Walgett Shire

Walgett Shire New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates	30°01′S 148°07′E / 30.017°S 148.117°E / -30.017; 148.117Coordinates: 30°01′S 148°07′E / 30.017°S 148.117°E / -30.017; 148.117
Population	6,454 (2011)[1]
• Density	0.29/km2 (0.75/sq mi)
Area	22,336 km2 (8,624.0 sq mi)
Mayor	Bill Murray (Unaligned)
Council seat	Walgett
Region	Orana
State electorate(s)	Barwon
Federal Division(s)	Parkes
Website	www.walgett.nsw.gov.au
LGAs around Walgett Shire: Balonne (Qld) Balonne (Qld) Balonne (Qld) Brewarrina Walgett Shire Moree Plains Warren Coonamble Narrabri

Walgett Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The town of Walgett is located at the junction of the Barwon River and the Namoi River, and at the junction of the Kamilaroi Highway and the Castlereagh Highway.

The Shire is divided between the agricultural areas (producing wool, cattle, wheat and cotton), which are near the Barwon and Namoi rivers or southeast of the Barwon River, and the outback country northwest of the Barwon River, including the black opal mining and fossicking town of Lightning Ridge. Prior to 1957, when Lightning Ridge was established as a significant settlement, the outback country was part of the Western Division.

The Mayor of Walgett Shire Council is Cr. Bill Murray, who is unaligned with any political party.

Towns and villages

Walgett Shire includes Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri, Pilliga, Pokataroo, Rowena, Burren Junction, Cryon, Cumborah, Glengarry and Carinda.

Incomes

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics during 2003-04 there:^[2]

• were 1,726 wage and salary earners (ranked 123rd in New South Wales and 393rd in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's 2,558,415 and Australia's 7,831,856)
• was a total income of $55 million (ranked 121st in New South Wales and 391st in Australia, less than 0.1% of both New South Wales's $107 billion and Australia's $304 billion)
• was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $31,980 (ranked 112th in New South Wales and 376th in Australia, 77% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 82% of Australia's $38,820)
• was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $29,155 (ranked 119th in New South Wales and 406th in Australia, 82% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 85% of Australia's $34,149).

Council

Walgett Shire Council

Between 2004 and 2008, the Council was controlled by an Administrator, Vic Smith,^[3] appointed by the New South Wales Minister for Local Government. The previous Walgett Shire Council was split between factions representing Lightning Ridge and the rest of the Shire and apparently became unworkable as a result. In 2004, a public inquiry investigated the dispute, among other things, under the Local Government Act, 1993 (NSW). Other matters investigated included poor administration, failure to properly inform Councillors in relation to some matters, apparently illegal walkouts by some Councilors to frustrate votes and, in particular, events surrounding a failed project to build a community centre in Lightning Ridge.^[4]

Current composition and election method

Walgett Shire Council is composed of nine Councillors elected proportionally as a single ward. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:^[5]

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election, is:^[5]

References

External links

Media related to Walgett Shire at Wikimedia Commons

• Walgett Shire Council official website