Tumut Regional Profile

The main regional centre in the Tumut Shire is Tumut which is a regional town situated 390 km west of Sydney on the foothills of the Snowy Mountains.

In 2001 the population of the Tumut Shire was 11,470, an increase of 1% since 1996. During this period the Shire experienced strong growth in the number of people aged over 40.

There are around 4,979 people in the workforce in the Tumut Shire, of which 62% work full-time and 28% work part-time. At the time of the last census 7% of residents were unemployed.

The three largest employers in the Tumut Shire are the agriculture (17.8%), manufacturing (17.3%) and retail (13.3%) industries. The median taxable income for the Tumut Shire is approximately $601 per week.

Demographics

Age Distribution

Between 1996 and 2001 Tumut Shire experienced a growth in population of 1.0%.

During this period, there was a decline of over 6% in the number of people under 40 years of age. The effect of this decline was offset however by an increase in the number of residents aged 40+.

Tumut Shire has a population distribution similar to the state and regional averages, but is slightly skewed towards the older demographics.

Income

The median taxable income for the Tumut Shire is approximately $601 per week. This is lower than the average for the Riverina as a whole.

The highest proportion of residents in the Tumut Shire (15.0%) 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 2.9% of the total population in the Tumut Shire. This is lower than the average for the Riverina region (3.3%) but higher than the average for NSW (2%).

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

Labour Force

Indigenous unemployment is higher in the Tumut Shire than the averages for either the Riverina or NSW.

The level of unemployment for indigenous males is over 10% higher than that of females. There are however, more than twice as many women not in the labour force as men.

The average unemployment rate of indigenous persons in the Tumut Shire (35.3%) is more than five times the unemployment rate for the total population (6.8%).

Education

Level of Education

The most common form of post-school qualification completed by Tumut residents is a certificate (13.2%).

Males tend to pursue certificate qualifications, while females are spread across certificates, bachelor degrees and diploma qualifications.

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

Field of Education

The most common fields of study in the Tumut Shire are engineering technologies, management and commerce and health .

Engineering is the most common field of study for males, with architecture and agriculture also common. Females tend to move into the management, health and education fields.

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

Internet Use

Over 25% of residents in the Tumut Shire use the Internet, with most use occurring in the home.

The level of use of the Internet for males and females is similar with approximately 25% usage rate for both.

Only 0.4% 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 construction (158 jobs created between 1996 and 2001), manufacturing (78 jobs) and transport and storage (42 jobs) industries. This high level of growth is an indication of the strength of the local economy in the Tumut Shire. Overall, average industry growth in the Shire is above state and industry levels.

Employment by Occupation

The most common form of employment in the Tumut Shire are labourers, tradespersons and production and transport occupations.

The dominance of these occupations can be explained by looking at the largest employing industries in the area. Labourers are prominent in both the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. Tradespersons will most likely be concentrated in the manufacturing and building sectors.

Males are mostly employed as tradesmen and production and transport workers while females tend to be employed in clerical or professional occupations.

Tumut has a high proportion of labourers and production and transport workers compared to NSW and the Riverina.

Employment

Labour Force Status

The average rate of unemployment in the Tumut Shire is 6.8% with a participation rate of 54.4%.

The Tumut Shire experienced employment growth of 1.8% between 1996 and 2001. This is low compared to the average rate of growth for the Riverina of 4.0%.

Female unemployment is higher in residents aged 45-54 and 60-64, while males have the higher unemployment rate overall.

Employment Trend

Agriculture has remained the largest employer in the Tumut Shire since 1991. The manufacturing and retail industries have also grown in significance over the ten year period.

The largest increase in employment since 1991 occurred in the manufacturing sector. The largest decrease occurred in the electricity, gas and water supply industry.

Male employment is concentrated in the agriculture and manufacturing industries. Female employment is most common in the retail and health and community services sectors.

Building Approvals

The total value of building approvals in the Tumut Shire in 2002 was $7.1 million. The average price of building approvals was $173,000.

The value of residential building approvals grew by 39.1% 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 Tumut appears to react to the same overall trends experienced across the Riverina. There have however been significant increases and decreases in value which appear to be extreme reactions to market forces.