Liverpool Plains Shire
New South Wales
Council chambers in Quirindi
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates31°29′S 150°41′E / 31.483°S 150.683°E / -31.483; 150.683
Population7,551 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density1.48/km2 (3.8/sq mi)
Established2004
Area5,086 km2 (1,963.7 sq mi)
MayorDoug Hawkins OAM
Council seatQuirindi
RegionNorth West Slopes
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)New England
WebsiteLiverpool Plains Shire
LGAs around Liverpool Plains Shire:
Gunnedah Gunnedah Tamworth Regional
Warrumbungle Liverpool Plains Shire Tamworth Regional
Warrumbungle Upper Hunter Upper Hunter

Liverpool Plains Shire is a local government area located in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire was formed on 17 March 2004 by the amalgamation of Quirindi Shire with parts of Parry, Murrurundi and Gunnedah shires.

The mayor of Liverpool Plains Shire Council is Cr. Doug Hawkins OAM.

Main towns

The main town and council seat is located in Quirindi. Other towns and villages in the Shire include Ardglen, Blackville, Caroona, Currabubula, Parraweena, Premer, Spring Ridge, Wallabadah, Werris Creek, and Willow Tree.

Heritage listings

The Liverpool Plains Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 7,480 people in the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area, of these 50.4 per cent were male and 49.6 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 10.9 per cent of the population, which was three times higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Liverpool Plains Shire was 44 years, which was significantly higher than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 19.5 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 20.2 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 50.8 per cent were married and 12.1 per cent were either divorced or separated.[6]

Population growth in the Liverpool Plains Shire between the 2006 census and the 2011 census was −0.80 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.32 per cent, population growth in the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[7] The median weekly income for residents within the Liverpool Plains Shire was significantly lower than the national average.[6]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 88 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 75% of all residents in the Liverpool Plains Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was much higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (2.1 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (94.5 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[6]

Selected historical census data for the Liverpool Plains Shire local government area
Census year20012006[7]2011[6] 2021[8]
PopulationEstimated residents on Census nightn/a7,5407,480 7,551
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales
% of New South Wales population0.11%
% of Australian populationn/a0.04%Decrease 0.03%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		Australian38.4% Increase42.9%
English30.6% Increase39.4%
Australian Aboriginal 13.6%
Irish8.8% Increase10.1%
Scottish7.5% Increase9.9%
German2.8%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		ItaliannomIncrease 0.1%
Cantonese0.3%Decrease 0.1%
Vietnamesen/cIncrease 0.1%
Germann/cIncrease 0.1%
Afrikaansn/cIncrease 0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		Anglican42.7%Decrease 42.5% Decrease29.1%
Catholic23.9%Steady 23.9% Decrease19.9%
No Religion8.4%Increase 11.8% Increase27.0%
Uniting Church6.3%Decrease 5.8% Decrease3.6%
Presbyterian and Reformed3.6%Steady 3.6%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$438A$433 A$620
% of Australian median income94.0%Decrease75.0% Increase77.0%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$1,090A$988 A$1,479
% of Australian median income93.1%Increase 66.7% Increase69.76%
Household incomeMedian weekly household incomeA$882A$797 A$1,165
% of Australian median income85.9%Increase 64.6% Increase66.72%

Council

Current composition and election method

Liverpool Plains Shire Council is composed of seven 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:[9]

PartyCouncillors
  Independents and Unaligned 7
Total 7

The current Council, elected in 2016, in order of election, is:[9]

CouncillorPartyNotes
  Andrew Hope Unaligned Mayor[10]
  Ian Lobsey Independent
  Virginia Black Independents
  Ken Cudmore Unaligned
  Doug Hawkins Unaligned Deputy Mayor[10]
  Paul Moules Independent
  Rob Webster Independent

Geography

The Liverpool Plains have a generally flat to undulating terrain formed from the remnants of old volcanoes such as that of the Liverpool Ranges to the southwest. To the south and east, it merges into the higher and cooler Northern Tablelands.

The Liverpool Plains is generally regarded as the richest agricultural region in Australia owing to its rich black soils, which originally supported a mixed grassland vegetation containing both annual and perennial grasses, which early in the region's history were used to feed cattle and sheep.

Wheat and cotton are the chief crops, although production fluctuates wildly according to rainfall and soil erosion is a major problem occurring both after droughts and floods. The climate is hot in summer, mild in winter, and of moderate rainfall. The average is generally around 635 millimetres (25.0 in) with a slight summer maximum, but is quite erratic and can vary from 1,150 millimetres (45 in) in very wet years to as little as 370 millimetres (15 in). Temperatures in summer frequently exceed 35 °C (95 °F) and make cropping without irrigation risky without sophisticated meteorological forecasting techniques.

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Liverpool Plains (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Windy Station Woolshed". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01963. Retrieved 18 February 2020. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  3. ↑ "Quirindi Railway Station group". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01227. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  4. ↑ "East Warrah Woolshed". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01962. Retrieved 18 February 2020. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  5. ↑ "Werris Creek Railway Station, yard group and movable relics". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01285. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Liverpool Plains (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Liverpool Plains (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "2021 Liverpool Plains, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Liverpool Plains Shire Council: Election of Councillors". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Councillors & Management Staff". Retrieved 6 November 2016.

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