New residents guide

Pyap on the river at the Pioneer Settlement Swan Hill Swan Hill Rural City Council welcomes new residents to our beautiful part of the world – The Heart of the Murray. 

We are a passionate community, we pride ourselves on being welcoming, culturally diverse and forward thinking. It’s no wonder that more than 20,000 people proudly call our region home and we hope that you will to. 

The Swan Hill municipality covers 6,116 square kilometres that over 40 nationalities call home, creating a community that is diverse, welcoming and resilient.

The region is renowned for its world class produce, spectacular landscapes and close proximity to the Murray River. It provides the perfect blend of regional charm and city sophistication, and is a major regional centre – economically, culturally and socially – for the surrounding region.

The beautiful Murray River winds its way through much of the municipality, offering a major draw card for visitors and those who call the region home.

Connect with Council

Contact Council

The are multiple ways you can get in touch with Council.

Follow us

For the latest news and updates follow us on social media.

More about social media

Community consultations

Ready to make your voice heard? Join 'Let's Talk,' our community consultation platform. Stay informed, engage in discussions, and play a role in shaping the future of our municipality.

Visit Let's talk

Councillors and Council meetings

We have a team of seven Councillors, democratically elected as representatives for all residents and ratepayers across the municipality.

Council holds regular meetings to make decisions for our community. Meetings are open to the public or they can be watched via livestream on our YouTube channel. Public questions can also be submitted to Council for inclusion in the meeting.

More about Councillors and Council meetings

Animals and pets

Register your pet

There are great benefits to owning a pet, but it’s also a big responsibility. Registration is one of the most important things to think about when you get a pet. We require registration by law.

More about pet registration

Lost pets

If your pet is lost, please check this register to see the animals in our pound.

More about lost pets

Community Plans

The Swan Hill Rural City Council supports communities in the Swan Hill Municipality who wish to develop their own Community Plans. Community Planning is a process that is ‘owned’ by the community with Council available to play a facilitation role. Community Plans provide invaluable input into Local, State and Federal Government planning.

Community Planning is integral to our Council's operations, as emphasised in our Council Plan. It empowers community members by providing a collective voice and the platform to propose projects they deem significant.

This process not only informs Council about community preferences but also fosters greater community engagement.

Plans are overseen by dedicated community groups and volunteers responsible for project implementation.  

Boundary Bend Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 2MB)
Lake Boga Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 532KB)
Manangatang Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 880KB)
Nyah and District Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 799KB)
Piangil Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 686KB)
Robinvale 2031 - Community Plan(PDF, 455KB)
Ultima Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 2MB)
Woorinen Community Plan 2021-2025(PDF, 842KB)

Explore our region

My area - search by your address

Discover what's happening in and around your area. You can find everything from parks, venues and events, as well as your local Councillors and bin dates. Just type in your street address.

My area     Explore more with our online map tool

Events

Browse our What's On calendar for events in the area. Filter by suburb or topic.

What's On calendar

You can also visit the Swan Hill Region website for more events.

Lots to see and do

Whether your interests lie in sport, the great outdoors, arts or culture, the Swan Hill region can cater for you, your family and visiting friends or relatives.

More about exploring our region

Community directory

Explore all the amazing things our local community has to offer. The Community Directory provides information about a wide range of community organisations, services, groups and clubs.

View the community directory

Family, Children and Youth

Maternal and child health

The Maternal and Child Health Service provides a free service for families for children from birth to school age. We aim to make it easy for parents and carers to access services, support, and information they need to keep their families healthy, happy, and safe.

More about maternal and child health

Immunisation

We provide free vaccinations for children in our municipality as part of the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

More about immunisations

Playgroups

Playgroups are a place for families to find a sense of belonging to the community, opportunities to form friendships and share ideas and information.

More about playgroups

Kindergarten

Kindergartens (preschools) are managed at a community level and adhere to regulatory standards monitored by the Department of Education. Council is only responsible for the buildings that some of these groups use.

More about kindergarten

Out of School Hours program

Our Out of School Hours (OOSH) Program offers high-quality child care for primary school children. After school and during holidays we provide a safe, fun environment.

More about OOSH

Youth Inc

Youth Inc is a space for young people aged 12 to 25 to hang out, study, meet new people and get involved in the community.

More about Youth Inc

Aged & Disability Support

Our municipality is home to a number of providers that offer a range of services to support frail aged people, people with disabilities and carers.

More about aged and disability care

Local laws and regulations

Did you know that local governments administer local legislation? Local laws help communities to be better places to live by regulating certain behaviours, promoting safety, harmony and good rule in the community.

More about local laws and regulations

Parking

Parking

It’s important to understand the meaning of parking signs. This will ensure that parking restrictions have their intended benefits and that you’re not fined for parking illegally.

More about parking

Accessible parking permits

Accessible Parking Permits give parking concessions to those with impaired mobility.

More about accessible parking permits

Rates and valuations

Pay your rates

There are several ways to pay your Council rates, including online, BPAY, phone and direct debit.

Pay your rates     More about Council rates and valuations  

Understanding your rates

Swan Hill Rural City Council gathers rates from property owners in our municipality to support local services and infrastructure.

More about understanding your rates

Waste and recycling

Rubbish and recycling dates

Swan Hill Rural City Council provides a kerbside bin collection service for all properties within the declared waste collection areas of our municipality with a habitable residence.

The standard service includes:

  • Red landfill bin - collected weekly (120 litre or 240 litre)
  • Yellow recycling bin - collected fortnightly (240 litre)

Optional service for Swan Hill township only:

  • Green garden waste bin - collected fortnightly (240 litre)

Find your bin day     More about kerbside bin collection

Landfill and transfer stations

Council operates two landfills and three transfer stations, all which accept a range of materials for recycling or disposal.

More about landfills and transfer stations

The big green shed

The Big Green Shed is a fantastic place to drop off those unwanted items from around your home. The shed redirects items originally meant for the landfill where they can be resold for a bargain price.

You also never know what you might find if you’re looking for second hand building materials or that unique piece of furniture.

More about the Big Green Shed

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