3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2012-13 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/04/2014   
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TASMANIA



State summary

Regional variations

Population density

Centre of population


STATE SUMMARY

Tasmania's estimated resident population grew by 1,100 people to reach 513,200 in the year ending June 2013, an increase of 0.2%. This was the lowest growth of all states and territories.

POPULATION CHANGE BY SA2, Tasmania - 2012-13
Diagram: POPULATION CHANGE BY SA2, Tasmania—2012–13


REGIONAL VARIATIONS

Between 2012 and 2013, the population increased in three of the four Tasmanian SA4s. The largest growth was in Hobart (up by 1,100 people), followed by Launceston and North East (80) and South East (50). The population of West and North West fell by 120 people. Hobart also had the fastest growth in the state over the year, increasing by 0.5%. Of all the states and territories, Tasmania had the highest proportion of its population residing outside of the Greater Capital City (58%) at June 2013.


Hobart

The largest-growing Tasmanian SA2s in the year to 2013 were located in Hobart. In Hobart's south, Margate - Snug had the largest growth (up by 140 people), followed by Howrah - Tranmere (130) and Rokeby (110), both on Hobart's eastern shore. Within Hobart, the fastest-growing SA2s were Rokeby (up by 2.0%) and Margate - Snug (1.9%), followed by Old Beach - Otago (1.8%) on Hobart's eastern shore. The largest and fastest declines were in Bridgewater - Gagebrook, down by 70 people (1.0%), and New Norfolk, down by 60 (1.0%).


Launceston and North East

Within Launceston and North East, the largest growth from 2012 to 2013 was north-west of Launceston, in the SA2 of Legana (up by 110 people). This was followed by Summerhill - Prospect to the west of Launceston, and Kings Meadows - Punchbowl to the south, which both grew by 70 people. Legana was the fastest-growing SA2 in the state, increasing by 2.7%. Kings Meadows - Punchbowl and Summerhill - Prospect also had fast growth, up by 1.6% and 1.5% respectively. The largest decline was in Newnham - Mayfield (down by 50 people), and the fastest decline was in Invermay (down by 1.2%).


West and North West

Between 2012 and 2013, the largest and fastest growth in West and North West was in the SA2 of Latrobe, which grew by 100 people (2.2 %). This was followed by Port Sorell and Sheffield - Railton, which both grew by 80 people, or 1.5% and 1.3% respectively. The population of West Coast, which contains many of Tasmania's mines, had the largest and fastest decline, down by 90 people (1.9%), followed by Acton - Upper Burnie on the north-west coast, down by 60 (1.7%).


South East

Within South East, the largest and fastest growth was in the SA2 of Huonville - Franklin, up by 100 people (1.2%), followed by the Huon Valley areas of Geeveston - Dover and Cygnet, which both grew by 30 people (0.7% and 0.6% respectively). The population of Forestier - Tasman had the largest and fastest decline, down by 80 people (3.2%), partly reflecting the impacts of the January 2013 bushfires.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Tasmania

ERP at 30 June
Population Change
2013p
2012r-2013p
SA2
no.
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

Margate - Snug
7 500
140
1.9
Howrah - Tranmere
10 100
130
1.3
Rokeby
5 700
110
2.0
Legana
4 000
110
2.7
Huonville - Franklin
8 300
100
1.2

FASTEST GROWTH

Legana
4 000
110
2.7
Latrobe
4 600
100
2.2
Rokeby
5 700
110
2.0
Margate - Snug
7 500
140
1.9
Old Beach - Otago
3 900
70
1.8

(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2013, the population density of Tasmania was 7.5 people per square kilometre (sq km). The capital city SA4 of Hobart had the highest population density in the state, at 130 people per sq km, followed by Launceston and North East (7.2), West and North West (5.1) and South East (1.6).

The most densely-populated SA2s within Hobart were West Moonah (2,100 people per sq km), Moonah (1,900) and Sandy Bay (1,700).

Outside of Hobart, South Launceston (1,700 people per sq km), Acton - Upper Burnie (1,600) and Devonport (1,400) had the highest population densities.

The largest increase in population density in Tasmania in the year to 2013 was in the SA2 of West Hobart, up by 21 people per sq km, while the largest decrease in density was in Acton - Upper Burnie, down by 27 people per sq km.

POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Hobart - June 2013
Diagram: POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Hobart—June 2013


CENTRE OF POPULATION

Tasmania's centre of population at June 2013 was on the banks of Woods Lake, in the Central Highlands SA2. In the ten years to 2013, the centre moved 2.0 kilometres south-east, reflecting continued population growth in Greater Hobart.

For Greater Hobart, the centre of population at June 2013 was in the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, in the suburb of Queens Domain.