The City of Melton is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, on Melbourne's western rural–urban fringe.
It covers , and as of the , Melton had a population of 178,960.
City of Melton has a rapid population growth rate, ranked 3rd fastest among LGAs in Victoria in 2010. It was granted city status in 2012.
In 1994, following large-scale statewide local government reform, Melton acquired the Exford district from the City of Werribee, growing to its present size.
Since the early 1970s the Shire had undergone tremendous population growth and , Melton was one of Victoria's fastest-growing local government areas along with neighbouring Wyndham.
After several years of community consultation to defer applying for city status until it had reached 150,000, the council nevertheless reversed the decision and city status was granted in September, 2012. The first elected Mayor under the 'City" status was Kathy Majdlik.
In the 2020 Local Government elections, Melton had its first Aboriginal Councillor elected, Cr Ashleigh Vandenberg, (a Wiradjuri woman, the first Aboriginal Councillor in Melbourne's Western Suburbs).
Art and culture
Bush ballad "Click Go the Shears" was first published in 1891 in a local newspaper by "C.C. of Eynesbury". Eynesbury was a homestead and grazing property owned by Samuel Staughton.
CS Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space located at Caroline Springs Library and Learning Hub. It provides opportunities for artists and groups to exhibit and does not charge fees or commission. Melton Library and Learning Hub provides a number of hanging walls for the presentation of visual art and community exhibitions.
Administration
thumb|right|Melton City Council offices
Council
The City's area is divided into ten wards, each electing a single member. The Councillors elect a mayor from among the council's members.
Following the 2024 local election, the current councillors are:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Ward!!colspan="2"|Party!!Councillor!!Notes
|-
| Bullum Bullum
| |
| Independent Labor
| Steve Abboushi
| Mayor
|-
| Cambrian
| |
| Independent
| Bob Turner
|
|-
| Coolibah
| |
| Independent
| Brandi Morris
|
|-
| Hilltop
| |
| Independent Labor
| John Verdon
|
|-
| Jackwood
| |
| Independent Labor
| Ashleigh Vandenberg
|
|-
| Lake Caroline
| |
| Independent
| Kathy Majdlik
|
|-
| Mount Atkinson
||
| Independent Labor
| Phillip Zada
|
|-
| Stringybark
| |
| Independent Liberal
| Julie Shannon
|
|-
| Sugar Gum
| |
| Independent Labor
| Lara Carli
| Deputy Mayor
|-
| Watts
| |
| Independent
| Sophie Ramsey
|
|}
Townships and localities
The city had a population of 178,960 at the 2021 census, up from 135,443 recorded at the 2016 census.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan="3" | Population
|-
! Locality !! 2016 !! 2021
|-
| || * || 7,982
|-
| || * || 333
|-
| || 9,216 || 10,782
|-
| || 4,751 || 5,800
|-
| || 6,072 || 6,377
|-
| || 24,205 || 24,488
|-
| || * || 3,601
|-
| || * || 654
|-
| ^ || 2,763 || 5,669
|-
| || 107 || 133
|-
| ^ || 2,577 || 2,838
|-
| || * || #
|-
| || * || 9,097
|-
| || * || 132
|-
| || * || 12,463
|-
| ^ || 193 || 290
|-
| || 10,070 || 10,711
|-
| || 8,069 || 7,953
|-
| || 11,517 || 11,362
|-
| || 17,589 || 8,784
|-
| ^ || 569 || 496
|-
| ^ || 170 || 188
|-
| || 4,324 || 79
|-
| || 1,157 || 2,295
|-
| || 1,536 || 2,583
|-
| || * || 3,997
|-
| || 14,921 || 15,419
|-
| || * || 3,066
|-
| ^ || 724 || 818
|-
| ^ || 20,687 || 36,305
|-
| || * || 4,398
|}
^ - Territory divided with another LGA<br>
* - Not noted in 2016 Census<br>
# - Not noted in 2021 Census
Population
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Population
! Annual<br />Growth (%)
|-
| width=30% | 1954 || width=35% | 1,424 || width=35% | N/A
|-
| 1958 || 1,580 || 2.63
|-
| 1961 || 1,804 || 8.70
|-
| 2011 || 109,259