Road districts were established in the colony of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, pursuant to legislation passed in 1853 and were an early form of

local government in Victoria Local government in the Australian state of Victoria consists of 79 local government areas (LGAs). Also referred to as municipalities, Victorian LGAs are classified as cities (34), shires (38), rural cities (6) and boroughs (1). In general ...

. The districts were outside towns, which were instead incorporated either as

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

boroughs A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

. The road districts were created between 1853 and 1871. Road districts were established after public meetings to discuss boundaries etc. followed by a petition to the governor. Upon the proclamation of a district a public meeting was held to elect officers of the Road Board, which was responsible for the building and maintenance of local roads and bridges and raised finance from rates levied on landowners. From 1862 many road districts became shires, pursuant to the ''District Councils Bill 1862'', with additional responsibilities related to pounds, slaughtering licences, thistles, dogs, licensed publicans, brewer's and spirit merchants' licences and

commons The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons ...

. They were also permitted to borrow money for permanent works.
The progress of Victoria: A statistical essay (Intercolonial Exhibition essays, 1866-67)
' by William Henry Archer. ASIN: B0008BRIUG Road districts included:

References

{{reflist * Victoria (Australia)-related lists