Tweed Shire Council

Infobox Australian Place | type = lga
name=Tweed Shire


caption = Location in New South Wales
state=nsw
region=Northern Rivers
area=1309
area_footnotes= cite web
title=Tweed Shire Council
publisher = Department of Local Government
url = http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_CouncilContactDetails.asp?slacode=7550
accessdate = 2006-11-17 ]
est=
seat=Murwillumbah (Tumbulgum Road}
pop= formatnum:79321
pop_footnotes=census 2006 AUS|id=LGA17550|name=Tweed (A) (Local Government Area)|quick=on|accessdate = 2008-03-25 ]
popdensity=56.4
council=Tweed Shire Council

url=http://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au
mayor=
fedgov =Richmond
stategov =Tweed, Lismore
near-nw = "Scenic Rim (Qld)"
near-n = "Gold Coast (Qld)"
near-ne = "Pacific Ocean"
near-w = Kyogle
near-e = "Pacific Ocean"
near-sw = Lismore
near-s = Byron Shire
near-se = "Pacific Ocean"The Tweed Shire Council is the local authority for the Tweed Valley in New South Wales. It is on the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Highway.

In May 2005 the State Government sacked Tweed Shire Council and referred allegations of corruption to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.Fact|date=March 2008

Economy

According to the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median invididual income was $364 per week (equal to approximately $18,980 per year). The median family income in 2006 was $904 per week (equal to approximately $47,137 per year); and, the median household income in 2006 was $683 per week (equal to approximately $35,614 per year).

There were 29,257 people employed in 2006 (to give an employment to working age population ratio of 0.62), and 2,241 people unemployed. The most common occupations were Technicians and Trades Workers (17%); Professionals (14%); Labourers (14%). The top 5 industries for employment were School Education (5.0%); Cafes, Restaurants and Takeaway Food Services (4.3%); Hospitals (3.7%); Residential Building Construction (3.1%); and, Supermarket and Grocery Stores (2.9%).

Demographics

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing there were 79,321 usual residents living in Tweed Shire Council. Of this count, 38,624 (or 49%) were males and 40,697 (or 51%) were females.

By age, 18% of the population was under 15 years old, 59% were between 15 and 65, and 22% were over 65 years old.

Most people living in Tweed Shire Council were born in Australia (79%). The median age was 44 years.

Geography

Tweed Shire includes suburbs of the Gold Coast in New South Wales, including:
*Tweed Heads (2001 population: 12,420)
*Tweed Heads South, Banora Point and Terranora (2001 combined population: 27,368)
*Kingscliff, Fingal Head, Chinderah and Cudgen (2001 combined population: 8,993)

It also includes the towns and villages of Murwillumbah (7,596), Bogangar (3,028), Pottsville (2,576), Burringbar (332), Tumbulgum (360), Tyalgum, Uki and Chillingham (211).

Housing

In the 2006 Census of Population and Housing, the median housing loan repayment was $1,300 per month. This equated to marginally under 48% of median household income.

The median rent in 2006 was $210 per week. This equated to just under 31% of median household income.

The average household size was 2.4 persons.

History of the Tweed Shire

The European history of the Tweed Shire began in 1823 when the Tweed River was discovered by John Oxley. After sheltering on Cook Island, (4km from the River's mouth), Oxely travelled 11km up river. In 1828, Captain H. J. Rous explored 50km up the river. Settlers began to arrive in 182?, the first of which were the cedar getters, who came to harvest Great Red Cedars and send them back to England. [cite book
title = Collier's Encyclopedia
publisher = Maxwell Macmillan Communication Group
location = New York ] During the height of the cedar logging industry, the Tweed Valley was one of the wealthiest districts in Australia.

References