Indigo Shire

Indigo Shire Profile 2004

Indigo Shire is located about 270 north east of Melbourne, and borders the Murray River, the Australian Alps and the Municipalities of Wodonga, Wangaratta, Towong, Alpine and Moira.

It is 2,044 square kilometres with a population of 14,716 (ABS, 2001). Towns within the shire include Barnawartha, Beechworth, Chiltern, Rutherglen, Stanley, Tangambalanga and Yackandandah.

The shire’s economy is strongly influenced by tourism, as well as value adding to the primary products (beef, sheep, dairy, fruit and viticulture).

The Rutherglen area is world renowned for wine production. Significant food and dairy processing occurs at Wahgunyah and Tangambalanga respectively.

The eastern parts of the shire are sub-alpine terrain. The western end of the shire is more open and flatter, suitable for broad acre cropping.

Indigo dominates the study area in the production of:

• cropping (51% of AlpValleys production)
• olives (66%)
• pears (98%)
• pigs (39%)

The number of farms in 2001 was 503 representing 21% of the farms in the study area. This is slightly down from the 1997 figure of 545 farms.

The gross value of agricultural production in Indigo Shire is $58.9 million (ABS 2001). This is an increase of 20.3% on the 1997 GVP of $47 million.

Using the ABS standard multiplier effects for agriculture, hunting and fishing, it is estimated that the total effective contribution of agribusiness to the economic base of Indigo Shire is $151.3 million, with direct employment in the sector of 708 persons and a total employment impact of 1,298^1..

Indigo Shire Key Figures:

Agribusinesses in Indigo Shire include: