The Hills Shire

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The Hills Shire
New South Wales
Baulkham Hills lga sydney.png
Coordinates 33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000Coordinates: 33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000
Population 169,872 (2011 census)[1] (19th)
 • Density 423.6/km2 (1,097/sq mi)
Area 401 km2 (154.8 sq mi)
Time zone AEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST) AEDT (UTC+11)
Mayor Michelle Byrne (Liberal)
Council seat Castle Hill
Region Metropolitan Sydney
State electorate(s)
Federal Division(s)
Website The Hills Shire
LGAs around The Hills Shire:
Hawkesbury Gosford Hornsby
Blacktown The Hills Shire Hornsby
Blacktown Parramatta Parramatta

The Hills Shire (previously Baulkham Hills Shire) is a local government area of in the north western region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area encompasses 401 square kilometres (155 sq mi) stretching from North Parramatta in the south to Wiseman's Ferry on the Hawkesbury River in the north.

The Mayor of The Hills Shire is Cr. Andrew Jefferies, a member of the Liberal Party.

Suburbs in the local government area[edit]

Suburbs at least partially within The Hills Shire are:

Demographics[edit]

At the 2011 census, there were 169,872 people in The Hills local government area, of these 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.4% of the population. The median age of people in The Hills Shire was 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.4% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 11.6% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 61.1% were married and 7.2% were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in The Hills Shire between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 15.2%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 6.58%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in The Hills local government area was nearly double the national average.[2] The median weekly income for residents within The Hills Shire was approximately 150% higher than the national average.[1][3]

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in The Hills local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 60% of all residents. In excess of 50% of all residents in The Hills Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was in line with the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in The Hills local government area had a higher than average proportion (33.0%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a lower proportion (68.9%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).[1]

Selected historical census data for The Hills local government area
Census year 2001[2] 2006[3] 2011[1]
Population Estimated residents on Census night 138,420 159,391 169,872
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 9th
% of New South Wales population 2.46%
% of Australian population 0.74% Increase 0.80% Decrease 0.79%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 Australian 22.1%
English 21.5%
Chinese 8.5%
Irish 6.5%
Scottish 5.4%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Cantonese 4.4% Increase 4.5% Decrease 4.4%
Mandarin 1.5% Increase 2.4% Increase 3.9%
Korean 1.3% Increase 1.6% Increase 2.1%
Arabic 1.6% Increase 1.8% Increase 1.9%
Hindi n/c n/c Increase 1.3%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 32.3% Increase 32.5% Decrease 31.4%
Anglican 22.7% Decrease 20.0% Decrease 18.5%
No Religion 10.4% Increase 12.5% Increase 15.7%
Uniting Church 6.2% Decrease 5.1% Decrease 4.2%
Hinduism n/c n/c Increase 3.1%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$625 A$719
% of Australian median income 134.1% 124.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,732 A$2,188
% of Australian median income 168.6% 147.7%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,847 A$2,044
% of Australian median income 157.7% 165.6%

Current composition and election method[edit]

The Hills Shire Council is composed of twelve Councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three Councillors. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The most recent election was held on 8 September 2012, and the makeup of the Council is as follows:[4][5][6][7]

Party Councillors
  Liberal Party of Australia 9
  Australian Labor Party 3
Total 12

The current Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, is:

Ward Councillor Party Notes
Central Ward[4]   Yvonne Keane Liberal
  Jeff Lowe Liberal
  Tony Hay Labor
East Ward[5]   Andrew Jefferies Liberal Deputy Mayor[8]
  Ryan Tracey Labor
  Alan Haselden Liberal
North Ward[6]   Robyn Preston Liberal
  Peter Gangemi Liberal
  Mark Owen Taylor Liberal
West Ward[7]   Michelle Byrne Liberal Mayor[8]
  Raymond Harty Labor
  Mike Thomas Liberal

A referendum was held on 8 September 2012 and an absolute majority of voters resolved in favour of the direct election of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term which necessarily increases the number of Councillors by one.[9] The change will take effect at the next elections in 2016 unless changed by another referendum before then.[10]

Sister cities[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012. 
  2. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012. 
  3. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012. 
  4. ^ a b "The Hills Shire Council - Central Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 
  5. ^ a b "The Hills Shire Council - East Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 
  6. ^ a b "The Hills Shire Council - North Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 
  7. ^ a b "The Hills Shire Council - West Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 
  8. ^ a b "Michelle Byrne is Hills Shire Mayor". Rosue Hill Times. 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012. 
  9. ^ "The Hills Shire Council - Referendum". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 
  10. ^ Bradley, Penelope (14 September 2012). "Hills residents to elect their own mayor". Hill Shire Times. Retrieved 21 September 2012. 

External links[edit]

Regions of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Hawkesbury River region, New South Wales, Australia
Islands
National parks and nature reserves
European explorers of the region
Bridges and ferries
Adjoining rivers, bays,
reservoirs, and creeks
Local government areas
Events
Suburbs and localities within The Hills Shire, Hills District, Western Sydney, Sydney
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