Marong Shire and Rural City

Marong Shire (1864-1994), immediately west and north of Bendigo, was proclaimed on 23 December 1864. Its western boundary was the Loddon River and its eastern boundary enclosed Kangaroo Flat which after World War II had a population of about 1000 persons.

By 1990 Kangaroo Flat had an estimated population of about 10,000, thus giving the shire a pronounced urban component. Accordingly the shire was proclaimed a rural city on 1 October 1990.