Welcome to the Eurobodalla Shire Council Population Forecasts

Eurobodalla Shire is a large rural local government area south of Sydney on the New South Wales South Coast, with major centres at Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma. The coastal areas of the Shire are more strongly oriented towards residential development and tourism, particularly around Batemans Bay. The rural areas along the Princes Hwy corridor are highly productive with dairying and grazing the most notable agricultural industries. Inland areas are highly mountainous and dominated by National Park and State Forest.

The urban centres began as small agricultural service centres and as fishing ports, but have expanded rapidly in population during the post-war period, especially in the last 25 years. This has been a result of the growth in tourism based on increasing affluence, as well as increasing numbers of retirees and improvements in road infrastructure and greater mobility. The area has grown in population particularly as a result of the development of Canberra and the fact that Batemans Bay is the closest beach resort to the City.

The population of Eurobodalla Shire increased notably during the 1980s, before growing at more moderate rates during the 1990s. There was an increase of more than 10,000 persons in the ten years to 1991 to a population of 27,000. Since 1991, population growth has slowed, although a further 10,000 people have been added to the population by 2006.

The primary housing market role that the Shire has played in recent decades was to provide housing for retirees and young families from Sydney and Canberra in a coastal or semi-rural environment. This role is expected to continue in the future, although the amount of infill development in the townships is expected to increase. Infill housing should improve options for access to services and facilities in established towns and provide a greater diversity in housing stock.

Although the majority of areas in Eurobodalla Shire attract a combination of young and mature families and retirees, there are some differences between areas. Urban Moruya-Moruya Heads and Broulee - Tomakin - Mossy Point tend to attract a higher share of young families, while Narooma - North Narooma - Kianga, Surfbeach - Batehaven - Sunshine Bay - Denhams Beach and Malua Bay - Lilli Pilli - Rosedale - Guerilla Bay attract a higher share of retirees and older adults. Net migration to Tuross Head is heavily concentrated in retiree age groups, while the rural areas tend to lose persons aged 60 and over as farming households retire to coastal settlements.

There are also significant differences in the supply of future residential land within the Shire which will also have a major influence in structuring different population and household futures over the next five to twenty years. Although residential development opportunities have been identified across most areas of the Shire, the most significant new development opportunities have been identified in Malua Bay - Lilli Pilli - Rosedale - Guerilla Bay, Surfside - Long Beach - Maloneys Beach - North Batemans Bay, Narooma - North Narooma - Kianga and Broulee - Tomakin - Mossy Point. By contrast, relatively smaller amounts of new dwelling gain are anticipated in Tuross Head, Dalmeny and Batemans Bay Rural Hinterland.