AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY


Territory summary

Population change

Population density

Centre of population


TERRITORY SUMMARY

In the 12 months to June 2012, the estimated resident population of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) increased by 6,900 people to reach 374,700. The ACT grew by 1.9% over this period, slightly higher than Australia as a whole (1.6%).

Almost all of the population growth in the ACT between 2011 and 2012 occurred in the north. The combined population of the northern SA3s increased by 7,500 people to reach 201,900. The southern SA3s decreased by 630 people to 172,800.

Gungahlin had the largest growth of all SA3s in 2011-12, up 5,100 people, and accounted for 74% of the total growth for the ACT. This was followed by North Canberra (up 1,400 people) and Belconnen (960). In contrast, the population of the southern SA3 of Tuggeranong decreased by 1,200 people (1.3%) over the same period.

POPULATION CHANGE

Growth in the ACT

Between June 2011 and June 2012, much of the ACT's growth occurred in the newly established suburbs in the north. The largest population increases were in Bonner (up 1,700 people), Forde (920), Crace (750) and Harrison (680), all within the northern SA3 of Gungahlin.

Of the established SA2s, rapid increases were recorded in Belconnen (up 12%), and Civic, Watson and Kingston - Barton (each up 10%). Most of this growth was due to an increase in high- and medium-density dwellings in the ACT's business centres.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, Australian Capital Territory
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2012p	2011pr-2012p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Bonner	3 400	1 700	99.7
Forde	3 600	920	34.3
Crace	1 400	750	113.9
Harrison	5 200	680	15.1
Macgregor	6 100	610	11.1
FASTEST GROWTH(a)
Bonner	3 400	1 700	99.7
Forde	3 600	920	34.3
Casey	2 200	420	23.9
Harrison	5 200	680	15.1
Franklin	5 000	580	13.2
(a) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2011.

Growth in the surrounding region

Population growth in areas immediately surrounding the ACT, from which many people commute to work in Canberra, continued in 2011-12. The SA3 of Queanbeyan grew by 430 people, while neighbouring Goulburn - Yass increased by 960 people.


Population decline in the ACT

Small population decreases were recorded in half of all SA2s in the ACT between June 2011 and June 2012. Many of the largest declines continued to be in the SA3 of Tuggeranong, with Kambah decreasing by 180 people, Wanniassa by 160, and Gordon by 150. The population in all SA2s within Tuggeranong, except for Greenway (which contains Tuggeranong town centre), decreased or remained stable over this period.


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2012, the overall population density of the ACT was 159 people per square kilometre (sq km), up slightly from 156 people per sq km in June 2011. However, population density varied widely across the Territory. The SA3s of Weston Creek, North Canberra, Belconnen and Woden each had population densities of over 1,000 people per sq km, while Cotter - Namadgi (which covers more than two-thirds of the geographical area of the ACT) had a population density of just 0.4 people per sq km.

The SA2s with the highest population densities at June 2012 were Braddon (3,600 people per sq km) in Canberra's inner-north, Palmerston (3,000) in the Gungahlin SA3, and Turner (2,500) also in the inner-north.

The largest increases in population density within the ACT in 2011-12 occurred in the new, northern suburbs of Bonner (up 620 people per sq km), Forde (480) and Crace (450). Half of all SA2s in the ACT recorded a decrease in population density in this period. The largest decreases were in Isabella Plains, Evatt and Gowrie (each down 36 people per sq km).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

The centre of population in the ACT at June 2012 was near the southern banks of Lake Burley Griffin, in the suburb of Yarralumla.