title: Shire of Bacchus Marsh
text: # Shire of Bacchus Marsh
  
  The Shire of Bacchus Marsh was a local government area about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 565 square kilometres (218.1 sq mi), and existed from 1862 until 1994.
  
  ## History
  
  Bacchus Marsh was first incorporated as a road district on 14 October 1862, and became a shire on 23 January 1871. On 15 March 1911, it annexed part of the Lara Riding of the Shire of Corio, and on 5 February 1921, part of the shire was annexed to the Shire of Kyneton.
  
  On 15 December 1994, the Shire of Bacchus Marsh was abolished, and along with the Shire of Ballan, was merged into the Shire of Moorabool, which was created earlier in May 1994 after the merger of the Shire of Bungaree and parts of the Shire of Buninyong.
  
  ## Wards
  
  The Shire of Bacchus Marsh was divided into four ridings in 1975, each of which elected three councillors:
  
  * Bacchus Riding
  * Coimadai Riding
  * Parwan Riding
  * Pentland Riding
  
  ## Towns and localities
  
  * Bacchus Marsh*
  * Balliang
  * Coimadai
  * Darley
  * Hopetoun Park
  * Korobeit
  * Maddingley
  * Myrniong
  * Parwan
  * Rowsley
  * Council seat.
  
  ## Population
  
  | Year | Population |
  | - | - |
  | 1954 | 3,972 |
  | 1958 | 4,290* |
  | 1961 | 4,411 |
  | 1966 | 4,690 |
  | 1971 | 5,083 |
  | 1976 | 6,052 |
  | 1981 | 7,513 |
  | 1986 | 9,342 |
  | 1991 | 11,854 |
  
  * Estimate in 1958 Victorian Year Book.
  