{{Use Australian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = lga
| state = vic
| name =
| image = Australia Victoria Colac Otway Shire.svg
| caption = Location in Victoria
| coordinates = {{Coord|38.44|S|143.63|E|display=title}}
| pop =
| pop_year = 2021
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=ABSLGA2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=LGA21750 |name=Colac Otway |access-date=11 January 2023 |quick=on}}</ref>
| pop2 =
| pop2_year = 2016
| pop2_footnotes = <ref name=ABSLGA2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=LGA21750 |name=Colac Otway |access-date=11 January 2023 |quick=on}}</ref>
| area =
| area_footnotes = <ref name=ABSLGA>{{cite web |title=Census {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census |website=www.abs.gov.au |language=en |date=11 January 2023}}</ref>
| est = 23 September 1994
| gazetted = 23 September 1994<ref name=Gazette>{{Gazette VIC |title=Part 2 - Shire of Colac-Otway |file=S63 of 1994 |page=3 |date=23 September 1994 |url=http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/view.cgi?year=1994&class=S&page_num=3&state=V&classNum=S63}}</ref>
| mayor = Kate Hanson
| seat = {{VICcity|Colac}}
| region = [[Barwon South West (region)]]
| county = [[County of Polwarth|Polwarth]]
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Polwarth|Polwarth]]
| fedgov = [[Division of Wannon|Wannon]]
| logo = Colac Otway Shire Logo.jpg
| url = http://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/
| near-nw = [[Shire of Corangamite|Corangamite]]
| near-n = [[Golden Plains Shire|Golden Plains]]
| near-ne = [[Golden Plains Shire|Golden Plains]]
| near-w = [[Shire of Corangamite|Corangamite]]
| near-e = [[Surf Coast Shire|Surf Coast]]
| near-sw = ''[[Southern Ocean]]''
| near-s = ''[[Bass Strait]]''
| near-se = ''[[Bass Strait]]''
}}
The '''Shire of Colac Otway''' is a [[Local government areas of Victoria|local government area]] in the [[Barwon South West (region)|Barwon South West]] region of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]], located in the south-western part of the state.
=Current Council structure=
The council is composed of ... councillors elected to represent the municipality.
In order of election in 2020, they are:
<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colac Otway Shire Council election results 2020|url=https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/results/2020-council-election-results/colac-otway-shire-council|access-date=2020-11-08|website=www.vec.vic.gov.au|language=en}}</ref>
==Current composition==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ward !! colspan="2"|Party !! Councillor !! Notes
|}
==Wards==
The Shire is subdivided into ... wards.
The Shire is currently not subdivided into wards, and its seven councillors represented the entire area.
===... Ward===
=Administration and governance=
The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Colac Municipal Offices,
which is also the location of the council's administrative activities.
It also provides customer services at both its administrative centre in Colac, and its service centre in Apollo Bay.
==Councillors==
... (-)
===Former councillors===
{{Incomplete list|date=January 2023}}
... (-)
==Mayors==
... (-)
===Former Mayors===
{{Incomplete list|date=January 2023}}
#... (-)
<!--
==Deputy Mayors==
===Former Deputy Mayors===
-->
=History=
==Traditional owners==
The original inhabitants of the area are the [[Gulidjan]] people (from the Colac region)
and the [[Gadubanud]] people (from the southern area of the municipality)
<ref name="COSregional">{{cite web |title=Colac Otway Regional Profile |url=https://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/Council-the-shire/Our-shire/Colac-Otway-regional-profile |website=Colac Otway Shire |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>
of the [[Eastern Maar]] Nation.
<ref name="COSabout">{{cite web |title=About Colac Otway |url=https://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/Council-the-shire/Our-shire/About-Colac-Otway |website=Colac Otway Shire |access-date=25 January 2023}}</ref>
Colac was known as “Kolak” or “Kolakgnat” which means ‘belonging to sand’ in the [[Gulidjan language]].<ref name=COSabout/>
==European settlers==
==History of former municipalities==
===City of ...===
==Former compositions==
===Composition ... to ..===
==Former Wards==
===... Ward===
==Elections==
===... election===
=Location and geography=
==Climate==
==Townships and localities==
==Protected areas==
===National parks===
===Marine national parks===
===State parks===
===Marine and coastal parks===
=Demographics=
==Ages==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2 class=unsortable| Ages !! colspan=2| 2016<ref name="ABSLGA" /> !! colspan=2| 2021<ref name="ABSLGA" />
|-
! scope="col"| <small>Count</small> !! scope="col"| % !! scope="col"| <small>Count</small> !! scope="col"| %
|-
|}
==Religion==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2 class=unsortable| Affiliation !! colspan=2| 2016<ref name="ABSLGA" /> !! colspan=2| 2021<ref name="ABSLGA" />
|-
! scope="col"| <small>Count</small> !! scope="col"| % !! scope="col"| <small>Count</small> !! scope="col"| %
|-
|}
<small>1: 'No Religion, so described' does not include those who reported Secular and Other Spiritual Beliefs such as Atheism, Agnosticism and Own Spiritual Beliefs</small>
<small>2: Includes relatively small numbers of so-called 'Secular Beliefs' such as Atheism, Agnosticism, Humanism &, Rationalism, <small>''and''</small> Other Spiritual Beliefs such as New Age, Own Spiritual Beliefs, Theism(!), etc.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/guide-census-data/census-dictionary/2021/variables-topic/cultural-diversity/religious-affiliation-relp|title=Religious affiliation (RELP) | Australian Bureau of Statistics|date=15 October 2021|website=Abs.gov.au|access-date=2 July 2022}}</ref></small>
<small>3: Includes 'Inadequately described'</small>
<small>4: Due to rounding, figures may not add up to the totals shown.</small>
=Infrastructure and Public transport=
==Railways==
===Current lines===
===Former lines===
==Trams==
==Bus==
==Freeways==
===Major roadways===
=Industry and economy=
=Education=
==Primary education==
==Secondary education==
==Tertiary education==
==Combined education==
==Special education==
==Library services==
===Public libraries===
===Private libraries open to the public===
=Art and culture=
=Sport and recreation=
==Teams==
===Australian Rules===
===Cricket===
===Netball===
===Soccer===
=Places of interest=
=Sister cities=
=Notable residents=
=Controversies=
=See also=
*[[List of places on the Victorian Heritage Register in the Shire of Colac Otway]]
=References=
{{Reflist}}
=External links=
<pre>Navboxes and Categories
{{Towns in Colac Otway Shire}}
{{Local Government Areas of Victoria}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colac Otway, Shire of}}
[[Category:Local government areas of Victoria (Australia)]]
[[Category:Barwon South West (region)]]
[[Category:Shire of Colac Otway| ]]
[[Category:Otway Ranges]]
