Latrobe City Council

Latrobe City is centrally located in eastern Victoria approximately two hours drive to the east of Melbourne along the dual carriageway of the Princes Highway.

The city has four major centres located at Moe, Morwell, Traralgon, Churchill as well as a number of smaller outlying townships.  Latrobe City encompasses an area of some 1,422 square kilometres and takes its name from the Administrator and later Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Victoria, Charles Joseph La Trobe.

Following statewide amalgamation of local government in 1994, the former Latrobe Shire Council was created from six former municipalities in the central Latrobe Valley area.  With a population of more than 70,000 the municipality ranks as the third largest in regional Victoria after Ballarat and Bendigo.  In April 2000 the Victorian Government accorded the municipality city status, and the municipality is now recognised as Latrobe City. 

The municipality is an area of contrasts with diverse environments ranging from the rich agricultural river flats to the rugged, yet picturesque rain forested slopes of the Strzelecki ranges.  Underlying the river flats are vast deposits of brown coal, in most cases only a few metres from the surface.  The area generates 85 per cent of Victorias electricity requirements. The dairy and beef cattle industries contribute significantly to Victorias agricultural standing.

Other major industries in the area include one of the largest pulp and paper making facilities in the southern hemisphere at Maryvale, Monash University, Gippsland Group Training and the Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE, the Australian Securities and Investment Commissions National Information Processing Centre and National Foods.

Latrobe City is the principal service centre for the Gippsland region, offering a full range of shopping, health, education, cultural, administrative, business and recreational services. Seventy per cent of the Gippsland regions population lives in or within a one hour drive of Latrobe City. The municipality has the largest concentration of service facilities for the tourism and hospitality industry in the Gippsland region. Latrobe City is serviced by world class health services, major shopping centres together with a range of accommodation options, restaurants, cinemas and night clubs.  Latrobe City has become the hospitality and sporting centre of Gippsland, with excellent sporting facilities for tennis, athletics, swimming and team sports, leisure centres and outstanding regional tourism attractions including the Latrobe Regional Gallery and Latrobe Performing Arts Centre.

The Council is committed to providing first-class services, which is reflected in the City's vision statement, its values and its approach to citizen services. The Council has developed an organisational culture that is built on the philosophy of continuous improvement and the provision of quality services.

Latrobe City has determined its priorities and has a clear direction for a sustainable and prosperous future, which will be achieved by working in partnership with its citizens, other levels of government, business and commercial interests.

To visit Latrobe City Councils website, please click here.