MAIN FEATURES



POPULATION CHANGE

STATE AND TERRITORY HIGHLIGHTS

CAPITAL CITY GROWTH

INNER CITY GROWTH

OUTER SUBURBAN GROWTH

URBAN INFILL

GROWTH ALONG THE COAST

GROWTH IN INLAND AREAS

POPULATION DECLINES

POPULATION CHANGES BY REMOTENESS AREAS

POPULATION DENSITY

CENTRE OF POPULATION


POPULATION CHANGE

Australia's estimated resident population (ERP) reached 21.4 million at 30 June 2008, increasing by 359,300 people since 30 June 2007. The 2007-08 growth rate of 1.7% was higher than the average annual growth rate of 1.5% for the five years to June 2008.

All states and territories experienced population growth in 2007-08 with the largest population increases continuing to be recorded in Australia's three most populous states. Queensland experienced the greatest growth (up by 97,900 people), followed by Victoria (92,500) and New South Wales (79,200).

For the second year in a row, Western Australia recorded the fastest population growth rate, which was 2.8% in 2007-08, ahead of Queensland and the Northern Territory (both 2.3%) and Victoria (1.8%). The remaining states and territories had population growth rates below the Australian average, with Tasmania experiencing the slowest growth at 0.9%.

In each state and territory, population growth generally continued to be most prominent in inner city areas, outer suburbs, some urban infill areas and along the coast; while populations declined in some inland, rural areas, especially those that have been affected by drought in the last few years.

The following commentary refers mainly to population changes in Local Government Areas (LGAs), however in some cases selected Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) are referred to, particularly where LGAs cover multiple SLAs, such as in Brisbane (C), or don't exist, such as in the Australian Capital Territory.

STATE AND TERRITORY HIGHLIGHTS

New South Wales

• The Sydney Statistical Division (SD) grew by 55,000 people in 2007-08 to 4.4 million people.
• Outside of the Sydney SD, the fastest growth rates in 2007-08 were along the NSW coast in the Richmond-Tweed (1.6%), Mid North Coast (1.2%), Hunter and South Eastern (both 1.1%) SDs.

Victoria

• Melbourne SD's growth of 74,600 people was the largest of all the Australian capital city SDs in 2007-08
• The LGA of Wyndham (C), located on the western suburban fringe of Melbourne SD, experienced the largest and fastest growth (8,900 people or 7.2%) of all Victorian LGAs.
• The fastest population growth outside of the Melbourne SD continued to occur in coastal areas including the LGAs of Surf Coast (S) (3.6%) and Bass Coast (S) (2.3%).

Queensland

• The three most populous LGAs in Australia - Brisbane (C), Gold Coast (C) and Moreton Bay (R) - also recorded the largest increases in population in the year to June 2008. The population of Brisbane (C) increased by 17,400 people (1.7%), the Gold Coast (C) by 13,200 people (2.7%), and Moreton Bay (R) by 11,800 people (3.4%).
• Outside of south-east Queensland, the LGA of Cairns (R) had the largest and fastest population growth in the year to June 2008, with an increase of 6,000 people (3.9%).

South Australia

• Victor Harbor (C), on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula, and Mount Barker (DC), in the Mt Lofty Ranges east of Adelaide, were the two fastest-growing LGAs in the state, increasing by 3.5% and 2.9% respectively.
• During 2007-08 the two LGAs with the largest population growth in the state were in the northern suburbs of the Adelaide SD. Salisbury (C) grew the most (2,400 people), followed by neighbouring Playford (C), which increased by 2,000 people.

Western Australia

• Western Australia's population growth was the nation's fastest and the state's share of the national population is now over 10%.
• Three-quarters of the state's population growth occurred in the Perth SD, which grew by more than 800 people each week, on average, in the year to June 2008.
• Over one-third of Western Australia's LGAs outside of the Perth metropolitan area had declining populations.

Tasmania

• Tasmania's estimated resident population grew by 0.9% in 2007-08, which was an increase on the 0.7% change in each of the previous three years, but the slowest growth rate of any state or territory.
• Sorell (M) (2.8%) and Brighton (M) (2.5%) were the fastest-growing LGAs in Tasmania. The largest growth occurred in Kingborough (M) (630 people) and Launceston (C) (400).

Northern Territory

• Northern Territory's growth of 5,000 people in 2007-08 was its largest since 1996-97.
• Palmerston (C) had the fastest population growth (5.5%) of all Northern Territory LGAs in 2007-08.
• Outside of Darwin SD, the fastest growing LGAs were Central Desert (S) (2.2%), Roper Gulf (S) (2.1%) and Barkly (S) (2.0%).

Australian Capital Territory

• The population of the Australian Capital Territory increased by 4,500 people (1.3%) in 2007-08.
• Population growth was largest in northern suburban Canberra, especially in the SLAs of Harrison (1,500 people), Bruce (810 people) and Gungahlin (500 people).

CAPITAL CITY GROWTH

At 30 June 2008, almost 13.7 million people, close to two-thirds of Australia's population, resided in a capital city Statistical Division (SD). The combined population of capital city SDs increased by 239,200 in the 12 months to June 2008.

In 2007-08, Melbourne SD recorded the largest growth of all capital city SDs, increasing by 74,600 people, followed by Sydney SD (55,000), Brisbane SD and Perth SD (both up by 43,400). The population growth in Melbourne SD equated to an average increase of over 1,400 people per week, while the population of Sydney SD increased by over 1,000 people per week.

Population growth in Australia's capital city SDs occurred at an average rate of 1.8% in 2007-08, slightly faster than that in the remainder of Australia (1.6%). Darwin SD and Perth SD, were the fastest growing capital city SDs, both recording population growth at a rate of 2.8% in 2007-08, followed by Brisbane SD (2.3%) and Melbourne SD (2.0%). The Greater Hobart SD had the lowest growth rate at 0.9%.

The growth rates experienced in all capital city SDs for 2007-08 were higher than their average annual growth rates over the five years to June 2008.

INNER CITY GROWTH

The LGAs with the largest and fastest population increases in Australia in 2007-08 were both inner-city LGAs. The largest increase (17,400 people) occurred in Brisbane (C), Australia's most populous capital city LGA. Perth (C) was Australia's fastest-growing LGA, increasing in population from 13,600 to 15,100, an annual growth rate of 10.8%. This is the fifth consecutive year in which Perth (C) has been the fastest-growing capital city LGA.

The 2007-08 growth rates in all capital city LGAs were lower than their average annual growth rates over the five years to June 2008. Particularly in Melbourne (C), with a 2007-08 growth rate of 4.1%, Adelaide (C) (2.7%) and Sydney (C) (1.5%), construction of multistorey apartment buildings had led to higher rates of population growth three or more years earlier.

OUTER SUBURBAN GROWTH

Many LGAs which experienced large and/or rapid growth were located on or near the boundaries of capital city SDs, where land is available for subdivision and housing development. In the Melbourne SD, the population in the outer-suburban LGA of Wyndham (C) increased by 8,900 (7.2%) in the 12 months to June 2008, which was both the largest and fastest increase of all Victorian LGAs. Strong growth was also experienced in Casey (C) (up 8,000 people or 3.5%) and Melton (S) (6,000 people or 7.0%).

The LGAs of Wanneroo (C) and Swan (C), on the northern and north-eastern outskirts of the Perth SD recorded strong growth, increasing by 8,600 and 4,300 people respectively. Wanneroo (C) also had the second-highest growth rate (6.8%) of all outer-suburban LGAs in the Perth SD, behind Serpentine-Jarrahdale (S) (7.6%) in the south-east.

In the Brisbane SD, rapid growth continued in the outer-suburban SLAs of Wakerley (19.1%) in the south-east and Griffin-Mango Hill (14.7%) in the Moreton Bay (R) LGA.

Three of the four LGAs with the largest population increases in NSW were outer-suburban Blacktown (C) (up 5,300 people), Baulkham Hills (A) (3,300) and Liverpool (C) (3,200).

Outer-suburban areas in the smaller capital city SDs also experienced some of the strongest growth in their states or territories. The Adelaide LGAs of Salisbury (C) and Playford (C) recorded the two largest population increases of all LGAs in South Australia in 2007-08, increasing by 2,400 and 2,000 people respectively. On the outskirts of the Darwin SD, the population in Palmerston (C) increased by 1,500 (5.5%) and in Litchfield (S) by 890 (5.1%). In the Greater Hobart SD, the outer LGA of Kingborough (M) increased by 630 people, the largest increase in Tasmania; and in the Canberra SD, the outer suburban SLAs of Harrison and Gungahlin had large and rapid growth, increasing in population by 1,500 (73.2%) and 500 (13.6%) respectively.

URBAN INFILL

Urban infill is the development of a site within an already-developed area, either by building housing on land that was previously vacant or used for non-residential purposes, or by replacing low-density housing with higher-density dwellings. Infill development is becoming more common on transport corridors, near commercial hubs and in suburbs where there are older houses on large blocks of land.

Areas where urban infill contributed to large or rapid population increases in 2007-08 were Parramatta (C) in western Sydney, where the population increased by 4,000, and the Canberra SLA of Bruce, where the population grew by 20.6%.

GROWTH ALONG THE COAST

Outside of capital city SDs, the largest population growth generally occurred along the Australian coast in 2007-08. Several LGAs on Queensland's seaboard had large population increases such as the Gold Coast (C) (up 13,200 people) and Sunshine Coast (R) (8,700) in south-east Queensland and Cairns (R) (6,000) and Townsville (C) (5,100) further north.

Seaside Tweed (A), in the north-eastern corner of NSW had the largest population growth in the state outside of the Sydney SD, increasing by 2,200.

Many coastal LGAs were also among the fastest-growing in Australia. Rapid population growth occurred in 2007-08 in the Western Australian LGAs of Mandurah (C) (5.1%) and Busselton (S) (4.6%). In South Australia, the fastest-growing of all LGAs was Victor Harbor (C) (3.5%), located on the south coast.

GROWTH IN INLAND AREAS

Some LGAs in inland areas outside of capital city SDs also experienced strong growth in the 12 months to June 2008. Ballarat (C), east of Melbourne, recorded the largest increase of all inland LGAs (up 1,800 people). Also in Victoria, Greater Bendigo (C) grew significantly, increasing by 1,600 people. In Queensland, Toowoomba (R) and the neighbouring Lockyer Valley (R) had large increases in population (up 1,700 and 1,100 people respectively).

POPULATION DECLINES

As the population of a locality ages and households move through the life cycle, well-established areas can decline in population. In 2007-08, the three largest metropolitan population declines in Australia were in long-established inner-suburban LGAs within the Sydney SD. Ashfield (A) decreased by 290 people, closely followed by Manly (A) (270) and Lane Cove (A) (220).

Population losses mainly occurred in inland rural Australia, particularly in eastern and southern Australia, including much of the Murray-Darling Basin. This area has been increasingly affected by drought in past years (for further information see Water and the Murray-Darling Basin - A Statistical Profile, 2000-01 to 2005-06 (cat. no. 4610.0.55.007)).

The fastest declines in population (excluding LGAs with populations less than 2,000 as at June 2007) occurred in Paroo (S), located in rural Queensland, where population declined by 3.0% between June 2007 and June 2008, followed by the inland NSW LGAs of Hay (A) (2.2%) and Gwydir (A) (2.0%).

POPULATION CHANGE BY REMOTENESS AREAS

As at June 2008, 68.6% of the population resided in Australia's major cities, as defined in the Remoteness Structure of the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (cat. no. 1216.0). In comparison, just 2.3% lived in remote or very remote Australia. Major cities were the fastest-growing remoteness areas (RAs) in Australia (1.8%) in the 12 months to June 2008. The remaining RAs grew at rates slower than the Australian average (1.7%), with remote Australia growing at the slowest rate (0.8%).

The Australian Capital Territory had the greatest proportion of its population living in the major cities RA (99.9%) while Tasmania had the highest percentage (64.7%) living in inner regional Australia, which includes Hobart. The Northern Territory had the highest proportions of its population living in outer regional Australia (55.4%), which includes Darwin, as well as remote (21.7%) and very remote (22.9%) Australia.

In 2007-08, major cities were the fastest-growing RAs in Victoria (1.9%), New South Wales (1.3%) and the Australian Capital Territory (1.3%) while inner regional areas were the fastest-growing in Western Australia (4.7%) and South Australia (1.8%). Outer regional RAs experienced the fastest growth in the Northern Territory (2.8%) and Queensland (2.6%) while remote areas were the fastest-growing (1.4%) in Tasmania.

ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION BY REMOTENESS STRUCTURE(a)
		ERP AT 30 JUNE			CHANGE
		2003	2007r	2008p	2003-2008p(b)	2007r-2008p
		no.	no.	no.	%	no.	%
New South Wales
	Major Cities of Australia	4 834 900	5 018 727	5 083 657	1.0	64 930	1.3
	Inner Regional Australia	1 351 380	1 403 698	1 417 667	1.0	13 969	1.0
	Outer Regional Australia	445 715	444 916	445 666	-	750	0.2
	Remote Australia	35 661	33 102	32 701	-1.7	-401	-1.2
	Very Remote Australia	4 921	4 499	4 481	-1.9	-18	-0.4
	Total	6 672 577	6 904 942	6 984 172	0.9	79 230	1.1
Victoria
	Major Cities of Australia	3 667 868	3 911 326	3 986 853	1.7	75 527	1.9
	Inner Regional Australia	1 003 919	1 052 316	1 067 290	1.2	14 974	1.4
	Outer Regional Australia	246 688	252 942	254 957	0.7	2 015	0.8
	Remote Australia	5 010	4 726	4 723	-1.2	-3	-0.1
	Total	4 923 485	5 221 310	5 313 823	1.5	92 513	1.8
Queensland
	Major Cities of Australia	2 265 747	2 504 954	2 565 016	2.5	60 062	2.4
	Inner Regional Australia	826 390	919 738	940 158	2.6	20 420	2.2
	Outer Regional Australia	581 677	636 431	653 088	2.3	16 657	2.6
	Remote Australia	84 632	84 974	85 565	0.2	591	0.7
	Very Remote Australia	50 768	49 884	50 088	-0.3	204	0.4
	Total	3 809 214	4 195 981	4 293 915	2.4	97 934	2.3
South Australia
	Major Cities of Australia	1 114 258	1 152 781	1 165 736	0.9	12 955	1.1
	Inner Regional Australia	178 857	191 752	195 294	1.8	3 542	1.8
	Outer Regional Australia	178 921	181 885	182 624	0.4	739	0.4
	Remote Australia	44 403	45 455	45 795	0.6	340	0.7
	Very Remote Australia	14 839	13 921	13 912	-1.3	-9	-0.1
	Total	1 531 278	1 585 794	1 603 361	0.9	17 567	1.1
Western Australia
	Major Cities of Australia	1 395 045	1 506 870	1 546 617	2.1	39 747	2.6
	Inner Regional Australia	231 076	269 602	282 162	4.1	12 560	4.7
	Outer Regional Australia	188 272	194 865	198 648	1.1	3 783	1.9
	Remote Australia	92 611	94 590	95 676	0.7	1 086	1.1
	Very Remote Australia	46 066	47 040	48 094	0.9	1 054	2.2
	Total	1 953 070	2 112 967	2 171 197	2.1	58 230	2.8
Tasmania
	Inner Regional Australia	308 968	319 248	321 913	0.8	2 665	0.8
	Outer Regional Australia	158 566	163 695	165 246	0.8	1 551	0.9
	Remote Australia	7 504	7 645	7 749	0.6	104	1.4
	Very Remote Australia	2 608	2 616	2 621	0.1	5	0.2
	Total	477 646	493 204	497 529	0.8	4 325	0.9
Northern Territory
	Outer Regional Australia	108 360	118 379	121 688	2.3	3 309	2.8
	Remote Australia	45 163	46 998	47 691	1.1	693	1.5
	Very Remote Australia	46 523	49 427	50 439	1.6	1 012	2.0
	Total	200 046	214 804	219 818	1.9	5 014	2.3
Australian Capital Territory
	Major Cities of Australia	325 078	340 561	345 057	1.2	4 496	1.3
	Inner Regional Australia	583	493	494	-3.3	1	0.2
	Total	325 661	341 054	345 551	1.2	4 497	1.3
Australia(c)
	Major Cities of Australia	13 602 896	14 435 219	14 692 936	1.6	257 717	1.8
	Inner Regional Australia	3 901 650	4 157 236	4 225 368	1.6	68 132	1.6
	Outer Regional Australia	1 908 199	1 993 113	2 021 917	1.2	28 804	1.4
	Remote Australia	314 984	317 490	319 900	0.3	2 410	0.8
	Very Remote Australia	167 706	169 394	171 660	0.5	2 266	1.3
	Total	19 895 435	21 072 452	21 431 781	1.5	359 329	1.7
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) See paragraphs 20 to 22 and paragraph 28 of the Explanatory Notes.
(b) Average annual growth rate.
(c) Includes Other Territories.

POPULATION DENSITY

Population density varies greatly across Australia, ranging from very low in remote areas to very high in inner-city areas. Australia's population density at June 2008 was 2.8 people per square kilometre. Among the states and territories, the ACT had the highest population density at 147 people per square kilometre, followed by Victoria with 23, NSW with 9 and Tasmania with 7. The remaining states and territories all had population densities below the Australian average, with the Northern Territory having the lowest at just 0.2 people per square kilometre.

Population density at June 2008 was highest in capital city SDs, particularly the Sydney SD. Five of the top ten most densely-populated SLAs were located in the Sydney SD, including Sydney (C) - East, which had the highest population density in Australia (8,400 people per square kilometre), the neighbouring Sydney (C) - West (7,500) and Waverley (A) (7,200), which is located just east of the Sydney (C) LGA and contains the beach-side suburbs of Coogee, Bronte and Bondi.

Within the Melbourne SD, the SLAs with the greatest population densities were Melbourne (C) - Inner (7,300 people per square kilometre) and nearby Port Phillip (C) - St Kilda (6,200). In the Brisbane SD, New Farm (5,700) and Kangaroo Point (5,600) had the highest population densities.

At the other end of the scale, there were over 250 SLAs in Australia which had population densities of less than one person per square kilometre at June 2008, close to one-third of which were located in Western Australia.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population is one way in which the spatial distribution of Australia's population can be described. This point marks the average latitude and longitude around which the population is distributed.

At June 2008, Australia's centre of population was located around 50 kilometres east of the town of Ivanhoe in the western NSW LGA of Central Darling (A). This reflects the concentration of people in south-eastern Australia, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. Since June 2003, the centre of population in Australia has moved approximately 11 kilometres north-west as a result of the relatively large population growth occurring in northern NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.

ESTIMATED RESIDENT POPULATION, States and Territories - Capital City and Balance of State
		ERP AT 30 JUNE			CHANGE
		2003	2007r	2008p	2003-2008p(a)	2007r-2008p
Part of state/territory		no.	no.	no.	%	no.	%
New South Wales
	Sydney SD	4 190 874	4 344 675	4 399 722	1.0	55 047	1.3
	Balance of state	2 481 703	2 560 267	2 584 450	0.8	24 183	0.9
	Total	6 672 577	6 904 942	6 984 172	0.9	79 230	1.1
Victoria
	Melbourne SD	3 577 411	3 817 806	3 892 419	1.7	74 613	2.0
	Balance of state	1 346 074	1 403 504	1 421 404	1.1	17 900	1.3
	Total	4 923 485	5 221 310	5 313 823	1.5	92 513	1.8
Queensland
	Brisbane SD	1 744 111	1 902 235	1 945 639	2.2	43 404	2.3
	Balance of state	2 065 103	2 293 746	2 348 276	2.6	54 530	2.4
	Total	3 809 214	4 195 981	4 293 915	2.4	97 934	2.3
South Australia
	Adelaide SD	1 121 742	1 159 131	1 172 105	0.9	12 974	1.1
	Balance of state	409 536	426 663	431 256	1.0	4 593	1.1
	Total	1 531 278	1 585 794	1 603 361	0.9	17 567	1.1
Western Australia
	Perth SD	1 435 907	1 559 178	1 602 559	2.2	43 381	2.8
	Balance of state	517 163	553 789	568 638	1.9	14 849	2.7
	Total	1 953 070	2 112 967	2 171 197	2.1	58 230	2.8
Tasmania
	Hobart SD	199 853	207 330	209 287	0.9	1 957	0.9
	Balance of state	277 793	285 874	288 242	0.7	2 368	0.8
	Total	477 646	493 204	497 529	0.8	4 325	0.9
Northern Territory
	Darwin SD	107 440	117 333	120 652	2.3	3 319	2.8
	Balance of territory	92 606	97 471	99 166	1.4	1 695	1.7
	Total	200 046	214 804	219 818	1.9	5 014	2.3
Australian Capital Territory
	Canberra SD	325 340	340 766	345 257	1.2	4 491	1.3
	Balance of territory	321	288	294	-1.7	6	2.1
	Total	325 661	341 054	345 551	1.2	4 497	1.3
Other Territories		2 458	2 396	2 415	-0.4	19	0.8
Australia
	Capital City	12 702 678	13 448 454	13 687 640	1.5	239 186	1.8
	Balance of Australia(b)	7 192 757	7 623 998	7 744 141	1.5	120 143	1.6
	Total	19 895 435	21 072 452	21 431 781	1.5	359 329	1.7
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) Includes Other Territories.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS WITH LARGEST POPULATION CHANGES
		ERP AT 30 JUNE			CHANGE
		2003	2007r	2008p	2003-2008p(a)	2007r-2008p
National rank and LGA(b)	Part of state/territory	no.	no.	no.	%	no.	%
LARGEST INCREASES IN 2007-08
1 Brisbane (C)	Brisbane	939 052	1 010 479	1 027 847	1.8	17 368	1.7
2 Gold Coast (C)	Qld Balance	420 961	484 638	497 848	3.4	13 210	2.7
3 Moreton Bay (R)	Brisbane	304 792	344 878	356 709	3.2	11 831	3.4
4 Wyndham (C)	Melbourne	96 954	123 919	132 793	6.5	8 874	7.2
5 Sunshine Coast (R)	Qld Balance	267 613	304 070	312 804	3.2	8 734	2.9
6 Wanneroo (C)	Perth	94 022	125 706	134 258	7.4	8 552	6.8
7 Casey (C)	Melbourne	201 285	230 322	238 336	3.4	8 014	3.5
8 Ipswich (C)	Brisbane	129 776	148 049	154 153	3.5	6 104	4.1
9 Melton (S)	Melbourne	64 965	86 449	92 465	7.3	6 016	7.0
10 Cairns (R)	Qld Balance	134 122	152 668	158 653	3.4	5 985	3.9
11 Whittlesea (C)	Melbourne	123 044	133 897	139 250	2.5	5 353	4.0
12 Blacktown (C)	Sydney	270 096	286 266	291 612	1.5	5 346	1.9
13 Logan (C)	Brisbane	246 321	264 761	269 986	1.9	5 225	2.0
14 Townsville (C)	Qld Balance	151 720	170 408	175 542	3.0	5 134	3.0
15 Swan (C)	Perth	89 987	101 129	105 432	3.2	4 303	4.3
16 Parramatta (C)	Sydney	148 333	157 892	161 912	1.8	4 020	2.5
17 Hume (C)	Melbourne	143 486	158 334	162 260	2.5	3 926	2.5
18 Rockingham (C)	Perth	77 870	92 231	96 068	4.3	3 837	4.2
19 Stirling (C)	Perth	179 195	189 495	193 300	1.5	3 805	2.0
20 Melbourne (C)	Melbourne	66 806	86 237	89 759	6.1	3 522	4.1
21 Cardinia (S)	Melbourne	50 513	60 944	64 310	4.9	3 366	5.5
22 Baulkham Hills (A)	Sydney	155 413	167 639	170 965	1.9	3 326	2.0
23 Liverpool (C)	Sydney	164 972	173 672	176 903	1.4	3 231	1.9
24 Cockburn (C)	Perth	72 140	81 474	84 652	3.3	3 178	3.9
25 Mandurah (C)	WA Balance	51 905	61 624	64 787	4.5	3 163	5.1
LARGEST DECLINES IN 2007-08
1 Ashfield (A)	Sydney	40 774	42 150	41 863	0.5	-287	-0.7
2 Manly (A)	Sydney	38 835	39 937	39 667	0.4	-270	-0.7
3 Lane Cove (A)	Sydney	31 965	31 857	31 638	-0.2	-219	-0.7
4 Berri and Barmera (DC)	SA Balance	11 277	11 408	11 283	-	-125	-1.1
5 Broken Hill (C)	NSW Balance	20 601	20 115	20 001	-0.6	-114	-0.6
6 Gwydir (A)	NSW Balance	5 628	5 436	5 328	-1.1	-108	-2.0
7 Cowra (A)	NSW Balance	12 991	12 942	12 835	-0.2	-107	-0.8
8 Bland (A)	NSW Balance	6 502	6 390	6 289	-0.7	-101	-1.6
9 Moree Plains (A)	NSW Balance	15 608	14 435	14 338	-1.7	-97	-0.7
10 Burdekin (S)	Qld Balance	18 299	18 296	18 207	-0.1	-89	-0.5
11 Narrabri (A)	NSW Balance	14 185	13 589	13 507	-1.0	-82	-0.6
12 Gilgandra (A)	NSW Balance	4 738	4 645	4 564	-0.7	-81	-1.7
13 Forbes (A)	NSW Balance	9 976	9 729	9 649	-0.7	-80	-0.8
14 Hay (A)	NSW Balance	3 573	3 465	3 389	-1.1	-76	-2.2
15 Walgett (A)	NSW Balance	7 886	7 169	7 093	-2.1	-76	-1.1
16 Deniliquin (A)	NSW Balance	8 107	7 708	7 635	-1.2	-73	-0.9
17 Cobar (A)	NSW Balance	5 118	5 190	5 120	-	-70	-1.3
18 Harden (A)	NSW Balance	3 776	3 706	3 636	-0.8	-70	-1.9
19 Benalla (RC)	Vic. Balance	13 983	14 086	14 021	0.1	-65	-0.5
20 Lake Grace (S)	WA Balance	1 593	1 517	1 455	-1.8	-62	-4.1
21 Paroo (S)	Qld Balance	2 159	2 016	1 955	-2.0	-61	-3.0
22 The Coorong (DC)	SA Balance	5 904	5 892	5 831	-0.2	-61	-1.0
23 Winton (S)	Qld Balance	1 582	1 463	1 404	-2.4	-59	-4.0
24 Balonne (S)	Qld Balance	5 305	4 890	4 835	-1.8	-55	-1.1
25 Merredin (S)	WA Balance	3 664	3 438	3 383	-1.6	-55	-1.6
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) National rank based on population change between June 2007 and June 2008.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS WITH FASTEST POPULATION CHANGES
		ERP AT 30 JUNE			CHANGE
		2003	2007r	2008p	2003-2008p(a)	2007r-2008p
National rank and LGA(b)	Part of state/territory	no.	no.	no.	%	no.	%
FASTEST INCREASES IN 2007-08
1 Perth (C)	Perth	8 973	13 635	15 113	11.0	1 478	10.8
2 Ravensthorpe (S)	WA Balance	1 561	2 293	2 501	9.9	208	9.1
3 Serpentine-Jarrahdale (S)	Perth	12 237	14 201	15 281	4.5	1 080	7.6
4 Wyndham (C)	Melbourne	96 954	123 919	132 793	6.5	8 874	7.2
5 Melton (S)	Melbourne	64 965	86 449	92 465	7.3	6 016	7.0
6 Wanneroo (C)	Perth	94 022	125 706	134 258	7.4	8 552	6.8
7 Murray (S)	WA Balance	11 657	13 037	13 825	3.5	788	6.0
8 Cardinia (S)	Melbourne	50 513	60 944	64 310	4.9	3 366	5.5
9 Palmerston (C)	Darwin	22 981	26 574	28 030	4.1	1 456	5.5
10 Mandurah (C)	WA Balance	51 905	61 624	64 787	4.5	3 163	5.1
11 Litchfield (S)	Darwin	15 633	17 385	18 277	3.2	892	5.1
12 Kwinana (T)	Perth	22 445	25 128	26 387	3.3	1 259	5.0
13 Wyndham-East Kimberley (S)	WA Balance	7 344	7 310	7 662	0.9	352	4.8
14 Dardanup (S)	WA Balance	9 431	11 613	12 167	5.2	554	4.8
15 Busselton (S)	WA Balance	24 314	27 893	29 183	3.7	1 290	4.6
16 Capel (S)	WA Balance	8 020	11 415	11 935	8.3	520	4.6
17 Harvey (S)	WA Balance	18 386	21 550	22 529	4.1	979	4.5
18 Wellington (A)	NSW Balance	8 648	8 345	8 711	0.1	366	4.4
19 Swan (C)	Perth	89 987	101 129	105 432	3.2	4 303	4.3
20 Rockingham (C)	Perth	77 870	92 231	96 068	4.3	3 837	4.2
21 Ipswich (C)	Brisbane	129 776	148 049	154 153	3.5	6 104	4.1
22 Melbourne (C)	Melbourne	66 806	86 237	89 759	6.1	3 522	4.1
23 Whittlesea (C)	Melbourne	123 044	133 897	139 250	2.5	5 353	4.0
24 Cairns (R)	Qld Balance	134 122	152 668	158 653	3.4	5 985	3.9
25 Cockburn (C)	Perth	72 140	81 474	84 652	3.3	3 178	3.9
FASTEST DECLINES IN 2007-08
1 Paroo (S)	Qld Balance	2 159	2 016	1 955	-2.0	-61	-3.0
2 Hay (A)	NSW Balance	3 573	3 465	3 389	-1.1	-76	-2.2
3 Gwydir (A)	NSW Balance	5 628	5 436	5 328	-1.1	-108	-2.0
4 Harden (A)	NSW Balance	3 776	3 706	3 636	-0.8	-70	-1.9
5 Central Darling (A)	NSW Balance	2 239	2 022	1 984	-2.4	-38	-1.9
6 Gilgandra (A)	NSW Balance	4 738	4 645	4 564	-0.7	-81	-1.7
7 Balranald (A)	NSW Balance	2 688	2 529	2 488	-1.5	-41	-1.6
8 Merredin (S)	WA Balance	3 664	3 438	3 383	-1.6	-55	-1.6
9 Bland (A)	NSW Balance	6 502	6 390	6 289	-0.7	-101	-1.6
10 Cobar (A)	NSW Balance	5 118	5 190	5 120	-	-70	-1.3
11 Barcaldine (R)	Qld Balance	3 473	3 437	3 394	-0.5	-43	-1.3
12 Bourke (A)	NSW Balance	3 682	3 130	3 091	-3.4	-39	-1.2
13 Balonne (S)	Qld Balance	5 305	4 890	4 835	-1.8	-55	-1.1
14 Bogan (A)	NSW Balance	3 066	3 023	2 989	-0.5	-34	-1.1
15 Berri and Barmera (DC)	SA Balance	11 277	11 408	11 283	-	-125	-1.1
16 Walgett (A)	NSW Balance	7 886	7 169	7 093	-2.1	-76	-1.1
17 Blackall Tambo (R)	Qld Balance	2 275	2 089	2 067	-1.9	-22	-1.1
18 The Coorong (DC)	SA Balance	5 904	5 892	5 831	-0.2	-61	-1.0
19 Deniliquin (A)	NSW Balance	8 107	7 708	7 635	-1.2	-73	-0.9
20 Walcha (A)	NSW Balance	3 289	3 306	3 276	-0.1	-30	-0.9
21 Coonamble (A)	NSW Balance	4 629	4 323	4 287	-1.5	-36	-0.8
22 Cowra (A)	NSW Balance	12 991	12 942	12 835	-0.2	-107	-0.8
23 Forbes (A)	NSW Balance	9 976	9 729	9 649	-0.7	-80	-0.8
24 Wakool (A)	NSW Balance	4 743	4 450	4 414	-1.4	-36	-0.8
25 Halls Creek (S)	WA Balance	3 528	3 365	3 338	-1.1	-27	-0.8
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Average annual growth rate.
(b) National rank based on population change between June 2007 and June 2008, excluding LGAs with a population of less than 2,000 at June 2007.