GREATER CAPITAL CITY STATISTICAL AREA (GCCSA)
The GCCSAs represent the socio-economic extent of each of the eight State and Territory capital cities. This provides a stable and relevant geographic definition for the release of socio-economic survey data collected only within capital cities as well as other survey data requiring large population output regions. Within each S/T, the area not defined as being part of the greater capital city is represented by a Rest of State region.
GCCSAs are aggregates of SA4s. The GCCSAs combined with the Rest of State regions cover the whole of Australia without gaps or overlaps and aggregate directly to S/T.
For the 2011 edition of the ASGS, there are 16 GCCSA regions. There are 8 regions representing each of the Australian State and Territory capital cities and 8 regions covering the rest of each S/T. There is only one GCCSA for the ACT and one for the Other Territories of Jervis Bay, Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
DELIMITATION OF GCCSA
Population
GCCSAs do not have population criteria.
Functional
As GCCSAs are designed to represent a socio-economic definition of each of the eight State and Territory capital cities, this means the greater capital city boundary includes people who regularly socialise, shop or work within the city, but live in the small towns and rural areas surrounding the city. It does not define the built up edge of the city.
GCCSA NAMES
GCCSAs are named according to the cities they represent, for example, Greater Sydney.
The remainder of the S/T is named Rest of <State>, for example, Rest of NSW.
The exceptions to this are the ACT, as the whole of the ACT is included in the GCCSA, and the OTs, which do not have a capital city.
GCCSA CODING STRUCTURE
A GCCSA is identified by a 5-character alphanumeric code. This comprises a 1-digit S/T identifier followed by a 4-character GCCSA identifier that is unique within each S/T.
Example:
1GSYD Greater Sydney
- S/T identifier: 1
- GCCSA identifier: GSYD
Example:
Rest of NSW - 1RNSW
- S/T identifier: 1
- GCCSA identifier: RNSW
Special Purpose GCCSA
There are non-spatial GCCSAs for Migratory - Offshore - Shipping and No Usual Address in each S/T.