Tenterfield Shire

The Shire includes the town of Tenterfield and villages including Drake, Jennings, Liston, Legume, Bolivia, Sandy Flat, Stannum, Torrington, Urbenville and Mingoola. Localities include Amosfield, Boonoo Boonoo, Maryland, Sunnyside and Willsons Downfall.

The Tenterfield Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• High Conservation Value Old Growth forest[4]
• Sunnyside, Main Northern railway: Sunnyside rail bridge over Tenterfield Creek[5]
• Tenterfield, Railway Avenue: Tenterfield railway station[6]
• Tenterfield, Manners Street: Tenterfield School of Arts[7]
• Tenterfield, 225 Rouse Street: Tenterfield Post Office[8]

At the 2011 census, there were 6,811 people in the Tenterfield Shire local government area, of these 49.8 per cent were male and 50.2 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 6.8 per cent of the population which is approximately two-and-a-half times above both the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Tenterfield Shire was 47 years; significantly higher than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 19.0 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 20.9 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 50.4 per cent were married and 15.1 per cent were either divorced or separated.[9]

Between the 2001 census and the 2011 census the Tenterfield Shire experienced nominal population growth in both absolute and real terms. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Tenterfield Shire local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[10] The median weekly income for residents within the Tenterfield Shire was significantly below the national average; in some cases, nearly half the national average.[9][11]

Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Tenterfield Shire local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.6 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (92.2 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[9]

Selected historical census data

Selected historical census data for Tenterfield Shire local government area
Census year			2001[10]	2006[11]	2011[9]
Population		Estimated residents on Census night	6,363	6,534	6,811
		LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales		117th
		% of New South Wales population		0.10%	0.10%
		% of Australian population	0.03%	0.03%	0.03%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry, top responses		Australian			31.0%
		English			29.9%
		Irish			10.0%
		Scottish			7.9%
		German			5.4%
Language, top responses (other than English)		Italian	0.8%	0.7%	0.5%
		German	0.3%	0.4%	0.4%
		Bandjalang	n/c	n/c	0.2%
		French	n/c	0.1%	0.1%
		Filipino	n/c	n/c	0.1%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation, top responses		Anglican	31.5%	30.0%	27.6%
		Catholic	24.3%	24.4%	23.8%
		No Religion	10.6%	14.0%	17.9%
		Uniting Church	8.5%	6.9%	5.8%
		Presbyterian and Reformed	6.0%	5.7%	5.3%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income		Median weekly personal income		A$307	A$377
		% of Australian median personal income		65.9%	65.3%
Family income		Median weekly family income		A$695	A$865
		% of Australian median family income		59.4%	58.4%
Household income		Median weekly household income		A$583	A$694
		% of Australian median household income		56.8%	56.2%