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| City of Darebin Victoria | |||||||||||||||
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Map of Melbourne showing City of Darebin
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| Population | 161,609 (2018)[1] (48th) | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 2,993/km2 (7,750/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1994 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 54 km2 (20.8 sq mi)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Mayor | Susanne Newton | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Preston | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Greater Melbourne | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Cooper | ||||||||||||||
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| Website | City of Darebin | ||||||||||||||
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The City of Darebin is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 54 square kilometres (20.8 sq mi) and in June 2018 Darebin had a population of 161,609.[1] Municipal offices are located at 350 High Street, Preston.
Darebin was rated 386th of 590 Australian Local Government Areas in the BankWest Quality of Life Index 2008.[2]
The City of Darebin was formed in 1994 with the merger of most of the former Cities of Northcote and Preston, with the transfer of the portion of the City of Northcote of Heidelberg Road to the City of Yarra and minor adjustments with the former Cities of Coburg, Heidelberg and the Shire of Diamond Valley.
Coming into effect at the 2020 election, Darebin was divided into nine single-member wards, each elected through preferential voting. Prior to this, councillors were elected from three multi-member wards.
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Greens | 3 | |
| Labor | 3 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
| Total | 9 | |
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central | Independent | Lina Messina | ||
| North Central | Labor | Julie Williams | ||
| North East | Labor | Tim Laurence | Deputy Mayor | |
| North West | Independent | Gaetano Greco | ||
| South | Greens | Tom Hannan | ||
| South Central | Independent | Susan Rennie | ||
| South East | Labor | Emily Dimitriadis | ||
| South West | Greens | Trent McCarthy | ||
| West | Greens | Susanne Newton | Mayor | |
The Labor Party did not officially endorse candidates, however 10 party members contested as candidates for Labor Members for Darebin (including one who was later disendorsed) and a further four contested as Independent Labor candidates.[3]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 26,794 | 29.05 | 3 | 
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| Greens | 22,661 | 24.57 | 3 |  1 | ||
| Darebin Labor | 20,519 | 22.24 | 3 |  1 | ||
| Victorian Socialists | 6,977 | 7.56 | 0 |
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| Independent Labor | 4,939 | 5.35 | 0 |
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| Save The Planet | 2,934 | 3.18 | 0 |
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| Reason | 1,913 | 2.07 | 0 |
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| Independent Liberal | 1,853 | 2.01 | 0 |
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| Liberal Democrats | 899 | 0.97 | 0 |
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| Turnout | 92,225 | 97.00 | ||||
At the 2021 census, the city had a population of 148,570 up from 146,719 at the 2016 census.[7]
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Alphington^ | 5,080 | 5,702 |
| Bundoora^ | 28,653 | 28,068 |
| Fairfield^ | 6,558 | 6,535 |
| Kingsbury | 3,780 | 3,460 |
| Macleod^ | 9,769 | 9,892 |
| Northcote | 24,561 | 25,276 |
| Preston | 32,851 | 33,790 |
| Reservoir | 50,474 | 51,096 |
| Thornbury | 18,568 | 19,005 |
^ - Territory divided with another LGA
The 2012 Business Register states that Darebin currently has 11,575 businesses operating within the region. These businesses create 55,278 jobs for locals and residents of Melbourne, and the Darebin area itself has 74,291 employed residents. Darebin had a Gross Regional Product of A$5.23 billion in 2012, a 0.3% increase on the previous year. Since 2001, approximately A$1 billion of extra GRP has been created in the region.[8] The biggest exports in Darebin are:
Since 2006, gentrification in the Darebin area has seen average incomes and property values increase significantly in the region, particularly in the suburbs of Northcote, Fairfield, Alphington and Thornbury. As a result, there has been a dramatic change in the economy of Darebin and the types of businesses that operate. For example, since 2006, there has been increases in the total exports of the following industry sectors:[8]
Darebin also experienced growth thanks to the mining boom, with a 57% increase in mining-relating exports from 2006 to 2012, despite there being no mines in the municipality.
Of the 11,575 registered businesses in Darebin, the most common industry sectors are:
As of 2012, Darebin has 144,086 residents living in its boundaries which include 5,344 hectares or 53 km2. This gives the area of Darebin a population density of 26.96 persons per hectare. Darebin residents have a median age of 36 and earn on average $1,178 per week. According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics census, in Darebin:[9]
The most common occupations in Darebin are:
With gentrification, more educated and affluent residents are moving to the Darebin area, particularly in the suburbs of Northcote and Fairfield. This has seen a marked change in the occupations of residents in Darebin since 2006. There has been a decline in the number of residents employed in manual labour sectors and an increase in the number of residents employed in managerial, professional and community service sectors. This is also related to the number of residents living in Darebin with tertiary education, with a 6% increase in residents with degrees in the last 7 years.[10] Furthermore, the largest increase in residents in Darebin came from those earning in the top 25%, with a 3.4% increase in these households since 2006.
Darebin has a diverse multicultural population, with 33.7% of residents being born overseas. The most common countries of birth are:[11]
26% of Darebin residents also arrived in Australia within the last 5 years.
Darebin as a region is home to many environmentalists, and this, along with Darebin's proximity to the Melbourne CBD, is reflected in the transportation methods used by Darebin residents compared to Melbourne as a whole. Most residents still drive to work, with 50.1% of residents driving alone to work, however this is 10% lower than the Greater Melbourne average. Furthermore, 14.2% of Darebin residents travel to work by bus, compared to 11.9% in the rest of Melbourne. Darebin residents also walk to work, cycle to work or catch other modes of public transport more often than the rest of Melbourne. Since 2006, the largest single increase in transportation use has been in train travel, with 2,423 more residents catching the train, compared to 2,416 new vehicle drivers. This is the largest increase in Victoria.[12]
Darebin City has an active artist community which is contemporary, experimental and culturally diverse. Writers, musicians and visual artists flock to the locality for performance, collaboration and acceptance. Notable contributors to the Darebin arts community are locals, Rose Turtle Ertler, Sundown and/or Last Stand, The Contrast, The Melbourne Ukulele Kollective, DIY art shows and house gigs collective, Loveanarchistpress Publishing, Performing Older Women's Circus (POW Circus) and TRAX Arts.
Darebin celebrates the artistry and diversity of the community with regular festivals and events such as the Darebin Music Feast and the High Vibes festival. The city also funds community music, such as the Preston Symphony Orchestra and public artwork, such as the Fairfield Industrial Dog Object.[13]
The Preston Markets are a central feature of Darebin and attract people from all around the area.
In August 2017 the City of Darebin followed the City of Yarra Council in deciding not to celebrate Australia Day events. This was criticised by conservative commentators,[14][15] with the Federal government subsequently removing the council's powers to hold citizenship ceremonies.[16]
In the lead-up to the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey the council announced it will allow pro same-sex marriage campaigners to use its facilities and services (for free) and deny this access to those of an alternate view. This was criticised by conservative commentators but welcomed by community members.[17]
The council subsequently reversed its plans to oppose those campaigning for the 'no' vote.[18]
In September 2021, it was widely reported in the Australian media that the Darebin City Council had banned men from applying for a new position despite being an "equal opportunity employer".[19][20]
During the 2022 Victorian state election Labor took what they described as a 'Greens-dominated' Darebin council to court for removing Labor's billboards in the state seat of Northcote.[21][22] Labor was able to obtain a court order that the council not interfere with Labor's campaign material.[23]
Media related to City of Darebin at Wikimedia Commons|
Suburbs of the City of Darebin
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^ = territory divided with another LGA |
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| Greater Melbourne region |
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| Barwon South West region |
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| Gippsland region |
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| Grampians region |
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| Hume region |
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| Loddon Mallee region |
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37°44′S 145°01′E / 37.733°S 145.017°E / -37.733; 145.017
