Bland Regional Profile

The main regional centre in the Bland Shire is West Wyalong which is situated at the intersection of the Mid Western and Newell Highways, 486 km west of Sydney.

In 2001 the population of the Bland Shire was 6,655, the Shire has experienced strong growth in the number of residents aged over 65.

There are around 2,924 people in the workforce in the Bland Shire, of which 63% work full-time and 28% work part-time. At the time of the last census 5% of residents were unemployed.

Two of the largest employers in the Bland Shire are the agriculture (37.6%) and retail (11.6%) industries. The median taxable income for the Bland Shire is approximately $642 per week.

Demographics

Age Distribution

Between 1996 and 2001 Bland Shire experienced a decline in population of 3.9%.

This was due to a decline in residents aged under 65, however it was offset by an increase of 5.7% in those aged 65+.

Bland Shire has a higher proportion of residents aged under 15 than the average for NSW.

Just under 50% of the Shire's population are in the prime working age group (25-64 years).

Income

The median taxable income for the Bland Shire is approximately $642 per week. This is below the average for the Riverina as a whole.

The highest proportion of residents in the Bland Shire (15.8%) earn between $200 and $299 per week.

Average weekly income for females is lower than that of males.

Indigenous Profile

Indigenous Persons

Indigenous persons account for 1.9% of the total population in the Bland Shire. This is much lower than the average for the Riverina region (3.3%) but is similar to the average for NSW (2%).

While the total population of Bland Shire is ageing, the indigenous population is skewed more towards younger age groups.

Labour Force

Indigenous unemployment is significantly lower in the Bland Shire than in both the Riverina and NSW.

The levels of unemployment and employment between males and females are balanced, while in the Riverina and NSW males tend to have much higher unemployment rates than females.

The average unemployment rate of indigenous persons in the Bland Shire (16.2%) is more than three times the unemployment rate for the total population (4.9%).

Education

Level of Education

The most common form of post-school qualification completed by Bland residents is a certificate (11.2%), possibly due to the high number of tradespersons and labourers and a heavy reliance on agricultural industries.

Females are twice as likely to hold bachelor degrees, advanced diplomas and diplomas than are males who tend to pursue skilled vocational qualifications.

Field of Education

The most common fields of study in the Bland Shire are engineering, agricultural and environmental and management and commerce.

Males dominate the areas of engineering and agriculture, while females tend to pursue managerial, health and education qualifications.

These trends are similar to those of the Riverina region and NSW as a whole.

Internet Use

Over 26% of residents in the Bland Shire use the Internet, with most use occurring in the home.

Twenty-nine percent of females use the Internet, in comparison to 24% of males.

Fewer than 1% of people aged over 65 use the Internet with highest use in the prime working age bracket (25-64 years).

Industry

Industry Performance

Industry growth due to local factors was strongest in the agriculture (43 jobs created between 1996 and 2001), wholesale trade (25 jobs) and manufacturing (22 jobs) industries. This is a positive result for the region as the agriculture and manufacturing industries are "wealth creators" which generate economic activity that flows on to other industries in the region.

Employment by Occupation

Most employment in the Bland Shire is in managers and administrators occupations.

This is mostly due to the high number of farmers and small business owners who are classified as managers.

Males are mostly employed as managers and tradespersons, while females tend to be employed in clerical, sales and service or managerial occupations.

The Shire also has a high proportion of labourers compared to NSW which may be due to the prevalence of the agriculture industry.

Employment

Labour Force Status

The average rate of unemployment in the Bland Shire is 4.9% with a participation rate of 59.5%.

The Bland Shire experienced employment growth of 0.3% between 1996 and 2001. This is low compared to the average rate of growth for the Riverina of 4.0%.

The rate of unemployment for males is higher than females for all age groups in the Bland Shire.

The highest level of unemployment is in the 15-24 years age group, followed by the 55-59 years age group.

Employment Trend

Agriculture has remained the largest employer in the Bland Shire since 1991.

The largest increase in employment since 1991 occurred in the wholesale trade industry. The largest decrease occurred in the finance and insurance industry.

In 2001, female employment was most common in the agriculture, retail and health and community service industries.

In contrast, male employment was most heavily concentrated in the agriculture sector, other industries with a large employment were the retail and construction industries.

Building Approvals

The total value of building approvals in the Bland Shire in 2002 was $3.2 million. The average price of building approvals was $179,000.

The value of residential building approvals grew by 50.7% p.a. between 1998 and 2002. This is lower than the average growth of 55% for NSW and the Riverina (43.7%).

The building boom experienced over the past couple of years has not really affected the Bland Shire.

Volatility between September 1999 and March 2001 can most likely be attributed to the introduction of the GST.