Narrandera Regional Profile

The main regional centre in the Narrandera Shire is Narrandera which is a regional town situated 550 km west of Sydney, via the Hume and Sturt Highways. In 2001 the population of the Narrandera Shire was 6,739.

There are around 2,813 people in the workforce in the Narrandera Shire, of which 64% work full-time and 27% work part-time. At the time of the last census 5% of residents were unemployed.

Two of the largest employers in the Narrandera Shire are the agriculture (23.8%) and retail (11.3%) industries. The median taxable income for the Narrandera Shire is approximately $630 per week.

Demographics

Age Distribution

Between 1996 and 2001 Narrandera Shire experienced a decline in population of 9.2%.

The decline in population was due in part to a reduction of 15.8% in the number of people under 40 years of age. There was also significant decline in a number of older demographics especially those ages 60-69.

Narrandera Shire has a population distribution close to the state and regional averages, however it has a lower proportion of residents aged under 65 years.

Income

The median taxable income for the Narrandera Shire is approximately $630 per week. This is lower than the average for the Riverina as a whole.

The highest proportion of residents in the Narrandera Shire (15.3%) earn between $200 and $299 per week.

Average weekly income for females is $385 higher than that of males.

Indigenous Profile

Indigenous Persons

Indigenous persons account for 7.8% of the total population in the Narrandera Shire. This is much higher than the average for the Riverina region (3.3%) and NSW (2%).

While the total population of Narrandera Shire seems to be ageing, the indigenous population is heavily skewed towards younger age groups especially the 0-9 and 20-29 age groups.

Labour Force

Indigenous unemployment is lower in the Narrandera Shire than the averages for either the Riverina or NSW.

The level of unemployment for females is almost 2% higher than that of males, which is unusual given that males tend to have the higher rate. There are also a high number of females not in the labour force.

The average unemployment rate of indigenous persons in the Narrandera Shire (20.4%) is more than four times the unemployment rate for the total population (4.9%).

Education

Level of Education

The most common form of post-school qualification completed by Narrandera residents is a certificate (10%).

Males tend to pursue certificate or bachelor degree qualifications. Female qualifications are also concentrated in certificates, however there are also a large number of bachelor degree and diploma qualifications among this group.

Narrandera has a lower average level of education than both regional and state levels.

Field of Education

The most common fields of study in the Narrandera Shire are engineering, management and education.

Engineering and agriculture are the most common fields of study for males. Females tend to move into the health, education and management fields.

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

Internet Use

Over 23% of residents in the Narrandera Shire use the Internet, with most use occurring in the home.

The level of use of the Internet for females is slightly higher than that of males (25% and 22% respectively).

Only 0.3% of people aged over 65 use the Internet with highest use in the prime working age bracket (25-64 years).

Industry

Industry Performance

Industry in the Narrandera Shire experienced slow growth between 1996 and 2001. Growth due to local factors was strongest in the government administration and defence (48 jobs created) and wholesale trade (46 jobs) industries.

Employment by Occupation

Employment in the Narrandera Shire is concentrated in managers and administrators occupations.

The prevalence of these occupations is attributable to the high number of farmers and small business owners who are classified as managers.

Males are mostly employed as managers, tradespersons and production and transport workers. Females tend to be employed in clerical, managerial or professional occupations.

Narrandera has a high proportion of managers and labourers compared to NSW and the Riverina.

Employment

Labour Force Status

The average rate of unemployment in the Narrandera Shire is 4.9% with a participation rate of 53.7%.

The Narrandera Shire experienced a decline in the number employed of 1.0% between 1996 and 2001. This is can be compared to the average rate of growth for the Riverina of 4.0%.

Female unemployment is higher in residents under 34 years of age, while males have higher unemployment levels in those aged 35-54. Unemployment for those over 55 years of age is zero.

Employment Trend

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

The largest increase in employment since 1991 occurred in the manufacturing sector. The largest decrease occurred in the communication services industry.

Male employment is concentrated in the agriculture, retail and manufacturing industries. A high number of females are also employed in the agriculture sector, while the retail and health sectors are also prominent employers.

Building Approvals

The total value of building approvals in the Narrandera Shire in 2002 was $2.3 million. The average price of building approvals was $164,000.

The value of residential building approvals grew by 26.6% p.a. between 1998 and 2002. This is lower than the average growth of 55% for NSW and the Riverina (43.7%).

The building market in Narrandera appears follow the same general trends as in the Riverina as a whole. The extent to which increases and decreases in value are experienced however are more extreme in the Narrandera Shire.