Melton Shire is booming and was recently recognised as Victoria's fastest growing municipality. The Shire of Melton is located within Melbourne's outer Western region and offers an urban-rural lifestyle within 35 minutes travelling time to CBD.
The Shire of Melton includes the town of Melton, the key townships of Diggers Rest, Exford, Rockbank, Toolern Vale and the rapidly developing suburbs of Hillside, Burnside, Burnside Heights and Caroline Springs. Melton is the geographic hub of a region that extends from Geelong through to Werribee, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Sunbury, Tullamarine Airport, over to the Hume Highway.
The Shire has a population of approximately 89,654 - projected to rise to 143,710 by the year 2017. Melton Shire is a young community with 75 percent of the Shire's population aged 45 years or under.
Its location provides great access to Melbourne's central business district, Melbourne International Airport, the Ports of Melbourne and Geelong, in addition to national road and railway networks. The Deer Park Overpass is also set for completion in 2009 and will further enhance major roadways.
The Shire offers an affordable blend of urban and rural living opportunities within its 528 square kilometre boundary. There are planning provisions in place to ensure that the Shire retains this unique character as it grows to become a major regional centre within the next two decades.
Melton Shire Council is a major employer within the region with some 319 staff across a range of community facilities. Staff members display pride in the quality of service provided to the community that is based on the principles of a value driven organisation and a well-endorsed Customer Service Charter.
The Council has also allocated significant funding towards service delivery and major capital projects in order to deliver its promises to the community as detailed in the Council Plan (2007-09).
Melton Township, the central location of the Shire's Civic Centre and offices, has at its core well-established housing, shopping and business district. Also popular is the Woodgrove Shopping Centre, Melton Waves (Australia's only indoor wave pool) and a new State Government funded ‘super clinic' known as Melton Health. New housing estates and more community facilities also under development.
A new Melton Shire Civic Centre, library and recreational facility is also under construction in Caroline Springs, in recognition of the large number of new residents drawn to the Shire's eastern growth corridor.
Melton offers residents an extensive network of services and resources including shopping precincts, health services, recreational parks and gardens, open-air leisure opportunities and quality educational centres ranging from preschools in every local neighbourhood, to the Victoria University and private secondary schools. The region also attracts tourism for its award winning wineries, olive grove, festivals and key sporting events such as the Melton Plate and V8 Jetboats. It will also become the home of Harness Racing Victoria with a new racing track and entertainment complex under construction.
The diverse local economy includes manufacturing and engineering companies, and a range of successful smaller firms prominent in fields such as telecommunications, textiles, automotive components and high-tech sporting apparel.
The long established extractive and related manufacturing industries, and the horse breeding, training and agistment industry are also key features of the region's economy. Melton's innovative land care measures and availability of rural land also offers opportunities for a wide variety of agribusiness and rural developments.
Further information may be obtained from the Council's website www.melton.vic.gov.au
