Baw Baw Shire
|
Thorpdale is one of the towns administered by the Baw Baw Shire. |
Baw Baw Shire is a
Local Government Area in
Victoria, Australia. It is located about 100km east of
Melbourne in the West
Gippsland region. It has an area of 4,031 square kilometres, and in
2001 had a population of about 36,000.
Baw Baw Shire was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the former Buln Buln and Narracan Shires, the Rural City of Warragul (previously the Shire of Warragul), and some parts of Yarra Ranges Shire. It was named for
Mount Baw Baw in the shire's northeast, its highest peak and the site of a small ski resort.
The more densely populated southern half of Baw Baw Shire consists of low rolling hills given over primarily to dairy farming and other agriculture. The northern half lies in the
Great Dividing Range and its foothills, where forestry remains an important industry. Tourism is also important in the region, aided by its proximity to and easy access from Melbourne. The shire is noted for its rural scenery and natural beauty, as well as gourmet foods and wines. The historic gold-mining town of
Walhalla is located in the northeast of the shire. The major electricity-producing region of the
Latrobe Valley lies immediately to the shire's east.
Many of Baw Baw Shire's larger towns are located along the
Princes Highway and main
Gippsland Railway line, which cross the southern part of the shire. From west to east these include:
Longwarry,
Drouin,
Warragul (the largest town and administrative centre),
Darnum,
Yarragon, and
Trafalgar. North of Warragul are
Neerim South and
Noojee (from which runs the main road to Mount Baw Baw), while south of Trafalgar in the
Strzelecki Ranges lies the town of
Thorpdale.
