Clarence Valley Council facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clarence Valley New South Wales
Location in New South Wales
Population	50,671 (2016 census) 54,115 (2021)
• Density	4.85308/km2 (12.5694/sq mi)
Established	24 February 2004 (2004-02-24)
Area	10,441 km2 (4,031.3 sq mi)
Mayor	Peter Johnstone
Council seat	Grafton and Maclean
Region	Northern Rivers
State electorate(s)	Clarence
Federal Division(s)	Page
Website	Clarence Valley
LGAs around Clarence Valley: Tenterfield Richmond Valley Tasman Sea Glen Innes Severn Clarence Valley Tasman Sea Armidale Bellingen Coffs Harbour

The Clarence Valley Council is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. A local government area is like a special district that manages local services for its residents.

This council looks after an area of about 10,441 square kilometres. It gets its name from the Clarence River, which flows through most of the region. The area is close to major roads like the Pacific Highway and the Gwydir Highway. It also has the North Coast railway line running through it.

The Clarence Valley region includes flat coastal areas and the lower parts of the Clarence and Nymboida rivers. A lot of the valley is used for farming. However, towns like Yamba and Iluka on the coast are popular places for holidays.

The council was created in February 2004. It was formed by joining together the City of Grafton and Maclean Shire, plus parts of other local areas. The current mayor of Clarence Valley Council is Peter Johnstone.

Towns and Communities in Clarence Valley

The Clarence Valley Council looks after many towns and smaller communities. Here are some of them:

About the People of Clarence Valley

Let's look at some facts about the people living in the Clarence Valley local government area.

Population and Age

In 2011, there were about 49,665 people living here. Slightly more than half were female (50.6%). About 5.7% of the people were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This is more than double the average for Australia. The average age of people in the Clarence Valley was 46 years old. This is about 10 years older than the national average.

About 18.6% of the population were children aged 0 to 14 years. People aged 65 and over made up 21.3% of the population.

Growth and Income

Between 2006 and 2011, the population of Clarence Valley grew by 3.15%. This was slower than the average growth for all of Australia, which was 8.32% during the same time.

The average weekly income for households in Clarence Valley was lower than the national average. This means the area faces some social challenges.

Background and Language

In 2011, over 82% of residents said their family background was Australian or Anglo-Celtic. This is higher than the national average of 65.2%. More than 64% of people in Clarence Valley said they were Christian. This is also higher than the national average of 50.2%.

Most households (94%) in Clarence Valley speak only English at home. This is much higher than the national average of 76.8%. Only a small number of households (3.1%) speak two or more languages.

How the Council Works

The Clarence Valley Council is made up of nine councillors. These councillors are chosen by the people living in the area. They are elected for a four-year term. The mayor is chosen by the councillors themselves at their first meeting.

Who are the Councillors?

The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021. Here's how the council is made up:

The councillors elected in 2021 are:

Images for kids

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  Location of Clarence Valley in New South Wales.

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  The logo of the Clarence Valley Council.