Baulkham Hills Shire

Infobox Australian Place | type = lga
name = Baulkham Hills Shire
state = nsw


caption =
pop = 154496
density = 385
area = 401
est =
seat = Castle Hill
mayor = Clr Tony Hay
region = Metropolitan Sydney

url = http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/
stategov = Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Hawkesbury, Parramatta
fedgov = Berowra, Mitchell, Parramatta
near-nw = City of Hawkesbury
near-n = City of Gosford
near-ne = Hornsby Shire
near-e = Hornsby Shire
near-w = City of Gosford
near-sw = City of Blacktown
near-s = City of Parramatta
near-se = City of Parramatta

Baulkham Hills Shire is a local government area in the north western region of Sydney, Australia. Known as "The Garden Shire", it is an area of rolling hills, bushland (such as the beautiful Bidjigal Reserve), market gardens and urban sprawl and is one of the most rapidly growing local government areas in Australia.

In past years, Baulkham Hills Shire has attracted a large number of 'upwardly mobile', young families seeking a less congested living environment. This has led to the construction of a large number of project homes dubbed 'McMansions'earlier this decade. The considerable influence of evangelical Christianity in the area, most notably by the Hillsong Church, has led to Baulkham Hills Shire sometimes being dubbed the 'Bible Belt' of Sydney.

Incomes

According to the [http://www.abs.gov.au Australian Bureau Statistics] [cite web
publisher = Australian Bureau of Statistics
title=Regional Wage and Salary Earner Statistics, Australia (catalogue no.: 5673.055.003)
url = http://abs.gov.au
accessdate = 2007-03-11 ] during 2003-04, there:

- were 70,259 wage and salary earners (ranked 6th in New South Wales and 13th in Australia, 2.7% of New South Wales's 2,558,415 and 0.9% of Australia's 7,831,856)

- was a total income of $3,330,824,367 (around $3.3 billion) (ranked 4th in New South Wales and 8th in Australia, 3.1% of New South Wales's $107,179,688,262 (around $107 billion) and 1.1% of Australia's $304,034,755,876 (around $304 billion))

- was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $47,408 (ranked 15th in New South Wales and 40th in Australia, 114% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 122% of Australia's $38,820)

- was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $40,106 (ranked 11th in New South Wales and 33rd in Australia, 113% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 117% of Australia's $34,149).

Population

Its administrative centre is located in the suburb of Castle Hill and its current population is approximately 160,000.

Suburbs in the local government area

Suburbs at least partially within Baulkham Hills Shire are:
* Annangrove (North Ward)
* Baulkham Hills (West Ward/Central Ward/East Ward)
* Beaumont Hills (North Ward)
* Bella Vista (West Ward)
* Box Hill (North Ward)
* Carlingford (East Ward)
* Castle Hill (Central Ward/West Ward)
* Cattai (North Ward)
* Dural (North Ward)
* Glenhaven (North Ward/Central Ward)
* Glenorie (North Ward)
* Kellyville (North Ward/West Ward)
* Kenthurst (North Ward)
* Leets Vale (North Ward)
* Lower Portland (North Ward)
* Maraylya (North Ward)
* Maroota (North Ward)
* Middle Dural (North Ward)
* Nelson (North Ward)
* Northmead (East Ward)
* North Parramatta (East Ward)
* North Rocks (East Ward)
* Oatlands (East Ward)
* Rouse Hill (North Ward)
* Sackville North (North Ward)
* South Maroota (North Ward)
* West Pennant Hills (East Ward/Central Ward)
* Wisemans Ferry (North Ward)

Councillors

North Ward
*Clr John Griffiths
*Clr Les Shore
*Clr Ray Williams

Central Ward
*Clr Sonya Phillips (Mayor)
*Clr Peter Dimbrowsky
*Clr Tony Hay (Deputy Mayor)East Ward
*Clr Larry Bolitho
*Clr David Bentham
*Clr John Dinnie

West Ward
*Clr Raymond Harty
*Clr Mike Thomas
*Clr Martin Tolar

Preliminary results of 13 Sep. 2008 election

North Ward
*Gregory Burnett (Lib)
*Robyn Preston (Lib)
*To be determined by preferences (ALP, Lib or CF)

Central Ward
*Peter Dimbrowsky (Lib)
*Justin Taunton (Lib)
*To be determined by preferences (ALP, IND or CF)

East Ward
*Larry Bolitho (Lib)
*Andrew Jefferies (Lib)
*David Bentham (ALP)

West Ward
*Mike Thomas (Lib)
*Michelle Byrne (Lib)
*To be determined by preferences (ALP or CF)

References

External links

* [http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au The Shire of Baulkham Hills]
* [http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[e-mail]/Lookup2001Census/859189730234264ECA256BBE0083C2B6 2001 Census Information]