Australia’s shrinking populations
In a follow up to Australia’s population growth hotspots, Your Investment Property reveals those areas whose populations are experiencing a worrying decline.
According to the latest population growth figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for the 12 months to June 2011, the fastest decline in percentage terms was seen in the West Coast LGA of Tasmania (-2.1%). Barunga West in South Australia followed up with a -1.9% decline, and third place went to Wellington in NSW (-1.5%).
Overall, Victoria had nine of the 25 LGAs that recorded the fastest population declines, followed by New South Wales (6), South Australia (4), Tasmania (3), the Northern Territory (2) and Queensland (1).
Fastest declines:
|
LGA |
State |
Estimated pop 30 June 2010 |
Estimated pop 30 June 2011 |
Change |
% |
|
West Coast |
Tas |
5,247 |
5,139 |
-108 |
-2.1 |
|
Barunga West |
SA |
2,632 |
2,581 |
-51 |
-1.9 |
|
Wellington |
NSW |
8,860 |
8,725 |
-135 |
-1.5 |
|
Hindmarsh |
Vic |
6,140 |
6,054 |
-86 |
-1.4 |
|
Balranald |
NSW |
2,472 |
2,438 |
-34 |
-1.4 |
|
West Wimmera |
Vic |
4,584 |
4,521 |
-63 |
-1.4 |
|
Yarriambiack |
Vic |
7,602 |
7,498 |
-104 |
-1.4 |
|
Alice Springs |
NT |
27,957 |
27,589 |
-368 |
-1.3 |
|
Buloke |
Vic |
7,017 |
6,925 |
-92 |
-1.3 |
|
Katherine |
NT |
10,093 |
9,967 |
-126 |
-1.2 |
|
Gannawarra |
Vic |
11,598 |
11,467 |
-131 |
-1.1 |
|
Southern Mallee |
SA |
2,171 |
2,147 |
-24 |
-1.1 |
|
Lockhart |
NSW |
3,312 |
3,279 |
-33 |
-1.0 |
|
Loddon |
Vic |
8,034 |
7,957 |
-77 |
-1.0 |
|
Towong |
Vic |
6,333 |
6,276 |
-57 |
-0.9 |
|
Kentish |
Tas |
6,282 |
6,229 |
-53 |
-0.8 |
|
Hay |
NSW |
3,343 |
3,315 |
-28 |
-0.8 |
|
Wattle Range |
SA |
12,615 |
12,512 |
-103 |
-0.8 |
|
Northern Grampians |
Vic |
12,296 |
12,196 |
-100 |
-0.8 |
|
Central Highlands |
Tas |
2,320 |
2,303 |
-17 |
-0.7 |
|
Torres Strait Island |
Qld |
5,071 |
5,035 |
-36 |
-0.7 |
|
Walgett |
NSW |
7,222 |
7,171 |
-51 |
-0.7 |
|
Goyder |
SA |
4,284 |
4,256 |
-28 |
-0.7 |
|
Central Goldfields |
Vic |
12,876 |
12,792 |
-84 |
-0.7 |
|
Wentworth |
NSW |
7,108 |
7,065 |
-43 |
-0.6 |
Source: ABS, Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2010-11
When it came to those LGAs that saw the largest drop in resident numbers in the 12 months to June 2011, Alice Springs came out on top with a decline of -368. Wellington once again featured in the top three, with its resident drop of -135, followed by Gannawarra in Victoria (-131).
Overall Victoria has 10 of the top 25 LGAs with the largest population declines, followed by South Australia (6) and New South Wales (3). The Northern Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia each had two LGAs in the top 25.
Largest declines:
|
LGA |
State |
Estimated pop 30 June 2010 |
Estimated pop 30 June 2011 |
Change |
% |
|
Alice Springs |
NT |
27,957 |
27,589 |
-368 |
-1.3 |
|
Wellington |
NSW |
8,860 |
8,725 |
-135 |
-1.5 |
|
Gannawarra |
Vic |
11,598 |
11,467 |
-131 |
-1.1 |
|
Katherine |
NT |
10,093 |
9,967 |
-126 |
-1.2 |
|
West Coast |
Tas |
5,247 |
5,139 |
-108 |
-2.1 |
|
Yarriambiack |
Vic |
7,602 |
7,498 |
-104 |
-1.4 |
|
Wattle Range |
SA |
12,615 |
12,512 |
-103 |
-0.8 |
|
Northern Grampians |
Vic |
12,296 |
12,196 |
-100 |
-0.8 |
|
Buloke |
Vic |
7,017 |
6,925 |
-92 |
-1.3 |
|
Southern Grampians |
Vic |
17,503 |
17,411 |
-92 |
-0.5 |
|
Hindmarsh |
Vic |
6,140 |
6,054 |
-86 |
-1.4 |
|
Central Goldfields |
Vic |
12,876 |
12,792 |
-84 |
-0.7 |
|
Broken Hill |
NSW |
19,784 |
19,703 |
-81 |
-0.4 |
|
Loddon |
Vic |
8,034 |
7,957 |
-77 |
-1.0 |
|
Port Pirie City and Dists |
SA |
18,242 |
18,169 |
-73 |
-0.4 |
|
West Wimmera |
Vic |
4,584 |
4,521 |
-63 |
-1.4 |
|
Manjimup |
WA |
10,159 |
10,098 |
-61 |
-0.6 |
|
Towong |
Vic |
6,333 |
6,276 |
-57 |
-0.9 |
|
Renmark Paringa |
SA |
9,891 |
9,834 |
-57 |
-0.6 |
|
Brookton |
WA |
1,006 |
952 |
-54 |
-5.4 |
|
Kentish |
Tas |
6,282 |
6,229 |
-53 |
-0.8 |
|
Walgett |
NSW |
7,222 |
7,171 |
-51 |
-0.7 |
|
Barunga West |
SA |
2,632 |
2,581 |
-51 |
-1.9 |
|
Tea Tree Gully |
SA |
100,524 |
100,474 |
-50 |
-0.1 |
|
Port Augusta |
SA |
14,774 |
14,725 |
-49 |
-0.3 |
Source: ABS, Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2010-11
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