Members of the Victorian Legislative Council, 1878–1880

This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Council from the elections of 17 August – 16 September 1878 to the elections of 20 March – 14 July 1880.^[1]^[2]

There were six Electoral Provinces and five members elected to each Province.^[3]

Note the "Term in Office" refers to that members term(s) in the Council, not necessarily for that Province.

Name	Province	Term in Office
Robert Anderson	Eastern	1866–1883
James Balfour	South	1874–1913
George Belcher	South-Western	1875–1886
Niel Black	Western	1859–1880
Thomas Bromell	Western	1874–1887
James Buchanan	South	1876–1898
William Campbell	North-Western	1851–1854; 1862–1882
William John Clarke	South	1878–1897
George Ward Cole ^[a]	Central	1853–1855; 1859–1879
John Cumming	South-Western	1870–1880
Henry Cuthbert	South-Western	1874–1907
Frank Dobson	South	1870–1895
Nicholas Fitzgerald	North-Western	1864–1908
Alexander Fraser	North-Western	1858–1881
James Graham	Central	1853–1854; 1866–1886
Thomas Hamilton	South	1872–1884
William Edward Hearn	Central	1878–1888
James Henty	South-Western	1853–1882
William Highett	Eastern	1853–1856; 1857–1880
Caleb Jenner	South-Western	1863–1886
William Mitchell	North-Western	1853; 1856–1858; 1859–1884
Robert Dyce Reid	Eastern	1876–1881
Francis Robertson	North-Western	1860–1864; 1868–1886
William Ross	Western	1878–1888
Frederick T. Sargood	Central	1874–1880; 1882–1901
Charles Sladen	Western	1855–1856; 1864–1868; 1876–1882
Theodotus Sumner	Central	1873–1883
John Wallace	Eastern	1873–1901
Samuel Wilson	Western	1875–1881
William Wilson	Eastern	1875–1880

William Mitchell was President of the Council, Caleb Jenner was Chairman of Committees.^[2]

^[a] Cole died 26 April 1879, replaced by James Lorimer who was elected unopposed 12 May 1879^[4] sworn-in in July 1879.

References

^ "Legislative Council Elections since 1856". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
^ ^a ^b Victorian Hansard, Session 1878 (PDF). Vol. 29. John Ferres, Melb. 1878.
^ Sweetman, Edward (1920). Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851-6. Whitcombe & Tombs Limited. p. 183. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
^ "Central Province Election". The Argus. Melbourne. 12 May 1879. p. 8.

"Find a Member". State Government of Victoria. Retrieved 17 July 2025.

[1] "Legislative Council Elections since 1856". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2025.

[Hansard-2] Victorian Hansard, Session 1878 (PDF). Vol. 29. John Ferres, Melb. 1878.

[Sweetman-3] Sweetman, Edward (1920). Constitutional Development of Victoria, 1851-6. Whitcombe & Tombs Limited. p. 183. Retrieved 24 March 2014.

[4] "Central Province Election". The Argus. Melbourne. 12 May 1879. p. 8.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Members of the Parliament of Victoria
Legislative Assembly	1856–1859 1859–1861 1861–1864 1864–1865 1866–1867 1868–1871 1871–1874 1874–1877 1877–1880 1880–1883 1883–1886 1886–1889 1889–1892 1892–1894 1894–1897 1897–1900 1900–1902 1902–1904 1904–1907 1907–1908 1908–1911 1911–1914 1914–1917 1917–1920 1920–1921 1921–1924 1924–1927 1927–1929 1929–1932 1932–1935 1935–1937 1937–1940 1940–1943 1943–1945 1945–1947 1947–1950 1950–1952 1952–1955 1955–1958 1958–1961 1961–1964 1964–1967 1967–1970 1970–1973 1973–1976 1976–1979 1979–1982 1982–1985 1985–1988 1988–1992 1992–1996 1996–1999 1999–2002 2002–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014–2018 2018–2022 2022–2026
Legislative Council	1851–1853 1853–1856 1856–1858 1858–1860 1860–1862 1862–1864 1864–1866 1866–1868 1868–1870 1870–1872 1872–1874 1874–1876 1876–1878 1878–1880 1880–1882 1882–1884 1884–1886 1886–1888 1888–1890 1890–1892 1892–1895 1895–1896 1896–1898 1898–1900 1900–1901 1901–1902 1902–1904 1904–1907 1907–1910 1910–1913 1913–1916 1916–1919 1919–1922 1922–1925 1925–1928 1928–1931 1931–1934 1934–1937 1937–1940 1940–1943 1943–1946 1946–1949 1949–1952 1952–1955 1955–1958 1958–1961 1961–1964 1964–1967 1967–1970 1970–1973 1973–1976 1976–1979 1979–1982 1982–1985 1985–1988 1988–1992 1992–1996 1996–1999 1999–2002 2002–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014–2018 2018–2022 2022–2026