Shire of Macedon Ranges
The Shire of Macedon Ranges is a local government area in Central Victoria, between Bendigo and Melbourne. It covers about 1,748 square kilometres and had a population of around 51,458 in 2021. The area is known for its native forests, Hanging Rock, and a thriving local food and wine scene.
Towns in the shire include Gisborne, Gisborne South, Kyneton, Lancefield, Macedon, Malmsbury, Mount Macedon, New Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Romsey and Woodend. It’s named after the Macedon Ranges, a major geographic feature, and is a popular tourist area with desirable real estate.
Governing is by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council, which has nine councillors across three wards: East, South and West. The council meets in Gisborne and runs service centers in Gisborne, Kyneton and Romsey; the Woodend service centre closed in January 2026. The shire was created in 1995 from the merger of the Shires of Romsey, Gisborne, Newham and Woodend, and most of the Shire of Kyneton (the Trentham area joined Hepburn Shire).
Education: The largest secondary school is Gisborne Secondary College. Other schools include Kyneton Secondary College, Sacred Heart College and Braemar College, with alternative options Candlebark School near Romsey and Alice Miller School near Macedon.
Population growth: 46,100 in 2016 and 51,458 in 2021.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:22 (CET).