Great Lakes Council

Amalgamation

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended the merger of a number of adjoining councils. In the initial proposal, the Great Lakes Council was not included in any amalgamation proposals. However, Gloucester Shire Council submitted an alternate proposal to amalgamate the Gloucester, Great Lakes and Greater Taree councils. The outcome of an independent review was completed by May 2016, when the council was dissolved.

Towns and localities

The former Great Lakes Council included the following towns and localities:

• Allworth
• Blueys Beach
• Bombah Point
• Boolambayte
• Boomerang Beach
• Booral
• Booti Booti
• Bulahdelah
• Bundabah
• Bungwahl
• Bunyah
• Carrington
• Charlotte Bay
• Coolongolook
• Coomba Bay
• Coomba Park
• Crawford River
• Darawank
• Elizabeth Beach
• Failford
• Forster
• Girvan
• Green Point
• Hawks Nest
• Limeburners Creek
• Markwell
• Mayers Flat
• Minimbah
• Monkerai
• Mungo Brush
• Myall Lake
• Nabiac
• Nerong
• Nooroo
• North Arm Cove
• Pindimar
• Sandbar
• Seal Rocks
• Shallow Bay
• Smiths Lake
• Stroud Road
• Stroud
• Tahlee
• Tarbuck Bay
• Tea Gardens
• Terreel
• The Branch
• Tiona
• Topi Topi
• Tuncurry
• Upper Karuah River
• Upper Myall
• Violet Hill
• Wallingat
• Wallis Lake
• Wards River
• Warranulla
• Washpool
• Weismantels
• Whoota
• Willina
• Wootton
• Yagon

Demographics

At the , there were 34,430 people in the Great Lakes Council local government area, of these 49.0 per cent were male and 51.0 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.8 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Great Lakes Council area was 52 years, significantly higher than the national median of 37 years; and the highest median of any local government area in New South Wales. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 15.4 per cent of the population; and people aged 65 years and over made up 30.6 per cent of the population, with the latter significantly influencing the median age. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 52.4 per cent were married and 15.0 per cent were either divorced or separated.

Population growth in the Great Lakes Council between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 4.00 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 5.08 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Great Lakes Council local government area was significantly lower than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Great Lakes Council area was nearly half the national average.

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Great Lakes Council local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 82 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 66% of all residents in the Great Lakes Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Great Lakes Council local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.6 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (92.6 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).

Council

Former composition and election method

At the time of its dissolution, the Great Lakes Council was composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as a single ward. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent and last election was held on 8 September 2012 and the makeup of the council was as follows:

The last Council, elected in 2012 and dissolved in 2016, in order of election, was:

References

References

1. {{Census 2011 AUS
2. "Council Search – Great Lakes Council". [[New South Wales Division of Local Government]].
3. "Suburb Search – Local Council Boundaries – Hunter (HT) – Great Lakes Council". [[New South Wales Division of Local Government]].
4. "Myall Lakes". [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]].
5. "Upper Hunter". [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]].
6. "Port Stephens". [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]].
7. (26 July 2012). "Paterson". [[Australian Electoral Commission]].
8. (12 May 2016). "Mid-Coast Council". [[Government of New South Wales]].
9. Toole, Paul. (March 2016). "Dungog and Maitland councils Proposal". [[Government of New South Wales]].
10. {{Census 2001 AUS
11. {{Census 2006 AUS
12. (16 September 2012). "Great Lakes Council: Summary of First Preference and Group Votes for each Candidate". Electoral Commission of New South Wales.