Clarence Valley Council is a Local Government Area (LGA) in northern New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. It was formed in February 2004 by the amalgamation of the LGAs of City of Grafton and Maclean Shire, and parts of Copmanhurst, Pristine Waters and Richmond Valley LGAs. It is on the Pacific Highway

Pacific Highway (Australia)

The Pacific Highway is a major transport route along part of the east coast of Australia and is part of Australia's national route 1.It is 960 km long and links Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, along the coast, via Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port...

, the Gwydir Highway

Gwydir Highway

The Gwydir Highway is a 567 kilometre highway in northern New South Wales, Australia. It was named after the Gwydir River, which in turn was named for a locale in Wales....

 and the North Coast railway line

North Coast railway line, New South Wales

The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....

.

The Clarence Valley region includes the coastal plain and lower valleys of the Clarence River and Nymboida River

Nymboida River

The Nymboida River is a river in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales in Australia. The headwaters of the river rise approximately 30 kilometres to the west of Dorrigo in the New England National Park near Barren Mountain....

. Most of the valley is agricultural, however the oceanside towns of Yamba and Iluka are popular holiday resorts.

Towns and localities

Grafton Grafton, New South Wales The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached... Alumy Creek Carrs Creek Carrs Island Grafton Great Marlow Junction Hill Koolkhan Koolkhan, New South Wales Koolkhan is a locality north of Grafton on the Summerland Way in northern New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast railway passes through, and a now-closed railway station was provided from 1905.-References:... Mountain View Rushforth South Grafton Southampton Trenayr Waterview Waterview Heights

Lower Clarence Angourie Angourie, New South Wales Angourie is a small coastal village in the Clarence Valley Council of New South Wales, Australia. It is south of Yamba, New South Wales.In 2006, Angourie had a population of 170 people... Calliope Chatsworth Coldstream Cowper Gilletts Ridge Gulmarrad Gulmarrad, New South Wales Gulmarrad is a small town in northern New South Wales , Australia.It is part of the Clarence Valley Local Government Area. Its postcode is 2463 and in the 2006 census its population is listed as 1115.... Harwood Iluka Iluka, New South Wales Iluka is a small village at the mouth of the Clarence River in New South Wales, Australia. It is situated directly across the river from the resort town of Yamba. At the 2006 census, Iluka had a population of 1,739 people. The town's name is derived from an aboriginal word meaning 'near the sea'.It... Lawrence Lawrence, New South Wales Lawrence is a small town located 13 km from Maclean, New South Wales, Australia. It is accessed by the Lawrence car ferry from Woodford Island or by travelling 30 kilometres north from Grafton. At the 2006 census, Lawrence had a population of 390 people... Maclean Maclean, New South Wales Maclean is a town in Clarence Valley Local Government Area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Clarence River and near the Pacific Highway. At the 2006 census, Maclean had a population of 3,245 people... Mororo Mororo, New South Wales Mororo is a small area in the Clarence Valley of New South Wales in Australia. Mororo is dominated by a sugar cane farm and has not got a large area of suburbia. The population of Mororo is about 3.... Palmers Channel Palmers Island Shark Creek South Arm Southgate Swan Creek Tucabia Tyndale Ulmarra Ulmarra, New South Wales Ulmarra is a small town on the south bank of the Clarence River in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Clarence Valley district. At the 2006 census, Ulmarra had a population of 446 people.... Wooloweyah Woombah Yamba Yamba, New South Wales Yamba is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia at the mouth of the Clarence River. The first European to visit the area was Matthew Flinders, who stopped by in Yamba Bay for six days in July 1799....

Rural Banyabba Banyabba, New South Wales Banyabba is a locality between the towns of Casino and Grafton on the Summerland Way in northern New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast railway passes nearby, and a railway station was provided between 1905 and 1974.-References:... Billys Creek Brooms Head Clouds Creek Coaldale Copmanhurst Coutts Crossing Coutts Crossing, New South Wales Coutts Crossing is a rural village located in the Clarence Valley region and Clarence Valley Council of New South Wales, Australia. The village is about 18 kilometres south-west of Grafton on the banks of the Orara River along the Armidale–Grafton Road... Diggers Camp Eatonsville Glenferneigh Glenreagh Gurranang Gurranang, New South Wales Gurranang is a locality between the towns of Casino and Grafton on the Summerland Way in northern New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast railway passes through, and a railway station was provided between 1905 and 1972. At the 2006 census, Gurranang had a population of 170 people.-References:... Kungala Kungala, New South Wales Kungala is a locality south of Grafton in northern New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast railway passes through, and a railway station and sidings were provided from 1915 to 1974. At the 2006 census, Kungala had a population of 205 people. The town's name is derived from an aboriginal meaning... Lanitza Lanitza, New South Wales Lanitza is a locality south of Grafton on the Orara Way in northern New South Wales, Australia. The North Coast railway passes through, and a railway station and sidings were provided from 1915 to 1974. At the 2006 census, Lanitza had a population of 134 people.... Minnie Water Nymboida Nymboida, New South Wales Nymboida is a rural village located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located about 21 kilometres south-west of Coutts Crossing, 44 kilometres south-west of Grafton and approximately 687 km north of Sydney. Nymboida is close to the challenging and popular white... Sandon Seelands Stockyard Creek Tullymorgan Wooli Woombah

Demographics

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing there were 48,145 usual residents living in Clarence Valley Council. Of this count, 23,875 (or 50%) were males and 24,271 (or 50%) were females.

By age, 20% of the population was under 15 years old, 61% were between 15 and 65, and 19% were over 65 years old.

Most people living in Clarence Valley Council were born in Australia (88%). The median age was 44 years.

Economy

According to the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median invididual income was $333 per week (equal to approximately $17,364 per year). The median family income in 2006 was $781 per week (equal to approximately $40,724 per year); and, the median household income in 2006 was $631 per week (equal to approximately $32,902 per year).

There were 16,929 people employed in 2006 (to give an employment to working age population ratio of 0.58), and 1,868 people unemployed. The most common occupations were Labourers (15%); Technicians and Trades Workers (14%); and, Professionals (14%). The top 5 industries for employment were School Education (5.3%); Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services (3.3%); Hospitals (3.2%); Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming (3.2%); and, Local Government Administration (3.0%).

Housing

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median housing loan repayment was $953 per month. This equated to marginally under 38% of median household income.

The median rent in 2006 was $150 per week. This equated to just under 24% of median household income.

The average household size was 2.4 persons.

Council

Clarence Valley Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally. The mayor is not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:

Party		Councillors
	Independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	9
	Total	9

The current council, elected in 2008, is:

Councillor		Party	Notes
	Richie Williamson	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Mayor
	Ian Tiley	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Jim Simmons	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	Deputy Mayor
	Ian Dinham	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Sue Hughes	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Margaret McKenna	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Karen Toms	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Craig Howe	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
	Patrick Comben	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...

External links

• Clarence Valley Council Website