FIGURES released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed the vast majority of communities in the Northern Tablelands are growing – some quite rapidly.
The ABS report titled Regional Population Growth showed the electorate had seen overall growth rate of 2.6 per cent over five years – 2008 to 2013 – an increase of 2037 residents.
“Given the difficult economic times the region has faced in the last few years, particularly in the midst of a crippling drought, these figures are very impressive and pleasing,” Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said.
“A number of communities are growing at better than the New England North West average and those which are not, aren’t too far off the pace.”
The biggest mover was the Armidale Dumaresq local government area (population of 25,343), with an increase of 770 people over the five year period at a rate of 3.2 per cent.
Inverell (16,727) wasn’t far behind with 609 new residents at 3.8 per cent growth.
Guyra (4645), boosted by a surge in housing development linked to the Costa Group’s tomato farm, had by far and away the best growth rate of the region with a huge 6.8 per cent increase over the last five years.
It bettered Tamworth’s 6.4 per cent increase over the same period.
