| Shire of Ararat Victoria | |||||||||||||||
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 Location in Victoria | |||||||||||||||
 Former Shire Hall. Barkly Street, Ararat | |||||||||||||||
| Population | 4,490 (1992)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| • Density | 1.2278/km2 (3.180/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Established | 1861 | ||||||||||||||
| Area | 3,657.06 km2 (1,412.0 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
| Council seat | Ararat | ||||||||||||||
| Region | Grampians | ||||||||||||||
| County | Ripon, Borung | ||||||||||||||
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The Shire of Ararat was a local government area about 200 kilometres (124 mi) west-northwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of 3,657.06 square kilometres (1,412.0 sq mi), and existed from 1861 until 1994. The shire did not cover the town of Ararat, which was managed by a separate local government authority.