N O R T H E R N I N L A N D N S W
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area
At a GlanceThe Gwydir Shire encompasses a diverse landscape that is both picturesque and productive and is approximately 560 km north of Sydney, 160 km north of Tamworth along the Fossickers Way and 85 km north-west of Inverell.
The southern boundary of the shire is the Nandewar Range where the Gwydir and Namoi Valleys meet. The Horton Valley and Cobbadah District are home to some Australia’s most highly regarded beef cattle studs. These enterprising farmers use the latest artificial breeding and agronomic technology to produce beef of exceptional quality. Meat sheep and merinos that grow high quality wool are also grazed in this area.
The Gwydir River enters the Gwydir Shire where it spills from the Copeton Dam and meanders in a westerly direction through the towns of Bingara and Gravesend. The Gwydir valley is well known for irrigated and dry land cropping as well as livestock production. In addition to the traditional crops of wheat, barley, oats and sorghum, there are olive groves, pecan nut plantations and freshwater fish farms in the Gravesend district.
Heading northwest from the timbered surrounds of the town of Warialda and the close-knit community of Coolatai, the countryside opens into an undulating vista of basalt farmland. This part of the Shire which include the villages of Crooble, Croppa Creek and North Star, is known as the ‘Golden Triangle’. Farmers using advanced farming techniques, such as minimum tillage and satellite guidance systems, produce a variety of high yielding crops such as wheat, barley sorghum, maize, chick peas, canola and cotton to name just a few. This area also has several cattle feed lots which supply grain fed beef to the Australian domestic market and export markets throughout the world.
Both Warialda and Bingara have Hospitals, Aged Care Hostels, Medical Centres, Caravan Parks, Swimming Pools, Pre-schools, Libraries, Tourist Information Centres, and a Mobile Pre-school based at North Star.
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area
Land area (sq. km)
9,262Population
5,104Gross Regional Product ($M)
231Major industries of employment
Education & Training Agriculture(cotton, other broad acre
cropping, cattle)
Health care and
social assistance
Retail trade Accommodation and
food services
Public administration and safety
Average annual wage& salary income
$38,267Average weekly rents
(3 bedroom)
$220Average monthly
mortage
$1,307Median house price
(3 bedroom)
$168,00Average value of private
sector building development
$247,000Contact information for Economic Development Ph: (02) 6724 2000 Warialda Office | (02) 6724 2000 Bingara Officewww.gwydirshire.com
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 3
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 5
Investment Opportunities
Agriculture (cattle and sheep, cropping) have traditionally been the mainstay of the Gwydir economy. There is considerable
scope for mitigating the risks associated with a heavy dependence on agriculture by diversifying the regional economy. It is
important to recognise that logistics pathways are changing in the digital era, and regional economies must take advantage
of this change. The objective is to provide a more stable income base for regional economies to boost their resilience, and
where possible to compete, to engage in more processing/value adding to capture a greater share of the value chain.
There are several investment opportunities of significance in the Gwydir Shire:
Investment Opportunities
Current Projects
Recent and potential projects in the Gwydir Shire include:
• The Living Classroom ($4m) – training agricultural students in new sustainable farming techniques;
• Re-development of the Roxy Theatre in Bingara – now a showcase venue, which attracts entertainers from across
the country.
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 7
Agriculture accessing North Asia - food safety is becoming a critical unique selling point as Asian affluence
grows. There are significant price premiums to be gained by becoming a trusted supplier. This is all about
brand recognition – not just ‘branding’. There are opportunities to develop the technology which makes
agricultural products traceable for North Asian/Chinese consumers;
Forestry – significant public and private native cypress and hardwood forest resources in the shire. This
provides scope for investment in timber processing and renewable energy options based around biomass
including wood pellet manufacturing for domestic and industrial heating. The export market for wood pellets
in Europe is growing rapidly. There is also a significant market for hardwood timber landscaping products into
Brisbane;
Aged care – there is potential for further expansion of housing for the aged by private developers, and for
upgrades to existing health facilities to compliment and aging population
Tourism – the abundance of natural assets in the region provides opportunities for adventure and nature
based tourism such as gem fossicking, 4WD tours, nature tours, B&Bs, mountain biking, farm stays, the Bingara
glacial area, Myall Creek indigenous site and fishing. Also scope for re-vitalising the previously popular back-
packer tourism activities in the region;
Renewable Energy – significant forestry and agricultural residues in the Gwydir region provide investment
potential for biomass-based renewable energy businesses. There is also significant opportunity for solar
power;
Transport – upgrading the Warialda to Bingara and Narrabri to Bingara roads in an investment which will
benefit both freight, business and tourism opportunities.
Community Profile
Population
• Gwydir Shire LGA has a significant proportion of its population in the working-age category, which is a benefit to business
investors in the region.
Education
• 14.9 % had ‘Certificate Level’ qualification
• 4.9 % had ‘Bachelor Degree Level’
• 4.5 % were ‘Advanced Diploma and Diploma Level’ qualified
Lifestage (%) - Gwydir
0-4 years (pre-school age) 6.57%
5-19 years (school age / dependants) 17.95%
20-64 years (working age) 52.77%
65-74 years (retirement) 13.13%
75+ years (elderly) 9.59%
Certificate Level 14.94%
Bachelor Degree Level 4.87%
Advanced Diploma and Diploma Level 4.47%
Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate Level 0.66%
Postgraduate Degree Level 0.56%
Other 74.48%
Highest Qualification (%) - Gwydir
Population by Age Bracket
0-4 years
5-9 years
10-14 years
15-19 years
20-24 years
25-29 years
30-34 years
35-39 years
40-44 years
45-49 years
50-54 years
55-59 years
60-64 years
65 years and over
Age
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Males Females
Business Activity
Over $2 million 1%
$0 - $50,000 34%
$50,000 - $99,000 17%
$100,000 - $199,999 17%
$200,000 - $499,000 18%
$500,000 - $1,999,999 13%
Businesses by Turnover
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 9
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Mining
Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
Construction
Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade
Accommodation and Food Services
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
Information Media and Telecommunications
Financial and Insurance Services
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
Professional, Scientific and Technical...
Administrative and Support Services
Public Administration and Safety
Education and Training
Health Care and Social Assistance
Arts and Recreation Services
Other Services
Currently unknown
Businesses by Industry 2013
0 100 200 300 400 500
Value-Added by sector
This graph shows the value that is added by
industry sectors in Gwydir to intermediate
inputs. The total value-added estimate for
Gwydir is $209.676 million. Value-added
is a reflection of the returns to capital
and labour generated by each sector and
hence the potential profits which can be
re-invested.
Gross Regional Product• Per Capita Gross Regional Product
$47,000
• Per Worker Gross Regional Product
$149,000
• The graph to the right shows the gross
revenue generated by businesses and
organisations in Gwydir. The total
output estimate for Gwydir is $407.753
million.
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Rental, Hiring & Real Estate Services
Public Administration & Safety
Health Care & Social Assistance
Education & Training
Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services
Retail Trade
Wholesale Trade
Construction
Transport, Postal & Warehousing
Financial & Insurance Services
Accommodation & food Services
Manufacturing
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Other Services
Information Media & Telecommunications
Mining
Arts & Recreation Services
Administrative & Support Services
Value-Added ($M) - Gwydir (Apr 2016)
Indu
stry
Sec
tor
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
$M
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Rental, Hiring & Real Estate Services
Public Administration & Safety
Construction
Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services
Health Care & Social Assistance
Wholesale Trade
Education & Training
Retail Trade
Transport, Postal & Warehousing
Accommodation & Food Services
Financial & Insurance Services
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Other Services
Information Media & Telecommunications
Mining
Arts & Recreation Services
Administration & Support Services
Output ($M) - Gwydir (Apr 2016)
Indu
stry
Sec
tor
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
$M
Housing and Construction Building Approvals and Construction (February 2016)
Property and Land (April 2016)
House Prices (realestate.com.au)
The median sales price for houses in Bingara in the last year was $168,000. The median sales price for houses in Warialda in the last year
was $140,000.
Newhouses
no.
11
New otherresidentialbuilding
no.
0
Totaldwellingsno.
no.
11
Value ofnew houses
$’000
2,211
Value of newother residentialbuilding
$’000
0
Value of alterations &additions includingconversions residentialbuilding
$’000
133
Value of total residential buildings
$’000
2,344
Value of non-residentalbuilding
$’000
6,658
Value of totalbuilding
$’000
9,002
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 11
Employment This graph shows the number of employees whose place of work is located within Gwydir. The total employment estimate for Gwydir is
1,555 jobs.
Not in the labour force 1,753 35.31%
Employed, worked full-time 1,371 27.61%
Employed, worked part-time 525 10.5%
Employed, away from work 134 2.70%
Unemployed, looking for full-time work 78 1.57%
Unemployed, looking for part-time work 31 0.62%
Not stated 133 2.68%
Not applicable 940 18.93%
Total 4,965 100.00%
Labour Force Status Gwydir (2011)
Persons %
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Health Care & Social Assistance
Eductaion & Training
Public Administration & Safety
Retail Trade
Accommodation & Food Services
Transport, Postal & Warehousing
Construction
Wholesale Trade
Manufacturing
Other Services
Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Administrative & Support Services
Arts & Recreation Services
Financial & Insurance Services
Information Media & Telecommunications
Mining
Rental, Hiring & Real Estate Services
Employment (jobs) - Gwydir (Apr 2016)
Indu
stry
Sec
tor
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Jobs
Tourism
This graph shows the gross revenue generated by businesses and organisations in Gwydir to service demand generated by tourists to
the area. The total value of tourism related output for Gwydir is estimated at $12.535 million.
Not in the labour force 1,753 35.31%
Employed, worked full-time 1,371 27.61%
Employed, worked part-time 525 10.5%
Employed, away from work 134 2.70%
Unemployed, looking for full-time work 78 1.57%
Unemployed, looking for part-time work 31 0.62%
Not stated 133 2.68%
Not applicable 940 18.93%
Total 4,965 100.00%
Key Attractions:
• Free camping
• Fishing
• Birdwatching
• Heritage walks
• Horse riding
• Fossicking
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 13
Accommodation & Food Services
Transport, Postal & Warehousing
Manufacturing
Retail Trade
Ownership of Dwellings
Arts & Recreation Services
Wholesale Trade
Health Care & Social Assistance
Rental. Hiring & Real Estate Services
Other Services
Information Media & Telecommunications
Financial & Insurance Services
Construction
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Administrative & Support Services
Public Administration & Safety
Eductaion & Training
Electricity, Gas, Water & Waste Services
Mining
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Output attributable to Tourism ($M) - Gwydir (Apr 2016)
Indu
stry
Sec
tor
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
$M
Climate
For More InformationPlease contact Ph: (02) 6724 2000 Warialda Office | (02) 6724 2000 Bingara Office
Data sourced from• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• REMPLAN 2016
• NSW Land and Property Information Service
• Realestate.com.au
• Destination NSW
• Bureau of Meteorology
Mea
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m)
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0Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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Mea
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BINGARA
Created on TUE 3 MAY 2016 16:33 PM AEST
Month
054004 Mean maximum temperature (oC)
054004 Mean rainfall (mm)
Gwydir Shire Local Government Area 15
N O R T H E R N I N L A N D N S W