Population
Written by Graham Wilson
Australian Theme- Peopling Australia.
NSW theme- Ethnic and migration influences.
Local Themes- Activities associated with common cultural traditions and peoples of shared descent, and with exchanges between such traditions and peoples
Local Themes- activities and processes associated with the resettling of people from one place to another and the impacts of such movements
Chinese store, market gardeners, pastoral stationhands, Greek store and business owners, agricultural labourers.
Population change is an indicator of the economic growth and demise of rural towns and surrounding districts. Population changes are related to the development and decline of mining; the arrival and closure of railway lines; the development of closer settlement and consequential small scale farming; the development and closure of a timber industry and the changes in primary and secondary industry brought about by the use of machinery and competition from cheaper imports to the local industry.
Recording of population changes by official censuses has meant that various government at the local, state and federal government could provide services including hospital, schools, post offices, bridges, railways and roadways. Population changes has also meant the loss of services to country areas including the closure of banks, government offices, court houses, police stations and the closure of schools.
The available records indicate the changes of population in the Shire. The publication Bingara 1827-1937 records the following census details for Bingera (Bingara):
Males Females
1861 Bingera Goldfields 1376 529
Bingera Township- less than 90
1871 County of Murchison 1015
Bingera Township- less than 90
1881 Bingera- 400
1891 Bingera- 738
1901 Bingara- 879
The New Atlas of Australia, 1886 published the following population information:
Bingera 414
Barraba 229
Warialda 173
Moree 295
Although Warialda was the first government town established in the region, other towns were beginning to overtake it in development and population.
The following numbers are based on the Census Returns for Warialda:
Males Females Total O.D.
1851 23 22 45
1856 37 28 65
1861 62 48 110
131
1881 268
1891 400
1901 875
1911 960 802 1762
1921 431 417 848
1933 573 542 1115
1947 Warialda 590 534 1124
Warialda Rail 148 130 278
1954 Warialda 638 616 1254
Warialda Rail 146 126 272
1961 Warialda 638 656 1294
Warialda Rail 143 103 246
1966 Warialda 1324
Warialda Rail 236
1971 1291
Bingara
Moores Almanac and NSW Country Directory and Tourist Guide, 1934 1600
Wises NSW Post Office Commercial and Country Directory 1947 1500
Warialda
Moore’s Australian Almanac 1916 1762
Moores Almanac and NSW Country Directory and Tourist Guide, 1934 1200
Wises NSW Post Office Commercial and Country Directory 1947 1115