Tarnagulla district was transferred to the newly createdShire of Loddon.[3]
The Shire of Bet Bet was divided into three ridings on 31 May 1988, each of which elected three councillors:
| Tarnagulla District:
|
* Council seat.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 2,296 |
| 1958 | 2,340* |
| 1961 | 2,078 |
| 1966 | 1,975 |
| 1971 | 1,717 |
| 1976 | 1,686 |
| 1981 | 1,681 |
| 1986 | 1,905 |
| 1991 | 2,016 |
* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.
