Shire of Otway
# Shire of Otway

The Shire of Otway was a local government area about 190 kilometres (118 mi) southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 1,906.94 square kilometres (736.3 sq mi), and existed from 1919 until 1994.

## History

Otway was incorporated as a shire on 6 May 1919, carved out of parts of the Shires of Colac, Heytesbury and Winchelsea. In 1964, it annexed further parts of Heytesbury (in Coradjil Parish) and Winchelsea (in Kanglang Parish). In 1969, it lost the town of Simpson to Heytesbury.

On 23 September 1994, the Shire of Otway was abolished, and along with the City of Colac and parts of the Shires of Colac, Heytesbury and Winchelsea, was merged into the newly created Shire of Colac Otway. The township of Princetown merged west into the newly created Shire of Corangamite.

## Wards

The Shire of Otway was divided into four ridings in 1987, each of which elected three councillors:

* Apollo Bay Riding
* Coastal Riding
* Central Riding
* West Riding

## Towns and localities

* Apollo Bay
* Barham Paradise
* Beech Forest*
* Cape Otway
* Carlisle River
* Forrest
* Gellibrand
* Glenaire
* Hordern Vale
* Johanna
* Kennett River
* Lavers Hill
* Marengo
* Princetown
* Skenes Creek
* Wye River
* Wyelangta
* Yuulong
* Council seat.

## Population

| Year | Population |
| - | - |
| 1954 | 4,197 |
| 1958 | 4,360* |
| 1961 | 4,036 |
| 1966 | 3,902 |
| 1971 | 3,921 |
| 1976 | 3,808 |
| 1981 | 3,741 |
| 1986 | 3,541 |
| 1991 | 3,784 |

* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.
