The County of Bourke is a cadastral county in central Victoria, proclaimed on 22 June 1853. It is Victoria’s oldest and most populous county, containing the city of Melbourne, and is named for Sir Richard Bourke, Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Victoria |
| Region | Central Victoria, around Melbourne and Port Phillip |
| Proclaimed | 22 June 1853 |
| Area | 4,457 km² |
| Named after | Sir Richard Bourke, Governor of New South Wales 1831–1837 |
| Local government areas today | City of Melbourne, City of Hume, City of Boroondara, Shire of Macedon Ranges, and others |
Parishes in Bourke County
Wikipedia records 68 parishes for Bourke County. This page’s list carries 57 unique names after removing a duplicate “Jika Jika” entry that appeared twice in the old body; the remaining shortfall is flagged for the orchestrator to reconcile against the full parish table.
- Blackwood
- Bollinda
- Boroondara
- Bulla Bulla
- Bulleen
- Bullengarook
- Buttlejorrk
- Bylands
- Chintin
- Coimadai
- Coornmill
- Cut Paw Paw
- Dandenong
- Darraweit Guim
- Derrimut
- Deutgam
- Djerriwarrh
- Doutta Galla
- Forbes
- Gisborne
- Goldie
- Havelock
- Holden
- Jika Jika
- Kalkallo
- Keelbundora
- Kerrie
- Korkuperrimul
- Kororoit
- Lancefield
- Macedon
- Maribyrnong
- Melbourne North
- Melbourne South
- Merriang
- Merrimu
- Mickleham
- Monegeetta
- Moorabbin
- Moorarbool East
- Morang
- Mordialloc
- Mulgrave
- Myrniong
- Nunawading
- Prahran
- Pywheitjorrk
- Rochford
- Springfield
- Tarneit
- Toorourrong
- Truganina
- Tullamarine
- Wallan Wallan
- Will Will Rook
- Wollert
- Yangardook
- Yuroke
Towns and Localities Today
Melbourne, in the parishes of Melbourne North and Melbourne South, is Victoria’s capital and largest city. Dandenong, Gisborne, Lancefield, Macedon and Sunbury-area localities such as Tullamarine and Bulla remain identifiable towns within the old county boundary.
Geography
Bourke County is bordered by the Werribee River in the west, the Great Dividing Range in the north, Port Phillip in the south, and Dandenong Creek, the Yarra River and the Plenty River in the east. Its neighbours are Talbot and Dalhousie to the north, Anglesey to the northeast, Grant to the west, and Evelyn and Mornington to the east.
History
Bourke was proclaimed a county on 22 June 1853, though the name was already in use on electoral rolls by 1845 and for the earlier Melbourne and County of Bourke Police district. The Bourke County Court, established in the 1850s, later became the County Court of Victoria.
FAQ
Is Bourke County still used?
Cadastral divisions like Bourke remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.
What city is inside Bourke County?
Melbourne, Victoria’s capital, sits within Bourke County, its oldest and most populous county.
Who is Bourke County named after?
It is named for Sir Richard Bourke, Governor of New South Wales from 1831 to 1837.