A group of residents in a Border town in the North East are pushing to withdraw from what they describe as a "dysfunctional" shire.
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Yarrawonga activists have set up a "Yexit" Facebook page that has drawn 1036 members and have a petition organisers say has nearly 2000 signatures.
The "Yexiteers" are keen to pull away from Moira Shire and reform as a separate entity or join Wangaratta Council.
Yexit supporter Daine Runnalls, a Yarrawonga born and bred entertainer, said the petition would be sent to the Victorian Local Government Minister, Melissa Horne.
Runnalls has penned The Moira Song, a protest tune (see video), and plans to set up a fundraiser concert for the campaign.
"We have a huge pool but it's not heated so there's no facilities for kids to learn to swim," he said.
"Since they sacked the council and put it into administration no one really knows what's going on.
"A lot of people think we have all these wonderful facilities but we really have very little, not even a pool.
In 1994, most of Yarrawonga shire was united with Cobram, Nathalia, Numurkah and most of Tungamah shires to form Moira shire.
In March, all Moira Shire councillors were dismissed by the Victorian government with an interim administrator appointed after a damning report into the council's competence.
Runnalls said people were angry at infrastructure projects such as new basketball courts not eventuating.
Yarrawonga resident Nick Dykes, who is driving the campaign, said he was confident of harnessing support because "people here are very angry".
"It's just disgraceful, Yarrawonga is propping up all the surrounding towns, there's a huge disparity in how much Yarra ratepayers contribute and how much is not spent here," Mr Dykes said.
"The state of the infrastructure - the old primary school for example - and the gardens, it's all in disrepair.
"There's $72 million in revenue generated by Yarra, Bundalong and Tungamah yet there's less than $10 million in capital expenditure.
"That is more than $60 million we have generated that is being spent elsewhere."
Another Yarrawonga resident also driving the campaign, Johnny Leary, said he had been in talks with both Ms Horne's office and administrators.
"Our next step is to organise a town meeting," Mr Leary said. "The administrators are happy to talk with us but we're not really getting very far with them.
"Melissa Horne's office gets back to us via email, but it takes a while and they keep referring us to the Moira administrators.
"The biggest problem here is that Moira Council seems to be focused on Cobram - that's just a place we go to get cheaper fuel."
Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees confirmed he had informal talks with the "Yexiteers" but ruled out any plans for his city to amalgamate with Yarrawonga.
"There's clearly support for it with that many members on that Facebook page - 10 per cent of the population - but they'd be better off going off on their own," Mr Rees said.
"As far as coming on board Wangaratta, that just isn't going to happen, I've raised this matter with councillors and it's just not practical.
"We're trying to run our own big municipality.
"I've spoken with the administrators at Moira and they say they're going to work very hard with the people in Yarrawonga to make sure they can come to a satisfactory outcome and make the shire work well."
Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy said he was aware that a movement was forming.
"The discussion around Yarrawonga seceding or moving out of the Moira shire has been raised on numerous occasions," Mr McCurdy said.
"Democracy is the cornerstone of society and I am I always available to support a majority view.
"My personal view is that it will be a difficult task to convince the Minister for Local Government to achieve 'Yexit' as the Victorian government is more determined to amalgamate health services and other public services rather than 'peel off' disenfranchised groups.
"A plebiscite could determine where the majority view lies but I am at a loss as to who would fund such an action."
The Border Mail has contacted the office of Victorian Local Government Minister Melissa Horne.
An online Yexit petition has been launched to support the paper petition.
