Clarence Valley Council

Last updated

Clarence Valley
New South Wales
Clarence valley LGA NSW.png
Location in New South Wales
Population
 • Density5.13983/km2 (13.3121/sq mi)
Established24 February 2004 (2004-02-24)
Area10,441 km2 (4,031.3 sq mi)
MayorRay Smith
Council seat Grafton and Maclean
Region Northern Rivers
State electorate(s) Clarence
Federal division(s) Page
Clarence Valley Council Logo.jpg
Website Clarence Valley
LGAs around Clarence Valley:
Tenterfield Richmond Valley Tasman Sea
Glen Innes Severn Clarence Valley Tasman Sea
Armidale Bellingen Coffs Harbour

Clarence Valley Council is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.

Contents

The council services an area of 10,441 square kilometres (4,031 sq mi) and draws its name from the Clarence River, which flows through most of the council area. The area under management is adjacent to the Pacific Highway, the Gwydir Highway and the North Coast railway line. The Clarence Valley region includes the coastal plain and lower valleys of the Clarence and Nymboida river. Most of the valley is agricultural; however, the oceanside towns of Yamba and Iluka are popular holiday resorts. [3]

The council was formed in February 2004 by the merger of the City of Grafton and Maclean Shire, and parts of Copmanhurst, Pristine Waters and Richmond Valley local government areas, and the activities of North Coast Water and Clarence River County Council. [4]

The mayor of Clarence Valley Council is Ray Smith. [5] The Deputy Mayor is Greg Clancy. [6]

Towns and localities

Towns and localities in the Clarence Valley Council are:

Heritage listings

The Clarence Valley Council has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 49,665 people in the Clarence Valley local government area, of these 49.4 per cent were male and 50.6 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.7 per cent of the population which is more than double the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Clarence Valley Council area was 46 years; some 10 years higher than the national median. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 18.6 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 21.3 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 49.3 per cen% were married and 14.6% were either divorced or separated. [8]

Population growth in the Clarence Valley Council area between the 2006 census and the 2011 Census was 3.15 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.32 per cent, population growth in the Clarence Valley local government area was lower than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Clarence Valley Council area was significantly below the national average, [8] [9] being one of the factors that place the Clarence Valley Council area in an area of social disadvantage.

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Clarence Valley local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 82 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 64 per cent of all residents in the Clarence Valley Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was above the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Clarence Valley local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.1 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (94.0 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent). [8]

Selected historical census data for Clarence Valley local government area
Census year2006 [9] 2011 [8] 2016 [10]
PopulationEstimated residents on census night 48,14649,66550,671
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 46thIncrease2.svg 45th
% of New South Wales population0.72%Decrease2.svg 0.68%
% of Australian population0.24%Decrease2.svg 0.23%Decrease2.svg 0.22%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses
Australian 34.6%Decrease2.svg 33.2%
English 31.9%Decrease2.svg 31.4%
Irish 9.0%Increase2.svg 9.1%
Scottish 8.3%Increase2.svg 8.6%
German 3.4%Steady2.svg 3.4%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)
German0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%Steady2.svg 0.2%
Cantonese 0.1%Steady2.svg 0.1%Steady2.svg 0.1%
Spanish n/cIncrease2.svg 0.1%Steady2.svg 0.1%
Mandarin n/cSteady2.svg n/cIncrease2.svg 0.1%
Dutch 0.1%Increase2.svg 0.2%Decrease2.svg 0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses
No religion 15.3%Increase2.svg 19.0%Increase2.svg 26.4%
Anglican 32.0%Decrease2.svg 30.6%Decrease2.svg 25.7%
Catholic 22.5%Decrease2.svg 22.1%Decrease2.svg 20.0%
Not statedn/cSteady2.svg n/cIncrease2.svg 10.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed 7.4%Decrease2.svg 6.7%Decrease2.svg 6.0%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$333A$396A$477
% of Australian median income71.5%Decrease2.svg 68.6%Increase2.svg 72.1%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$631A$924A$1133
% of Australian median income61.4%Increase2.svg 62.4%Increase2.svg 65.3%
Household income Median weekly household incomeA$781A$768A$910
% of Australian median income66.7%Decrease2.svg 62.2%Increase2.svg 63.3%

Council

Current composition and election method

Clarence Valley Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as one entire 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 14 September 2024, and the makeup of the council is as follows: [11]

PartyCouncillors
  Independents 6
  Independent National 2
  Greens 1
Total9

The current Council, elected in 2024, in order of election, is: [12]

CouncillorPartyNotes
 Cristie Yager Independent Councillor
 Peter Johnstone Independent National Councillor
 Greg Clancy Greens Deputy Mayor
 Ray SmithIndependentMayor
 Alison WhaitesIndependent NationalCouncillor
 Shane CausleyIndependentCouncillor
 Lynne CairnsIndependentCouncillor
 Debrah NovakIndependentCouncillor
 Karen TomsIndependentCouncillor

Election results

2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Clarence Valley [13] [14] [15] [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Cristie Yager (elected)4,77315.0
Independent National Peter Johnstone (elected)3,83212.0+4.8
Greens Greg Clancy (elected)2,9989.4+0.9
Independent Ray Smith (elected)2,4867.8
Independent Shane Causley (elected)2,4327.6
Independent National Allison Whaites (elected)2,3187.3−0.5
Independent Lynne Cairns (elected)2,0576.5
Independent Debrah Novak (elected)1,8936.0−5.8
Independent Amanda Brien1,5564.9
Independent Karen Toms (elected)1,4354.5−0.9
Independent Andrew Baker1,1733.7
Independent Steve Pickering1,1443.6−1.4
Independent Melissa Hellwig1,0433.3
Independent James Allan9042.8
Independent Des Schroder8332.6
Independent Justin James7232.3
Independent Phillip Provest2340.7
Total formal votes31,83490.8−2.1
Informal votes3,2279.2+2.1
Turnout 35,06183.7−2.0

2021

2021 New South Wales local elections: Clarence Valley [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Jeff Smith (elected)6,02219.6
Independent Debrah Novak (elected)3,62211.8
Independent Ian Tiley (elected)2,6378.6
Independent National Allison Whaites (elected)2,4037.8
Independent Bill Day (elected)2,0396.7
Greens Greg Clancy (elected)2,5928.5
Independent National Peter Johnstone (elected)2,2127.2
Independent Karen Toms (elected)1,6585.4
Independent Steve Pickering (elected)1,5365.0
Independent Labor Peter Ellem1,4944.9
Independent Ash Gibbons1,1893.9
Independent Pete Hanson1,1893.9
Independent National Donald Scott7022.3
Independent Phil Belletty6612.2
Independent Jeffrey Fuller3571.2
Independent Warren Lang3481.1
Total formal votes30,66192.9
Informal votes2,3587.1
Turnout 85.7
Party total votes
Independent 23,85077.8
Independent National 5,31717.3
Independent Labor 1,4944.9
Party total seatsSeats±
Independent 7Steady2.svg
Independent National 2Increase2.svg 1
Independent Labor 0Decrease2.svg 1

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yamba, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iluka, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maclean, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woombah, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Woombah is a small but growing bushland village in Clarence Valley, New South Wales, Australia. This hamlet is located to the south of the World Heritage-listed Bundjalung National Park, near the Port of Yamba on Goodwood Island, and 15 minutes from the fishing village of Iluka, New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nymboida, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

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References

  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Clarence Valley (A)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  2. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. "Clarence Valley Social Plan". Clarence Valley Council. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 19 November 2006.
  4. "About Council and the Clarence Valley". About Council. Clarence Valley Council. 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  5. "Cr Ray Smith". www.clarence.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  6. "Mayor and Councillors". www.clarence.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  7. "High Conservation Value Old Growth forest". New South Wales State Heritage Register . Department of Planning & Environment. H01487. Retrieved 18 May 2018. CC BY icon.svg Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence .
  8. 1 2 3 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Clarence Valley (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2012. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Clarence Valley (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Clarence Valley (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. "Clarence Valley - Councillor Election results". pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  12. "Clarence Valley". pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  13. "Clarence Valley - First Preference Group and Candidate Votes by Aggregated Vote Type". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 30 September 2024. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  14. "PETER JOHNSTONE". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 16 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  15. "ALLISON WHAITES". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 16 August 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  16. "Greg Clancy". Greens on Council. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  17. "Clarence Valley". ABC News.