The indigenous population is growing three times faster than the total population. But this growth is outside the view of the powerbrokers living in their North Shore and Eastern Suburb social enclaves.
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Indigenous Geography NSW
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Indigenous Geography NSW: 2001
An Analysis of Census Data
Introduction
Overview
The indigenous population of Australia and of New South Wales is growing significantly faster than the non-indigenous population.
| Census Year | Indigenous Population | Percentage of Total | Indigenous Growth Rate |
Total Growth Rate |
| 2001 |
410,003
|
2.2%
|
16.2% | 6.0% |
| 1996 |
352,970
|
2.0%
|
33.0% | 6.2% |
| 1991 |
265,371
|
1.6%
|
In indigenous population is growing at a faster rate in NSW than in the whole of Australia, while the total population rate of increase in NSW is less than the nation as a whole.
| Census Year | Indigenous Population | Percentage of Total | Indigenous Growth Rate |
Total Growth Rate |
| 2001 |
119,865
|
1.9%
|
18.1% | 5.5% |
| 1996 |
101,485
|
1.7%
|
44.9% | 5.4% |
| 1991 |
69,999
|
1.2%
|
New South Wales now has a larger indigenous population than any other state.
| Indigenous Population at Census | |||||
| State |
2001
|
1996
|
1991
|
Growth Rate 1996-2001
|
Percent of Population
|
| NSW |
119,865
|
101,485
|
69,999
|
18.1%
|
1.9%
|
| QLD |
112,772
|
95,518
|
70,102
|
18.1%
|
3.1%
|
| WA |
58,496
|
50,793
|
41,769
|
15.2%
|
3.2%
|
| NT |
50,785
|
46,277
|
39,893
|
9.7%
|
25.1%
|
| VIC |
25,078
|
21,474
|
16,729
|
16.8%
|
0.5%
|
| SA |
23,425
|
20,444
|
16,223
|
14.6%
|
1.6%
|
| TAS |
15,773
|
13,873
|
8,882
|
13.7%
|
3.5%
|
| ACT |
3,576
|
2,899
|
1,592
|
23.4%
|
1.2%
|
| Australia |
410,003
|
352,970
|
265,371
|
16.2%
|
2.2%
|
Where Do Indigenous People Live Within NSW?
Indigenous people increasingly live outside Sydney.
While in 2001 the majority of the people of NSW (62.6%) lived in Sydney, only 30.9% of indigenous people did.
| Year | In Sydney | Percentage of Sydney Total | Outside Sydney | Percentage of Outside Sydney Total |
| 2001 |
38,749
|
0.98%
|
81,116
|
3.43%
|
| 1996 |
34,438
|
0.92%
|
67,047
|
2.91%
|
The areas with the highest proportion of indigenous people remain river towns in the north-west. The top ten local government by proportion are:
| Local Govt Area | Proportion Indigenous 2001 |
Number of Indigenous People | Proportion Indigenous 1996 | Change in Indigenous- Percentage Points | Main Indigenous Settlements (No. of indig. people/proportion of total) |
| Brewarrina |
53.5%
|
1101
|
53.1%
|
0.37
|
Brewarrina(733/61%), Goodooga (242/80%) |
| Central Darling |
28.5%
|
763
|
25.3%
|
3.22
|
Wilcannia (446/64%), Menindee (159/41%) |
| Bourke |
24.6%
|
960
|
24.7%
|
-0.10
|
Bourke (847/33%) |
| Walgett |
21.6%
|
1781
|
20.6%
|
0.88
|
Walgett (759/42%), Lightning Ridge 342/19%), Collarenebri (182/36%), Namoi Reserve (124/93%), Gingin Reserve (51/94%) |
| Coonamble |
20.9%
|
954
|
17.6%
|
3.26
|
Coonamble (702/26%), Gulargambone (187/42%) |
| Moree Plains |
17.9%
|
2807
|
16.9%
|
1.05
|
Moree (1960/21%) Boggabilla/Toomelah (261/72%) Mungindi (157/24%) |
| Narromine |
14.6%
|
963
|
12.1%
|
2.46
|
Narromine (629/18%) Trangie (205/22%) |
| Wellington |
13.1%
|
1075
|
11.7%
|
1.36
|
Wellington (798/17%) |
| Lachlan |
12.5%
|
900
|
11.2%
|
1.33
|
Condobolin (545/18%) Lake Cargelligo (220/18%) |
| Warren |
11.9%
|
374
|
11.1%
|
0.81
|
Warren (330/18%) |
The top ten by indigenous population are:
| Local Govt Area | Indigenous Population | Percent of Total LGA Population |
Growth in Indigenous Population 1996-2001 | Change in Indigenous- Percentage Points |
| Blacktown |
6093
|
2.4%
|
854
|
0.13
|
| Campbelltown |
3602
|
2.5%
|
354
|
0.22
|
| Penrith |
3478
|
2.0%
|
730
|
0.34
|
| Lake Macquarie |
3409
|
1.9%
|
635
|
0.30
|
| Dubbo |
3399
|
9.1%
|
685
|
1.65
|
| Shoalhaven |
3002
|
3.6%
|
511
|
0.36
|
| Moree Plains |
2807
|
17.9%
|
192
|
1.05
|
| Wollongong |
2661
|
1.5%
|
523
|
0.27
|
| Wyong |
2565
|
2.0%
|
778
|
0.42
|
| Newcastle |
2442
|
1.8%
|
561
|
0.38
|
Seven of these LGAs can be considered to be on the urban fringe of Sydney. Of the other three: Dubbo is a regional growth centre receiving many former residents of north-western towns; Shoalhaven is a growing coastal population area with long standing Aboriginal populations at places like Wallaga Lake, Wreck Bay and Bomaderry; and Moree has one of the highest proportion of Aboriginal inhabitants in the state.
Large housing commission areas such as Mt Druitt in Blacktown and Airds and Claymore in Campbelltown are significant Aboriginal population centres.
All the above local government areas have seen increases in the indigenous population since 1996, but some at a rate below the state average of an increase of 0.22 percentage points in the indigenous population proportion.
The biggest numeric increases were in:
| Local Govt Area | Indigenous Population | Percent of Total LGA Population |
Growth in Indigenous Population 1996-2001 | Change in Indigenous- Percentage Points |
| Blacktown |
6093
|
2.4%
|
854
|
0.13
|
| Wyong |
2565
|
2.0%
|
778
|
0.42
|
| Penrith |
3478
|
2.0%
|
730
|
0.34
|
| Dubbo |
3399
|
9.1%
|
685
|
1.65
|
| Lake Macquarie |
3409
|
1.9%
|
635
|
0.30
|
| Tamworth |
2225
|
6.3%
|
599
|
1.65
|
| Gosford |
2183
|
1.4%
|
563
|
0.30
|
| Newcastle |
2442
|
1.8%
|
561
|
0.38
|
| Wollongong |
2661
|
1.5%
|
523
|
0.27
|
| Shoalhaven |
3002
|
3.6%
|
511
|
0.36
|
However the greatest increase in the percentage of the population which is indigenous occurred in relatively small cities and shires - all of which were located in the northern half of the state:
| Local Govt Area | Change in Percentage Points | Indigenous Population 2001 | Percent Indigenous 1996 | Percent Indigenous 2001 | Growth in Indigenous Population 1996-2001 | Percent Increase in Indigenous Population 1996-2001 |
| Coonamble |
3.26
|
954
|
17.6%
|
20.9%
|
109
|
12.9%
|
| Central Darling |
3.22
|
763
|
25.3%
|
28.5%
|
93
|
13.9%
|
| Bogan (Nyngan) |
2.54
|
329
|
8.1%
|
10.7%
|
62
|
23.2%
|
| Narromine |
2.46
|
963
|
12.1%
|
14.6%
|
87
|
21.9%
|
| Gunnedah |
2.26
|
1204
|
7.8%
|
10.1%
|
205
|
20.5%
|
| Guyra |
1.83
|
410
|
7.9%
|
9.8%
|
72
|
21.3%
|
| Tenterfield |
1.80
|
416
|
4.7%
|
6.5%
|
107
|
34.6%
|
| Kempsey |
1.71
|
2285
|
6.8%
|
8.5%
|
492
|
27.4%
|
| Dubbo |
1.65
|
3399
|
7.4%
|
9.1%
|
685
|
25.2%
|
| Tamworth |
1.65
|
2225
|
4.6%
|
6.3%
|
599
|
36.8%
|
Some towns experienced very large percentage increases in the indigenous population from a very low base (eg. Bingara 1033% rising from 3 indigenous residents to 34). To delete such areas the following table sets a threshold of 3.5% of the population in 2001 being indigenous.
| Local Govt Area | Percentage Increase in Indigenous Population |
Numerical Increase in Indigenous Population | Indigenous Population 2001 | Percent of Population Indigenous |
| Cootamundra |
50.0%
|
89
|
267
|
3.8%
|
| Junee |
48.3%
|
69
|
212
|
3.8%
|
| Cowra |
43.6%
|
209
|
688
|
5.5%
|
| Grafton |
36.8%
|
238
|
884
|
5.3%
|
| Tamworth |
36.8%
|
599
|
2225
|
6.3%
|
| Maclean |
35.8%
|
167
|
633
|
3.7%
|
| Tenterfield |
34.6%
|
107
|
416
|
6.5%
|
| Broken Hill |
34.4%
|
266
|
1039
|
5.1%
|
| Orange |
33.9%
|
353
|
1393
|
3.9%
|
| Greater Taree |
33.7%
|
428
|
1627
|
3.8%
|
The areas with the least indigenous people are all in Sydney's affluent northern and eastern suburbs. These are also areas where in general the indigenous proportion is declining. The declines in percentage points below contrasts with a statewide average of an 0.22 increase.
| Local Govt Area | Percentage Indigenous 2001 | Number Indigenous | Total Population | Change in Indigenous- Percentage Points 1996 - 2001 |
| Mosman |
0.07%
|
19
|
25475
|
-0.03
|
| Ku-Ring-Gai |
0.11%
|
108
|
100152
|
-0.01
|
| Willoughby |
0.17%
|
97
|
58319
|
0
|
| North Sydney |
0.18%
|
98
|
54970
|
0.01
|
| Woollahra |
0.18%
|
91
|
49814
|
-0.05
|
| Ryde |
0.24%
|
226
|
94244
|
-0.03
|
| Lane Cove |
0.24%
|
73
|
30340
|
0.06
|
| Manly |
0.26%
|
94
|
36544
|
-0.01
|
| Pittwater |
0.27%
|
139
|
52376
|
-0.03
|
| Baulkham Hills |
0.27%
|
372
|
138420
|
0.02
|
The indigenous population decreased as a proportion of the total population in 29 local government authorities, including 18 Sydney LGAs (Sydney, South Sydney, Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick, Leichhardt, Marrickville, Ashfield, Burwood, Strathfield, Canterbury, Fairfield, Liverpool, Ryde, Mosman, Manly, Warringah, and Pittwater). The top ten decreases were in:
| Loca Govt Area | Change in Indigenous- Percentage Points 1996 - 2001 | Number Indigenous 1996 | Number Indigenous 2001 | Percent Indigenous 2001 | Percent Change in Indigenous Population |
| *Wentworth |
-3.50
|
819
|
544
|
7.8%
|
-33.6%
|
| Murray |
-0.51
|
197
|
188
|
3.2%
|
-4.6%
|
| Bland |
-0.43
|
139
|
106
|
1.7%
|
-23.7%
|
| Liverpool |
-0.30
|
1956
|
2038
|
1.3%
|
4.2%
|
| Berrigan |
-0.30
|
88
|
60
|
0.8%
|
-31.8%
|
| South Sydney |
-0.23
|
1686
|
1569
|
1.8%
|
-6.9%
|
| Boorowa |
-0.18
|
35
|
30
|
1.3%
|
-10%
|
| Windouran |
-0.18
|
10
|
9
|
2.2%
|
-10%
|
| Sydney City |
-0.16
|
161
|
182
|
0.5%
|
13.0%
|
| Ashfield |
-0.15
|
270
|
205
|
0.5%
|
-24.1%
|
*I am dubious about the accuracy of this statistic. This covers the communities at Dareton (including Coomealla and Namitjira Avenue), Wentworth and Buronga. The size of the difference seems to indicate some boundary change, an ABS error, or some severe undercount in 2001, or overcount in 1996.