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About the shire
Wingecarribee Shire covers an area of 2700 square kilometres. This area is known to tourists as the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. This Shire is an important catchment area for water supply to Sydney, Wollongong and the Northern Shoalhaven. Much of the Shire located at or above 640 metres above sea level. The main towns are Bowral, Moss Vale, Mittagong and Bundanoon. As well there are smaller villages like Hill Top, Yerrinbool , Colo Vale, Robertson , Berrima, New Berrima, Exeter , Burrawang , Penrose, Wingello , Sutton Forest, Avoca, Fitzroy Falls and Balmoral Village. The pattern of development is one of small towns and villages, separated by a semi rural landscape and from a Planning perspective, Council intends to retain this character for the Shire.
The Eastern parts of the Shire are bounded by the Illawarra escarpment and Morton National Park, with some remnant rainforest and heathland. The North of the Shire is characterised by rugged Eucalypt bushland, with gullies, gorges and sandy soils. This area forms part of the catchment for Sydney's water supply and three major storage dams [Avon, Nepean and Cordeaux]. The Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Rivers flow through the West of the Shire, through deep sandstone valleys and much of this area forms part of the catchment for Warragamba Dam. The South of the Shire is bounded by Uringalla Creek and includes the villages of Bundanoon, Wingello and Penrose. This area is a sandstone plateaux dissected by deep gorges.
1.1 Population Change 2001 to 2006
- The number of Shire residents increased by 1,636 persons, at 4% to 42,272 persons from a total population of 40,636 persons in 2001.
- The average annual population growth rate declined to 0.8% over 2001 to 2006 from an average of 2.2% p.a. over 1996 to 2001. The NSW growth rate has also slowed to 0.7% p.a. from the average annual rate of 1.1% experienced over 1996 to 2001.
- The proportion of Aboriginal residents has increased from 1.2% of the Shire's total population in 2001 to 1.3%
- The proportion of children aged 0 to 14 years has decreased from 23.3% of the Shire population in 2001 to 20.8% in 2006, but still remains higher than that for NSW at 19.8%.
- The proportion of Shire residents aged 55 years and over has increased from 26.6% in 2001 to 31.9% in 2006 which compares to 24.8% for NSW.
- The number of residents aged 65 years and over increased proportionately from 15.3% in 2001 to 18% of Shire population, compared to 13.8% for NSW in 2006.
- The median age of the Shire population increased over 2001 to 2006 from 38 to 42 years, which now compares to a median age of 37 years for the NSW population.
1.2 Households 2001 to 2006 - occupied private dwellings
- The proportion of occupied private dwellings representing family households has decreased from 72% in 2001 to 70.4% to 2006.
- The average number of persons per household declined from 2.6 to 2.5 over 2001 to 2006.
- Lone person households increased in number by 437 to comprise 23.4% of all households in 2006 compared to 22.2% in 2001.
- Median household income of $995 per week compared to $1,038 for NSW and $1,027 nationally in 2006
- Median household rent of $195/week compared to $210 for NSW & $190 nationally in 2006.
- Median loan re-payments of $1,157 a month is the same for NSW and compared to $1,300 nationally in 2006.
1.3 Families 2001 to 2006
- Family households have increased from 10,990 in 2001 to 11,561 total families in 2006
- Lone parent families have remained proportionately stable at 14.4% of all families.
- Couple families with children declined in number by 102 from 44.5% of all families in 2001 to 41.4% in 2006.
- Couples families without children increased in number by 596 from 40.1% of all families in 2001 to 43.3% in 2006.
- Median family income of $1,148 per week compared to $1,181 for NSW and $1,171 nationally in 2006.
1.4 Housing 2001 to 2006 - occupied private dwellings
- The number of private dwellings increased by 9.2% to a total of 18,991 dwellings in 2006.
- The number of unoccupied private dwellings increased by 1.6% to 2,773 dwellings in 2006.
- Occupied private dwellings increased by 1,097 households to 16,218 dwellings in 2006.
- The proportionate increase in OPD of 7.2% over 2001 to 2006 compares to 14.6% over 1996 to 2001.
- Separate housing now accounts for 89.5% of occupied private dwellings compared to 90.8% in 2001.
- Higher density housing still remains low at 9.5% of OPD but compares to 7.4% n 2001. Villas, townhouses, flats and apartments increased in number by 428 over 2001 to 2006.
- Home ownership has remained relatively stable at 72.7% of occupied private dwellings.
- The number of fully owned homes declined from 45.6% of OPD in 2001 to 39.6% in 2006.
- Households buying a home increased from 27.5% of OPD in 2001 to 33% in 2006.
- Rental housing increased slightly from 19.6% of OPD in 2001 to 21% in 2006.
Census data can be accessed and down loaded from http://www.abs.gov.au/
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