The table lists division names that have been abolished or retired as the result of a redistribution. A set of Guidelines for naming federal electoral divisions for use in the redistribution process was adopted following recommendations from the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters in December 1995.
Note: To see what these electoral divisions looked like, visit the electorates section in the Parliamentary Library’s Parliamentary Handbook Online Electorates (aph.gov.au). Within the Handbook, you can select electoral divisions at different points in time for comparison, overlay them on top of each other, and view the maps to observe the historical evolution of electoral boundaries, including divisions that have been retired over the years. This resource provides a comprehensive view of electoral divisions and changes to these divisions dating back to the first federal election in 1901.
| Division | Date | State | Named after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angas | 1903–1934 1949–1977 |
SA | George Fife Angas (1789–1879) – philanthropist and pioneer of South Australia |
| Australian Capital Territory | 1949–1974 | ACT | Locality name |
| Balaclava | 1901–1984 | VIC | Locality name – railway station |
| Barrier | 1901–1922 | NSW | Geographic feature (Barrier Range) |
| Batman | 1906–2018 | VIC | John Batman 1801–39, the early settler and explorer, known as the 'Founder of Melbourne' |
| Bland | 1901–1906 | NSW | William Bland (1789–1868) doctor, politician |
| Bonython | 1955–2003 | SA | Sir John Langdon Bonython 1848–1939, a Member of the first Federal Parliament 1901–1906 and proprietor of The Advertiser. |
| Bourke | 1901–1948 | VIC | Sir Richard Bourke (1777–1855) eighth Governor of NSW |
| Burke | 1968-2003 | VIC | Robert O'Hara Burke 1821–1861, a former Irish Policeman, who led the Victorian expedition in 1860 which attempted to cross Australia from south to north. |
| Canobolas | 1901–1906 | NSW | Geographic feature (Mt Canobolas) |
| Charlton | 1984–2016 | NSW | Matthew Charlton (1866–1948), Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1903–10, Member of House of Representatives 1910–28 and leader of ALP 1922–28 |
| Coolgardie | 1901–1913 | WA | Locality name |
| Corinella | 1901–1906 1989–1994 |
VIC | Locality name – after the original settlement on the Westernport Bay and derived from the local aboriginal language |
| Dalley | 1901–1968 | NSW | William Bede Dalley (1831–1888) barrister, politician |
| Dampier | 1912–1922 | WA | William Dampier (1651–1715) English sea explorer |
| Darebin | 1948–1968 | VIC | Geographic feature (Darebin Creek) |
| Darling | 1901–1977 | NSW | Sir Ralph Darling (1775–1858) – Governor of the colony of New South Wales 1825–31 |
| Darling Downs | 1901–1984 | QLD | Locality name of district within division |
| Darwin | 1903–1955 | TAS | Geographic feature (Mt Darwin) |
| Denison | 1903–2017 | TAS | Sir William Denison 1804–71, Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania 1847–55 and Governor of New South Wales 1855–61. |
| Diamond Valley | 1968–1984 | VIC | Locality name of district within division |
| Dundas | 1977–1992 | NSW | Locality name |
| East Sydney | 1901–1968 | NSW | Locality name |
| Echuca | 1901–1936 | VIC | Locality name |
| Evans | 1948–1977 | NSW | George William Evans (1775–1852) – early explorer of the New South Wales interior |
| Fawkner | 1906–1968 | VIC | John Pascoe Fawkner (1792–1869) pioneer, one of the founders of Melbourne |
| Fraser | 1974–2016 | ACT | James Fraser 1908–70, Member of the House of Representatives for the Australian Capital Territory 1951–70. |
| Grampians | 1901–1922 | VIC | Geographic feature (Grampian Mountains) |
| Gwydir | 1901–2006 | NSW | Gwydir River which was discovered by Allan Cunningham in 1827 and named after Lord Gwydir. Coincidentally Gwydir is also an Aboriginal name meaning 'river with red banks'. |
| Hawker | 1968–1992 | SA | The Hon CAS Hawker – former member of the House of Representatives for Wakefield |
| Henty | 1912–1989 | VIC | Francis Henty – early settler in Victoria |
| Higgins | 1949 – 2024 | VIC | Named in honour of Henry Bournes Higgins KC, 1851–1929. Higgins was an active member of the Constitutional Conventions that led to the Commonwealth of Australia, Member of the House of Representatives (1901–06), a Justice of the High Court (1906–29) and President of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Court (1907–21). Higgins is known for the Harvester Decision. |
| Higinbotham | 1948–1968 | VIC | George Higinbotham (1826–1892) politician, judge |
| Hoddle | 1948–1955 | VIC | Robert Hoddle (1794–1881) surveyor, laid out plan for Melbourne |
| Illawarra | 1901–1922 | NSW | Locality name |
| Kalgoorlie | 1901–2008 | WA | Named after the town of Kalgoorlie where gold was discovered in 1893. |
| Laanecoorie | 1901–1912 | VIC | Locality name |
| Lang | 1901–1977 | NSW | John Dunmore Lang (1799–1878) – Presbyterian clergyman, politician and reformer in New South Wales |
| Lawson | 1948–1968 | NSW | Henry Lawson (1867–1922) poet, author |
| Lowe | 1949–2009 | NSW | Named after Robert Lowe, see Lowe
profile for more information Renamed 'Reid' (22 December 2009) |
| Martin | 1922–1955 | NSW | Sir James Martin (1820–1886) politician, Chief Justice of NSW |
| Melbourne Ports | 1901–2018 | VIC | Locality name |
| McMillan | 1949–2018 | VIC | Angus McMillan 1810–65, pioneer and explorer who made several trips into Gippsland |
| Mernda | 1901–1912 | VIC | Locality name |
| Moira | 1901–1906 | VIC | Locality name (property) |
| Murray | 1949–2018 | VIC | Named after the Murray River which was named by Charles Sturt in 1830 after Sir George Murray, Colonial Secretary |
| Namadgi | 1994–1997 | ACT | Locality name of apparent Aboriginal origin, applied to the mountainous area southwest of Canberra. |
| Nepean | 1906–1922 | NSW | Geographic feature (Nepean River) |
| Northern Melbourne | 1901–1906 | VIC | Locality name |
| Northern Territory | 1922–2001 | NT | Named after the area in which it is located. |
| North Sydney | 1901–2024 | NSW | Named after the area covered by the electoral division. |
| Phillip | 1948–1992 | NSW | Captain Arthur Phillip – first Governor of the colony of New South Wales |
| Port Adelaide | 1949–2018 | SA | Named after the locality which was discovered by Collet Barker in 1831 |
| Prospect | 1968–2009 | NSW | Geographic feature (Prospect reservoir), see Prospect profile for more
information Renamed 'McMahon' (22 December 2009) |
| Riverina-Darling | 1984–1992 | NSW | Geographical |
| Reid | 1922–2009 | NSW | Named after Sir George Reid, see Reid profile for more information |
| Southern Melbourne | 1901–1906 | VIC | Locality name |
| South Sydney | 1901–1934 | NSW | Locality name |
| St George | 1948–1992 | NSW | Locality name |
| Stirling | 1955–2021 | WA | Named after Sir James Stirling RN, 1791–1865. Stirling was the first Governor of the Colony of Western Australia (1828–39) and took a leading role in exploring the coastal districts near the Swan, Murray, Collie, Preston, Blackwood and Vasse Rivers. |
| Streeton | 1984–1989 | VIC | Sir Arthur Streeton – original member of the Heidelberg School of Painting |
| Throsby | 1984–2016 | NSW | Dr Charles Throsby (1771–1828), a local pioneer who explored the area |
| Wakefield | 1903–2018 | SA | Edward Gibbon Wakefield 1796–1862, whose theories of colonisation had a great impact on the formation of settlements in Western Australia and South Australia. |
| West Sydney | 1901–1968 | NSW | Locality name |
| Wilmot | 1903–1984 | TAS | Sir John Eardley Eardley-Wilmot (1783–1847) – Lt. Governor of Tasmania 1843–46 |
| Wimmera | 1901-1977 | VIC | Locality name – a variant of the aboriginal word 'woomera' meaning a 'throwing stick' |
| Yarra | 1901–1968 | VIC | Geographic feature (Yarra River) |
Updated: 17 October 2024