Bourke Shire

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This article is about the local government area. For the regional town, see Bourke, New South Wales.

Bourke Shire
New South Wales
Bourke LGA NSW.png
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates30°06′S 145°56′E / 30.100°S 145.933°E / -30.100; 145.933Coordinates: 30°06′S 145°56′E / 30.100°S 145.933°E / -30.100; 145.933
Population
  • 2,834 (2016 census)[1]
  • 2,630 (2018 est.)[2]
 • Density0.067996/km2 (0.17611/sq mi)
Area41,679 km2 (16,092.4 sq mi)
MayorBarry Hollman (Independent)
Council seatBourke
RegionOrana
State electorate(s)Barwon
Federal Division(s)Parkes
Bourke Shire Council Logo.jpg
WebsiteBourke Shire
LGAs around Bourke Shire:
Bulloo (Qld) Paroo (Qld) Balonne (Qld)
Unincorporated Far West Bourke Shire Brewarrina
Unincorporated Far West Cobar Bogan

Bourke Shire is a local government area in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located adjacent to the Darling River, which is known as the Barwon River upstream from Bourke; and located adjacent to the Mitchell Highway. The northern boundary of the Shire is located adjacent to the border between New South Wales and Queensland. The shire is a wool and beef producing area.

The Mayor of Bourke Shire Council is Cr. Barry Hollman, an independent politician.

History[]

The Bourke LGA (local government area) was traditionally home to around fifteen Aboriginal groups. The people of the region were traditionally hunter-gatherers as well as seed harvesters, who managed the environment. These traditional landowners have been identified as belonging to five main groups, the Ngiyampaa, Barranbinya, , Naualko, and Muruwari peoples. Aboriginal people consulted for a 2019 Aboriginal heritage study identified the Bourke LGA as the traditional country of the Barkindji people, , Murrawari (Muruwari) people, Nyemba (Ngiyampaa) people, and , who each occupied different areas. The boundaries of the land they occupied were defined largely by rivers, landforms, and areas of access to seasonal environmental resources.[3]

Main towns and villages[]

Bourke Shire Council sign, bordering with Brewarrina (2021).

Bourke Shire includes Bourke and the very small outback towns of Byrock, Enngonia, , Wanaaring and Louth.

Demographics[]

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics during 2003–04 there:[4]

  • were 1,062 wage and salary earners (ranked 141st in New South Wales and 457th 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 $36 million (ranked 137th in New South Wales and 449th 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 $33,611 (ranked 88th in New South Wales and 298th in Australia, 81% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 87% of Australia's $38,820)
  • was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $32,426 (ranked 71st in New South Wales and 235th in Australia, 91% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 95% of Australia's $34,149).
Selected historical census data for Bourke Shire local government area
Census year 2011[5] 2016[1]
Population Estimated residents on census night 2,868 Decrease 2,634
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 122nd Decrease 125th
% of New South Wales population 0.04% Steady 0.04%
% of Australian population 0.01% Steady 0.01%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 Australian 38.3% Increase 39.4%
English 23.8% Decrease 22.1%
Irish 7.8% Decrease 7.1%
Australian Aboriginal 4.0% Increase 4.7%
Scottish 5.1% Decrease 4.2%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Nepali n/c Increase 0.7%
Tok Pisin (Neomelanesian) n/c Increase 0.3%
Spanish n/c Increase 0.2%
Arabic n/c Increase 0.2%
Urdu 0.1% Increase 0.2%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 41.5% Decrease 36.5%
Not stated n/c Increase 20.1%
Anglican 21.1% Decrease 17.7%
No religion 8.6% Increase 12.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed 4.5% Decrease 3.6%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$600 A$719
% of Australian median income 104.0% Increase 108.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1238 A$1562
% of Australian median income 83.6% Increase 90.1%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1085 A$1243
% of Australian median income 87.9% Decrease 86.4%

Council[]

Bourke Shire Council chambers, Mitchell Street, Bourke (2021).

Current composition and election method[]

Bourke Shire Council is composed of ten 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 10 September 2016, and the makeup of the council is as follows:[6]

Party Councillors
  Independents and Unaligned 10
Total 10

The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election, is:[6]

Councillor Party Notes
  Ian Cole Unaligned
  Sam Rice Unaligned
  Barry Hollman Independent Mayor[7]
  Sarah Barton Independent
  Sally Davis Independent
  Victor Bartley Independent
  Lachlan Ford Unaligned Deputy Mayor[7]
  Bob Stutsel Independent
  Cec Dorrington Unaligned
  John Thompson Independent

Notable persons[]

In 1884, Sid 'Combo' Ross set a record by shearing nine lambs in nine minutes.[8]

Scottish-Australian poet balladeer Will. H. Ogilvie (1869–1963) worked on Belalie Station on the Warrego River, composed many of his poems in the 1890s. Belalie is between the township of Enngonia (formerly Eringunia) and the Queensland border.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Bourke (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 7 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  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. ^ Corrigan, Brendan; Benton, Jodie; Sokol, Philippa (January 2019). Bourke Shire Aboriginal Heritage Study (PDF) (Report). Dubbo, NSW: OzArk Environmental & Heritage Management. Bourke Shire Council. p. 19.
  4. ^ "Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia (catalogue no.: 5673.055.003)". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
  5. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Bourke (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 October 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bourke Shire Council: Summary of First Preference Votes for each Candidate". Local Government Elections 2016. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Councillors – Bourke Shire Council". bourke.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  8. ^ "Shearing Records". Western Star and Roma Advertiser (3080). Queensland, Australia. 21 November 1908. p. 4. Retrieved 22 October 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
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