3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2008-09 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/03/2010   
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TASMANIA



State summary

Regional variations

Municipal growth

Population change in west coast mining and north-western farming regions

Population change in Tasmanian cities

Population density

Centre of population

Local government area populations



STATE SUMMARY

Tasmania's estimated resident population grew by 5,400 people in 2008-09 to 503,300, an increase of 1.1% for the year. This was the lowest growth rate of any state or territory, but above the 1.0% annual growth of the previous year and above the five year annual average growth of 0.8%. Tasmania's population, as a proportion of Australia's population, remained steady at 2.3% at June 2009.

SLA POPULATION CHANGE, Tasmania - 2008-09
Diagram: SLA POPULATION CHANGE, Tasmania—2008–09


REGIONAL VARIATIONS

In 2008-09, the population in all four of Tasmania's SDs increased. The fastest growth was in Southern (1.5%), followed by Greater Hobart (1.2%), Mersey-Lyell (1.1%) and Northern (0.7%). The largest growth was in Greater Hobart (up 2,600 people), followed by Mersey-Lyell (1,200), Northern (1,000) and Southern (550). Greater Hobart accounted for 42.1% of Tasmania's population, followed by Northern (28.1%), Mersey-Lyell (22.3%) and Southern (7.4%). In the five years to June 2009, Greater Hobart's share of Tasmania's population increased while the shares in Northern and Mersey-Lyell declined slightly.

MUNICIPAL GROWTH

Most of Tasmania's 29 LGAs experienced population growth in the year to June 2009. Brighton (M) in the south of the state and Latrobe (M) in the north, were the fastest-growing LGAs (3.9% and 3.0% respectively). The largest municipal growth occurred in the south with Kingborough (M) (650 people), Brighton (M) (600) and Clarence (C) (590). Three of the five fastest-growing LGAs were within commuting distance of inner-city Hobart, as were four of the five LGAs with the largest growth.

LGAs WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, Tasmania

ERP at 30 June
Population Change
2009p
2008r-2009p
LGA
no.
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

Kingborough (M)
33 500
650
2.0
Brighton (M)
15 800
600
3.9
Clarence (C)
52 100
590
1.2
Sorell (M)
13 100
320
2.5
Devonport (C)
25 500
290
1.1

FASTEST GROWTH

Brighton (M)
15 800
600
3.9
Latrobe (M)
9 600
280
3.0
Sorell (M)
13 100
320
2.5
Kentish (M)
6 300
150
2.4
Tasman (M)
2 400
60
2.4



POPULATION CHANGE IN WEST COAST MINING AND NORTH-WESTERN FARMING REGIONS

The West Coast (M) LGA, which contains many of Tasmania's mines, showed slight growth (0.3%) in 2008-09. Central Highlands (M), an agricultural region in central Tasmania, was the only LGA with a population over 2,000 to show any decline in population, decreasing by 0.7% over the year.

POPULATION CHANGE IN TASMANIAN CITIES

All six Tasmanian cities experienced population growth in the year to June 2009. Clarence (C), on the eastern shore of Hobart's Derwent River, grew the most (590 people), followed by Devonport (C) (290) in the state's north-west. Clarence experienced the fastest growth (1.2%), followed by Devonport and Burnie, in the north-west of the state (1.1% and 0.9% respectively).

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2009, the population density of Tasmania was 7.4 people per square kilometre (sq km). The capital city SD of Greater Hobart had a population density of 160 people per sq km, much lower than Australian capital cities combined (370 people per sq km).

At June 2009, the most densely populated SLAs in the Greater Hobart SD were Hobart (C) - Inner (820 people per sq km) and Hobart (C) - Remainder (640). Sorell (M) - Pt A, to the north-east of the city, was the least densely populated at 50 people per sq km.

Brighton (M), to the north, had the largest increase in population density from June 2008 to June 2009, increasing by 3.5 people per sq km, followed by Hobart (C) - Remainder (3.4). All SLAs in the Greater Hobart SD increased by less than 4.0 people per sq km over this period, while the SLA of Hobart (C) - Inner decreased in density by 20 people per sq km.

POPULATION DENSITY, Greater Hobart SD - June 2009
Diagram: POPULATION DENSITY, Greater Hobart SD—June 2009


CENTRE OF POPULATION

Tasmania's centre of population at June 2009 was north-west of Woods Lake in the LGA of Central Highlands (M). In the five years to June 2009, the centre moved roughly 0.7 kilometres south-east, reflecting continued population growth in Hobart.

For the Greater Hobart SD, the centre of population at June 2009 was in the Hobart Royal Botanical Gardens, in the suburb of Queens Domain.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA POPULATIONS

For a full list of LGA populations, see the Downloads tab.