Walcha Shire

Walcha Shire is a local government area located in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is situated adjacent to the junction of the Oxley Highway and Thunderbolts Way and is 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Main North railway line passing through Walcha Road.

The Shire of Apsley, its predecessor, was constituted by proclamation on 7 March 1906 and is located in the Vernon, Hawes, and Inglis counties, and comprises about 60 parishes. The area is 1,605,590 acres (6,497.6 km²). The Shire of Walcha was constituted by the union of the Municipality of Walcha and the Shire of Apsley on 1 June 1955.^[3]

The Mayor of Walcha Shire Council is Cr. Janelle Archdale an unaligned politician.

Main towns and villages

The towns and villages of Walcha Council include Walcha, Walcha Road, Niangala, Nowendoc and Woolbrook. Settlements include: Brackendale, Yarrowitch and Tia.

Demographics

Incomes

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics^[4] during 2003-04, there:

• were 927 wage and salary earners (ranked 146th in New South Wales and 470th 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 $27,787,248 (around $28 million) (ranked 147th in New South Wales and 478th 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 $29,975 (ranked 153rd in New South Wales and 517th in Australia, 72% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 77% of Australia's $38,820)
• was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $27,590 (ranked 154th in New South Wales and 517th in Australia, 78% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 81% of Australia's $34,149).

Council

Walcha Shire Council

Welcome sign near the Shire boundary.

Current composition and election method

Walcha Shire Council is composed of eight Councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing two Councillors. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012. In the D Ward only two candidates, being those below, nominated for election. There being no additional candidates, the election for this Ward was uncontested.^[5] The makeup of the Council is as follows:^[5][6][7][8]

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:

At the 2012 local government elections, a referendum to abolish the four wards and elect Councillors as one entire ward was defeated, with 56.1% voting against the resolution.^[10]

Significant events

On 28 and 29 November 2008, torrential rain that caused severe flooding in the Apsley River and Macdonald River led to the area being declared a natural disaster area. Walcha Council estimated that it will cost approximately $1.7 million to repair damage caused to roads and infrastructure across the shire.^[11]

References