Nillumbik has a new Youth Mayor and Youth Deputy Mayor following their election recently.
Aashini Rastogi, 17, was elected Youth Mayor and Tahlia Edmonds, 22, was elected Deputy Mayor of the Nillumbik Youth Council.
The new Youth Mayor and Deputy Mayor will welcome new members Elliot Thomas, Jarran Nolan, Holly Webb, Geneva Dunn and Lara Akdeniz at the upcoming Youth Council meeting on 7 September 2026.
They join current Youth Councillors Alexandra Laidlaw, Ange Gartland, Anushka Gupta, Eleanor Risley, Gianna Andreoli, Jess Brown, Rose Jarvis and Samuel Lochner.
Youth Mayor Aashini Rastogi, the 2025 Nillumbik Young Citizen of the Year, said she was honoured to be elected to the role and looked forward to representing the voices of young people across the Shire.
"When I first joined Youth Council, I walked into the room knowing no one. Now I look forward to every meeting because of the connections we've built and the difference we can make together," Aashini said.
Youth Deputy Mayor Tahlia Edmonds, who served as Youth Mayor in 2025, said she was proud of what the Youth Council had achieved over the past year and is excited to continue supporting young people in Nillumbik.
"This role has taught me that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about listening, bringing people together and turning ideas into action," Tahlia said.
Mayor Cr Naomi Joiner congratulated Aashini and Tahlia on their election.
"The Youth Council plays an important role in ensuring young people have a voice in local decision-making. I look forward to working with our new youth leaders and seeing the positive impact they will continue to make across Nillumbik."
Deputy Mayor, Cr Kate McKay, Council's representative on the Youth Council, also congratulated all members and thanked them for their commitment to improving outcomes for young people.
"The passion, creativity and leadership shown by our Youth Councillors is inspiring," Cr McKay said.
"Youth Council gives young people the opportunity to contribute ideas, advocate for issues that matter to them and help shape the future of Nillumbik. I look forward to supporting the group as they deliver another exciting year of projects and initiatives."
The Youth Council will focus this year on delivering recommendations arising from the 2026 Youth Summit. Key actions include supporting youth environmental action groups, facilitating mentoring programs in schools, and promoting more opportunities for young people to have a voice and be involved in their community.
