The City of Greater Taree is a Local Government Area on the Mid North Coast of 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...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, centered on Taree

Taree, New South Wales

Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...

. It is on the Manning River

Manning River

The Manning River is a river in the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia that flows through the Manning Valley. It is one of Australia's few large river systems not to be dammed for water supply purposes anywhere along its catchment...

, 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...

 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....

.

History

The first movement to establish a City of Greater Taree began in November 1959. The Taree Municipal Council applied to the Department of Local Government to extend its boundaries to the coastal area between Old Bar

Old Bar, New South Wales

Old Bar is a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree. It lies around east of Taree on the Mid North Coast, and around north of Sydney....

 and Seal Rocks

Seal Rocks, New South Wales

Seal Rocks is a small coastal settlement in the Great Lakes Council Local Government Area, in the Mid North Coast/Hunter regions of New South Wales, Australia, north-north-east of Sydney...

.

At an inquiry of the Boundaries Commission at Taree in 1976, the Dungog Shire

Dungog Shire

Dungog Shire is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. It is situated in the Barrington Tops region and consists predominantly of very rugged to hilly country which becomes less rugged from north to south.- Incomes :...

 proposed that the areas covered by the shires of Dungog, Gloucester, Great Lakes and Manning and the municipalities of Taree and Wingham be combined into two areas "to elevate local government to its proper role". At this stage, Taree Municipal Council proposed only their merger with the Municipality of Wingham. A decision was postponed for 5 years.

On 1 January 1981, the City of Greater Taree was proclaimed, encompassing the Municipalities of Taree and Wingham and the Manning Valley Shire.

Towns and localities

• Taree
  Taree, New South Wales
  Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...
  
  

• Bobin
• Bohnock
• Brinawa
• Cedar Party
• Coopernook
  Coopernook, New South Wales
  Coopernook is a village in mid-north New South Wales, Australia . It is located 24 kilometres north of Taree and 11 kilometres west of Harrington and is administered by Greater Taree City Council. At the 2006 census, Coopernook had a population of 365 people. It was formerly situated on the Pacific...
  
  
• Coralville
• Croki
• Crowdy Head
• Cundletown
• Dumaresq Island
• Dyers Crossing
• Elands
• Ghinni Ghinni
• Glenwarrin
• Hallidays Point
• Hannam Vale
  Hannam Vale, New South Wales
  Hannam Vale is a small village located in a forestry and dairy farming area on the Mid North Coast, about North-West of Taree in New South Wales, Australia.-History:...
  
  
• Harrington
  Harrington, New South Wales
  Harrington is a small fishing village located at the mouth of the Manning River in New South Wales, Australia . It is north-east of Taree on the Mid North Coast, and north east of the state capital, Sydney...
  
  
• Johns River
• Jones Island
• Kippax
• Kolodong
  Kolodong, New South Wales
  Kolodong, New South Wales is a locality between Taree and Wingham in the Manning Valley on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree. Kolodong contains some agricultural land, a small residential area and a sizable industrial area. Kolodong is home to a day...
  
  
• Koorainghat
• Krambach
  Krambach, New South Wales
  Krambach is a village in New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree. The village lies on the Bucketts Way, southwest of Taree on the Mid North Coast. Its population in the 2006 census was 137....
  
  
• Langley Vale
• Lansdowne
  Lansdowne, New South Wales
  Lansdowne is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lansdowne is located 27 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Bankstown and is part of the South-western Sydney region.-History:Lansdowne took...
  
  
• Manning Point
  Manning Point, New South Wales
  Manning Point is a small village located at the mouth of the Manning River in New South Wales, Australia . Lying on Mitchells Island, it lies opposite the town of Harrington. It is east of Taree on the Mid North Coast...
  
  
• Marlee
• Mitchells Island
• Mooral Creek
• Moorland
• Nabiac
• Old Bar
  Old Bar, New South Wales
  Old Bar is a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree. It lies around east of Taree on the Mid North Coast, and around north of Sydney....
  
  
• Oxley Island
• Pampoolah
• Possum Brush
• Rawson River
• Rocks Crossing
• Stewarts River
• Tinonee
  Tinonee, New South Wales
  Tinonee is a small town on the banks of the Manning River, near Taree on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales in the City of Greater Taree, Australia. Tinonee was founded in 1854 and in the late 1980s became part of Greater Taree City...
  
  
• Waitui
• Wallabi Point
• Wherrol Flat
• Wingham
  Wingham, New South Wales
  Wingham is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree north of Sydney. At the 2006 census, Wingham had a population of 4,812.- History :...
  
  

Demographics

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing there were 45,145 usual residents living in the City of Greater Taree. Of this count, 22,077 (or 49%) were males and 23,068 (or 51%) 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 Greater Taree were born in Australia (93%). The median age was 43 years.

Economy

According to the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median invididual income was $336 per week (equal to approximately $17,520 per year). The median family income in 2006 was $798 per week (equal to approximately $41,610 per year); and, the median household income in 2006 was $635 per week (equal to approximately $33,111 per year).

There were 15,977 people employed in 2006 (to give an employment to working age population ratio of 0.58), and 1,884 people unemployed. The most common occupations were Technicians and Trades Workers (16%); Labourers (15%); and, Professionals (15%). The top 5 industries for employment were School Education (5.9%); Hospitals (5.3%); Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services (3.4%); Supermarket and Grocery Stores (3.0%); and, Residential Care Services (2.9%).

Housing

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median housing loan repayment was $1,083 per month. This equated to marginally under 43% 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

Greater Taree City Council is composed of eight councillors elected proportionally, in addition to the mayor, who is directly elected. The current makeup of the council, including the mayor, 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...  and Unaffiliated	9
	Total	9

The current council, elected in 2008, is:

Councillor		Party	Notes
	Paul Hogan	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
	Mal Marks	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
	Eddie Loftus	Unaffiliated
	Trent Jennison	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...	Elected on Paul Hogan's ticket
	David West	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...
	Mave Richardson	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...
	Kathryn Bell	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...	Elected on Mal Marks's ticket
	David Keegan	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...
	Alan Tickle	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...