Tweed Shire Council

According to the Australian Bureau Statistics ^[3] during 2003-04, there:

- were 22,849 wage and salary earners (ranked 37th in New South Wales and 106th in Australia, 0.9% of New South Wales's 2,558,415 and 0.3% of Australia's 7,831,856)

- was a total income of $718,106,612 (around $718 million) (ranked 47th in New South Wales and 123rd in Australia, 0.7% of New South Wales's $107,179,688,262 (around $107 billion) and 0.2% of Australia's $304,034,755,876 (around $304 billion))

- was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $31,428 (ranked 121st in New South Wales and 413rd in Australia, 76% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 81% of Australia's $38,820)

- was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $28,549 (ranked 136th in New South Wales and 451st in Australia, 80% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 83% of Australia's $34,149).

[edit] Demographics

According to the Australian Bureau Statistics ^[4], there:

- were 81,886 people as at 30 June 2006, the 25th largest Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 1.2% of the New South Wales population of 6,827,694

- was an increase of 1,261 people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 13th largest population growth in a Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 2.1% of the 58,753 increase in the population of New South Wales

- was, in percentage terms, an increase of 1.6% in the number of people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 20th fastest growth in population of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 0.9%

- was an increase in population over the 10 years to 30 June 2006 of 16,834 people or 26% (2.3% in annual average terms), the 7th highest rate of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 622,966 or 10% (1.0% in annual average terms) over the same period.

[edit] Main towns/villages

Tweed Shire includes suburbs of the Gold Coast in New South Wales, including:

Tweed Heads (2001 population: 12,420) ^[5]
Tweed Heads South, Banora Point and Terranora (2001 combined population: 27,368) ^[6]
Kingscliff, Fingal Head, Chinderah and Cudgen (2001 combined population: 8,993) ^[7]

It also includes the towns and villages of Murwillumbah (7,596), Bogangar (3,028), Pottsville (2,576), Burringbar (332), Tumbulgum (360), Tyalgum, Uki and Chillingham (211).

[edit] History of the Tweed Shire

The European history of the Tweed Shire began in 1823 when the Tweed River was discovered by John Oxley. After sheltering on Cook Island, (4km from the River's mouth), Oxely travelled 11km up river. In 1828, Captain H. J. Rous explored 50km up the river. Settlers began to arrive in 182?, the first of which where the cedar getters, who came to harvest Great Red Cedars and send them back to England.^[8] During the height of the cedar logging industry, the Tweed Valley was one of the wealthiest districts in Australia.