Tanjil South – Willow Grove and District is bounded by Yarra Ranges Shire and Mansfield Shire in the north, Wellington Shire in the east, Latrobe City and the localities of Trafalgar East, Trafalgar, Yarragon and Darnum in the south, and the localities of Nilma North, Buln Buln East, Neerim East, Neerim North, Noojee and Loch Valley in the west. This small area includes the localities of Aberfeldy, Amor, Baw Baw, Boola (part), Caringal, Coopers Creek, Erica, Fumina, Fumina South, Glengarry North (part), Hill End, Icy Creek, Jacob Creek, Jericho, Moe (part), Moondarra (part), Rawson, Shady Creek, Tanjil, Tanjil Bren, Tanjil South (part), Thalloo, Thomson, Toombon, Toongabbie (part), Toorongo, Vesper, Walhalla (part), Westbury, Willow Grove and Yallourn North (part). This small area excludes the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort.
Settlement of the area dates from the 1860s. Several townships were established, spurred by gold and copper mining. Growth took place during the late 1800s, with land used mainly for dairy farming, grazing and timber production. Expansion continued during the 1910s, aided by the opening of the railway line. Several water storage facilities were constructed between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, with the township of Rawson built for Thomson Dam construction workers during the 1970s. The population declined slightly from the early 1990s, a result of little change in dwelling stock and a decline in the average number of persons living in each dwelling. Land is used largely for dairy farming and timber production.
Major features of the area include Baw Baw National Park (including Mount Baw Baw, Mount Erica and Mount St Gwinear), Thomson Dam, Moondarra Reservoir, Blue Rock Lake, Toorongo Falls Reserve (including Toorongo Falls and Ampitheatre Falls), Moondarra State Park, Tyers Park, Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve, Tanjil State Forest, Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine, Walhalla Goldfields Railway, Great Walhalla Alpine Trail, Walhalla Historic Area, Boola Boola Winery, Erica Recreation Reserve, Willow Grove Recreation Reserve and several schools.
Source -Baw Baw Shire Council, profile ID