Wakefield Regional Council

Wakefield Regional Council South Australia
Location of Wakefield Regional Council
Population:	6,756(2009)[1]
Area:	3469.4 km² (1,339.5 sq mi)
Mayor:	James Maitland
Council Seat:	Balaklava
Region:	Mid North
State District:	Frome, Goyder
Federal Division:	Wakefield, Grey
Website: http://www.wakefieldrc.sa.gov.au/
LGAs around Wakefield Regional Council: Barunga West Port Pirie Northern Areas Gulf St Vincent Wakefield Regional Council Clare and Gilbert Valleys Gulf St Vincent District Council of Mallala Light

Offices in Balaklava

Wakefield Regional Council is a local government administrative body in South Australia.

Towns and communities

The Wakefield Regional Council includes the following townships located in the area:^[2]

Alma Avon Balaklava Barabba Hill Barunga Barunga Gap Beaufort Blyth Boucaut Bowillia Bowmans Brinkworth Bumbunga Burnsfield

Cameron Condowie Condowie Plains Corcondo Dalkey Erith Everard Everard Central Goyder Halbury Hamley Bridge Hart Hope Gap Hoskins Corner

Hoyleton Inkerman Kallora Kybunga Lakeview Lochiel Lorne Maro Creek Marola Mount Templeton Mundoora Nantawarra Owen Pinery

Port Wakefield Proof Range Rochester Saints Salter Springs Snowtown Stockyard Creek Stow Watchman Whitwarta Wokurna

History

The body came into being on 1 July 1997, as a result of the amalgamation of the former District Councils of:

• Blyth-Snowtown and
• Wakefield Plains.

The amalgamation occurred when much of the boundary reform of the local government was coming from the State Government as a result of various provisions contained in the "Local Government Act 1934". As a result, the number of local councils in South Australia was reduced from 118 to 68 by the deadline of 30 June 1999. The extent of this reform was in-line with the Australian Federal Government's overall broader micro-economic reform plans.

The area falling under Wakefield Regional Council (WRC) has been much affected by local government boundary changes that have taken place since the early 1980s. Before 1983 the area consisted of five local government district councils which have now all been subsumed into the WRC.

The Council's development plans are set out in the Green Paper.

Geography

On the west side of Wakefield council area is the coastal fringe along the north east of Gulf St Vincent and the Hummocks and Barunga ranges. The area spans wide fertile plains to the north Mount Lofty Ranges on its eastern border. Immediately to the east of the Hummocks and Barunga ranges are a series are low-lying salt lakes, of which Lake Bumbunga is the largest.^[3]

Transport

The regional area is well served by a developed transport and communication networks. The main roads, which include the Stuart Highway, are all sealed and there are well maintained minor gravel roads. There is no rail service for passengers in the council area, but it is traversed by the national Sydney-Perth line as well as by the state rail network.

Demographics

The population of Wakefield Regional Council is 6,756 (2009 estimate).^[4]

The council recorded a net decrease in its population of 4.2% between 1991-2001, about 27 people per annum. In 2001, the median age of the population was 39, an increase of 5 years since 1991, indicating a trend towards an aging population.

The council's geographical area covers 3,469.4 square kilometres (1,339.5 sq mi) in which 2,695 kilometres (1,675 mi) of road existed at 30 June 2002. As at 1 July 2005, the total assessed value within the council area was $1,354,733,680 (capital value).

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (30 March 2010). "Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2008–09". http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3218.0Main%20Features72008-09?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3218.0&issue=2008-09&num=&view=. Retrieved 4 June 2010. 
2. ^ "Wakefield Regional Council". http://www.lga.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=4197. 
3. ^ , Wakefield Regional Council, p. 4, http://www.wakefieldrc.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/employmentOpportunity/200810EHOInformationKit.PDF, retrieved 14 July 2011 
4. ^ "National Regional Profile: Wakefield (DC) (Local Government Area)". National Regional Profiles. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 22 November 2010. http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[e-mail]/Latestproducts/LGA48130Population/People12005-2009?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=LGA48130&issue=2005-2009. Retrieved 26 September 2011. 

External links

• Council website
• Map of Council Jurisdiction
• Council By Laws and policies
• Yorke Peninsula website

Coordinates: 34°08′51″S 138°24′56″E / 34.1475°S 138.415555556°E / -34.1475; 138.415555556