The Rural City of Mildura
is a Local Government Area in
Victoria, Australia. It
is located in the north-western part of the state. It has an area of
22,214 square kilometres. Localities within the LGA include Mildura
city itself and the towns of Merbein, Red Cliffs, Irymple, Ouyen,
Werrimull, Murrayville, Walpeup, and Hattah. It was formed in 1995
from a merger of the
City
of Mildura, Shire of Mildura and Shire of Walpeup.
The Rural City of Mildura covers most of the
Mallee region of Victoria. Before the less infertile soils were
fertilised and developed for the production of wheat and barley the
whole region was covered in a dense mallee scrub of deep-rooting
eucalypts that regenerated after the frequent bushfires in the
region. Many of the soils are so sandy that clearing is impractical,
and Murray-Sunset National Park covers almost a third of the area of
the LGA. Other protected areas include Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
and Murray-Kulkyne Park on the Murray River.
The climate of the region is the driest in
Victoria, and Ned's Corner in the remote northwest has the lowest
average annual rainfall in the State at 240 millimetres (9.5
inches). In the south at Ouyen the average is 335 millimetres (13.5
inches). In all areas there can be considerable variation in annual
rainfall: the range historically has been from 110 millimetres (4.5
inches) in 1967 to 605 millimetres (23.8 inches) in 1973.
Temperatures are the hottest in Victoria and in summer maxima
average 32°C (90°F) but often exceed 40°C (104°F). The winter is
very pleasant with maxima of 16°C (60°F), but frosts are common in
the morning and sometimes severe.
The southeast of the LGA is used primarily for
grain growing; however yield are erratic and often poor due to
drought. In the north irrigated fruit (primarily oranges and grapes)
growing is a huge earner of money and supports Mildura and nearby
towns; however, salinity in the Murray River is a major threat to
the long-term sustainability of these activities, as is competition
from overseas citrus growers.
In 2006 the Rural City of Mildura had a
population of 49,815, most of which was located in Mildura (30,016)
and adjacent areas (that is Victorian Sunraysia). Many of the small
towns in the region have practically disappeared as more efficient
farming methods reduce the quantity of human labour required.
The council is composed of nine councillors
elected to represent an unsubdivided municipality.
Content via
Wikipedia
City
of Mildura .com 
