Gundagai
Indicator: Population
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Gundagai
Gundagai Shire remains relatively static with only a small percentage in growth observed. According to the 2006 Census there were 3,851 residents in the Shire with an estimated 3,813 in 2007. Since the end of the previous State of the Environment Reporting period, the population of the Shire is estimated to have increased by 0.1% or 11 persons.
Compared with New South Wales (NSW), Gundagai has a higher aged population, a comparative Indigenous population and a small increase in the proportion of persons born overseas. Along with many other jurisdictions in Australia, Gundagai Council will need to consider the impacts of an ageing population on its economy, and infrastructure.
The composition of households has continued the trend noted in the 2004 report with a further reduction in the number of households comprising couples with children and a consequent increase in couples without children and also lone person households. These are similar to trends observed in other councils. Gundagai’s Social Plan is committed to addressing these issues.
Population is stable in number but growing in age
The population in Gundagai Shire was 3,813 at the 2007 (Table 1). Based on the latest available Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures (2008), it can be seen that the population rose by only 11 persons since 2004. This represents an annual average rate of growth of 0.1% for the period, compared with 0.7% average for the Australian Capital Region for the period, and 0.8% for NSW. Compared with all local government areas across the State, the Shire ranked 128 out of 149 for the fastest growth and 127 out of 152 for the largest growth. Figure 1 illustrates the population for the years 2004 to 2007, showing the annual estimated residential population at 30 June for each year.
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | Population Change 2004-2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,802 | 3,822 | 3,851 | 3,813 | 11 (0.1 % p.a.) |
See About the data for Australian Bureau of Statistics comments on years 2001-2007; Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Catalogue No. 3218.0 (2008)
Figure 1. Population growth, Gundagai Shire, 2004 to 2007
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Catalogue No. 3218.0 (2008)
Since the 2004 report Gundagai Shire has experienced a relatively small growth in population but this needs to be examined in the context of the age profile. The trend of decreasing youth noted in the last report has stabilised in this reporting period. The “middle” age group increased by 0.5% (1996-2006) as opposed to the increase of 2.0% in the earlier 10 year period. The proportion of the population aged 65+ increased by 1.5% compared with the 2.7% increase during the earlier period. The median age as at 2006 was 40 years in Gundagai Shire compared with the State median of 37 years. In 2001 the median was 38 with 35 for the State, and in 1996, 36 and 34 years respectively. Percentages and figures are illustrated in Table 2.
These trends are similar to those evident in other shires in the Region and will have resultant impacts on the Shire’s healthcare, social, economic and transport needs into the future.
| Age | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| <15 years | 923 | 24.8 | 843 | 22.6 | 844 | 22.6 |
| 15–64 years | 2,244 | 60.2 | 2,316 | 62.2 | 2,272 | 60.7 |
| 65+ years | 559 | 15.0 | 567 | 15.2 | 624 | 16.7 |
| Totals | 3,726 | 100 | 3,726 | 100 | 3,740 | 100 |
See About the data for Australian Bureau of Statistics comments on this table; Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile Catalogue No. 2003.0
Ethnicity and diversity
Gender
Gundagai Shire’s population as at the 2006 Census was split 50.05% male and 49.95% female. Compared with the gender distribution for NSW (49.3% males to 50.7% females), the Shire’s population reverses the trend observed in the State and other Councils. See Figures 2 and 3 for a comparison of the gender and age distribution for the Shire and NSW respectively.
Figure 2. Age and sex distribution, Gundagai Shire, 2006
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile Catalogue No. 2003.0
Figure 3. Age and sex distribution, New South Wales, 2006
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile Catalogue No. 2003.0
Origins
In 2006, 94.5% of Gundagai Shire’s non-Indigenous residents were born in Australia, compared with 94.3% in 2001 and 95.8% in 1996 (Table 3). By comparison, NSW has experienced a drop of about 1% between Censuses (1996, 2001, 2006). The proportion of Indigenous population for the Shire has increased since the last report to 2.1% from 1.8% in 2001 and 1.4% in 1996. This remains a higher percentage compared with the rest of the State (2.2%) in 2006. The “Born overseas” group has reduced by 0.5% to 3.4% in the 2006 Census from 3.9% in 2001 compared with the gradual increase (0.65%) in proportion experienced by NSW.
| Origin | 1996 Census | 2001 Census | 2006 Census | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| Indigenous persons | 53 | 1.4 | 65 | 1.8 | 73 | 2.1 |
| Born in Australia | 3,519 | 95.8 | 3,440 | 94.3 | 3,393 | 94.5 |
| Born overseas (a) | 103 | 2.8 | 142 | 3.9 | 124 | 3.4 |
| Total | 3,675 | 100 | 3,647 | 100 | 3,590 | 100 |
See About the data for notes on (a); Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile Catalogue No. 2003.0
Households and family type
In 2006, 70.6% of Shire residents lived in one-family households consisting of 32.7% couples with children, 26.5% couples with no children and 9.5% were one-parent families. About 24.3% of the population consisted of lone person households. (Table 4). The group with the most significant percentage drop was the “Couple family with children” group, having fallen by 5% since the 1996 Census whereas the percentage of households occupied by “One parent family” rose by 1.5% and the “Couple family without children” group rose by 1.2%. This trend has also been observed amongst other shires and the State. The Social Plan should explore these patterns further and identify whether there are emerging social planning issues for the Shire.
| Household composition | 1996 Census | 2001 Census | 2006 Census | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings | % | Dwellings | % | Dwellings | % | |
| One family household: | ||||||
| Couple family with children | 507 | 37.7 | 469 | 33.1 | 463 | 32.7 |
| Couple family without children | 340 | 25.3 | 384 | 27.1 | 375 | 26.5 |
| One parent family | 108 | 8.0 | 115 | 8.1 | 135 | 9.5 |
| Other family | 28 | 2.1 | 20 | 1.4 | 26 | 1.8 |
| Total | 983 | 73.1 | 988 | 69.7 | 999 | 70.6 |
| Miscellaneous households: | ||||||
| Group household | 23 | 1.7 | 26 | 1.8 | 19 | 1.3 |
| Lone person household | 315 | 23.4 | 367 | 25.9 | 344 | 24.3 |
| Other household (c) | 24 | 1.8 | 36 | 2.5 | 53 | 3.8 |
| Total | 1,345 | 100 | 1,417 | 100 | 1,415 | 100 |
For notes on (a), (b) and (c) see About the data; Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile, Catalogue No. 2003.0
Where people are working and what they are earning
The Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector is the highest employer as at the 2006 Census at 24.0% although falling 5.8% since the 2001 Census. This fall is attributable to the affects of the drought in this region. The State as a whole also experienced a fall in employment in this sector of 0.7% during this period.
The Accommodation & food services sector is the next highest employer with 12.2% in 2006, an increase of 1.7% since 2001 compared with a 0.1% increase for NSW. The manufacturing sector has grown 1.2% since the 2001 Census but 2.5% since the 1996 Census. This is in contrast to a fall in this sector for the State of 1.4%.
The Health care & social assistance sector represented 8.3% of the workforce in 2006 which is an increase of 1.9% since 2001.
| Industry of employment (a) | 1996 Census | 2001 Census | 2006 Census | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons | % | Persons | % | Persons | % | |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 416 | 28.1 | 512 | 29.8 | 401 | 24.0 |
| Mining | 9 | 0.6 | 4 | 0.2 | 3 | 0.2 |
| Manufacturing | 99 | 6.7 | 138 | 8.0 | 154 | 9.2 |
| Electricity, gas, water & waste services | 12 | 0.8 | 11 | 0.6 | 4 | 0.2 |
| Construction | 82 | 5.6 | 101 | 5.9 | 105 | 6.3 |
| Wholesale trade | 32 | 2.2 | 68 | 4.0 | 56 | 3.4 |
| Retail trade | 124 | 8.4 | 148 | 8.6 | 153 | 9.2 |
| Accommodation & food services | 140 | 9.5 | 181 | 10.5 | 203 | 12.2 |
| Transport, postal & warehousing | 70 | 4.7 | 73 | 4.2 | 58 | 3.5 |
| Information media & telecommunications | 13 | 0.9 | 9 | 0.5 | 12 | 0.7 |
| Financial & insurance services | 28 | 1.9 | 6 | 0.4 | 10 | 0.6 |
| Rental, hiring & real estate services | 3 | 0.2 | 7 | 0.4 | 9 | 0.5 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | 47 | 3.2 | 47 | 2.7 | 38 | 2.3 |
| Administrative & support services | 31 | 2.1 | 25 | 1.4 | 24 | 1.4 |
| Public administration & safety | 69 | 4.7 | 91 | 5.3 | 96 | 5.8 |
| Education & training | 92 | 6.2 | 92 | 5.4 | 107 | 6.4 |
| Health care & social assistance | 93 | 6.3 | 110 | 6.4 | 138 | 8.3 |
| Arts & recreation services | 19 | 1.3 | 11 | 0.6 | 11 | 0.7 |
| Other services | 43 | 2.9 | 34 | 2.0 | 30 | 1.8 |
| Inadequately described/Not stated | 56 | 3.8 | 51 | 3.0 | 57 | 3.4 |
| Total | 1,478 | 100 | 1,719 | 100 | 1,669 | 100 |
For notes on (a) see About the data; Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2006 Time Series Profile, Catalogue No. 2003.0
The Median Individual Income for the Gundagai Shire as at 30 June 2006 was $378per week compared with $460 for NSWs, and the Median Household Income was $735 ($1,034 for the State).
About the data
Data for this indicator were sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Data for Table 1— Estimated Residential Population Australian Bureau of Statistics Catalogue No. 3218.0. Years 2004-2006 are preliminary rebased figures, whereas 2007 figures are preliminary. The figure for 2004 was only preliminary at the time of writing the 2004 State of the Environment Report, therefore it has now been revised. As explained in the Extract from Explanatory Notes, Australian Bureau of Statistics—Catalogue No. 3218.0 (2008), ‘To meet the conflicting demands for accuracy and timeliness there are several versions of sub-state/territory population estimates. Preliminary estimates are normally available nine months after the reference date (i.e. March), revised estimates twelve months later and rebased and final estimates after the following census.' Estimated population is preliminary rebased for 2002 to 2006, based on results of the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, and preliminary for 2007. At the time of writing, final 2006 Census-based estimates for 2002 to 2006, together with the first revision of 2007 were not yet available.
Data for Table 2 – Selected Person Characteristics: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Time Series Profile (T01), Catalogue No. 2003.0, Commonwealth of Australia, 2006.
Data for Table 3 – Selected Person Characteristics: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Time Series Profile (T01), Catalogue No. 2003.0, Commonwealth of Australia, 2006, (a) Includes 'Australian External Territories', 'Inadequately described', 'At sea' and 'Not elsewhere classified'.
Data for Table 4 —Dwelling Structure by Household Composition and Family Composition: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Time Series Profile (T14), Catalogue No. 2003.0, Commonwealth of Australia, 2006 (a) The 'Household Composition' variable replaced 'Household Type', which was used in 1996 and 2001; (b) The 'Family Composition' variable replaced 'Family Type', which was used in 1996 and 2001; (c) Comprises 'Visitors only' and 'Other not classifiable' households.
Data for Table 5 — Industry types in Gundagai Shire: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Time Series Profile (T25), Catalogue No. 2003.0, Commonwealth of Australia, 2006. (a) Industry of employment was coded to the 2006 Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) edition. This has replaced the 1993 ANZSIC edition.
Population density is calculated by dividing the estimated residential population at 2004 into the size of the whole council area minus conservation lands and state forests because few, if any, people live in those areas of land use.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2007) Regional Population Growth, Australia, 1996 to 2006, Catalogue No. 3218.0 — ‘Estimated Residential Population—30 June ', Commonwealth of Australia, http://www.abs.gov.au/
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008) Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2006-07, Catalogue No. 3218.0 — ‘Population Estimates by Local Government Area, 2001 to 2007 — 30 June', Commonwealth of Australia, http://www.abs.gov.au/
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) Time Series Profile, Catalogue No. 2003.0, Commonwealth of Australia, http://www.abs.gov.au/
