Clarence Valley Council

Clarence Valley Council is a local government area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.

The council services an area of and draws its name from the Clarence River, which flows through most of the council area. The area under management is adjacent to the Pacific Highway, the Gwydir Highway and the North Coast railway line. The Clarence Valley region includes the coastal plain and lower valleys of the Clarence and Nymboida river. Most of the valley is agricultural; however, the oceanside towns of Yamba and Iluka are popular holiday resorts.

The council was formed in February 2004 by the merger of the City of Grafton and Maclean Shire, and parts of Copmanhurst, Pristine Waters and Richmond Valley local government areas, and the activities of North Coast Water and Clarence River County Council.

The mayor of Clarence Valley Council is Ray Smith. The Deputy Mayor is Greg Clancy.

Towns and localities

Towns and localities in the Clarence Valley Council are:

Alice Alumy Creek Angourie Ashby Ashby Heights Ashby Island Banyabba, Barretts Creek, Baryulgil Billys Creek Blaxlands Creek Braunstone Brooms Head Brushgrove Buccarumbi Bulldog Calamia Calliope Cangai Carnham Carrs Creek Carrs Island Carrs Peninsula Chambigne Chatsworth Clarenza Clifden Coaldale Coldstream Coombadjha Coongbar Copmanhurst Coutts Crossing Cowper Dalmorton Deep Creek (Clarence Valley) Deep Creek (Kyogle) Diggers Camp Dilkoon Dirty Creek Dundurrabin Eatonsville Eighteen Mile Elland Ewingar Fine Flower Fortis Creek Gilletts Ridge Glenreagh Glenugie Goodwood Island Grafton Great Marlow Gulmarrad Gurranang Halfway Creek Harwood Heifer Station Hernani Ilarwill Iluka Jackadgery Jacky Bulbin Jacky Bulbin Flat James Creek Junction Hill Kangaroo Creek Keybarbin Koolkhan Kremnos Kungala Kyarran Lanitza Lavadia Lawrence Levenstrath Lilydale Lionsville Louisa Creek Lower Southgate Maclean Malabugilmah Marengo Micalo Island Minnie Water Moleville Creek Mookima Wybra Moonpar Mororo Mountain View Mylneford Newbold Newton Boyd Nymboida Palmers Channel Palmers Island Pikapene Pillar Valley Pulganbar Punchbowl Ramornie Rushforth Sandon Sandy Crossing Seelands Shannondale Shark Creek Sherwood Smiths Creek South Arm South Grafton Southampton Southgate Stockyard Creek Swan Creek Taloumbi The Freshwater The Pinnacles The Sandon The Whiteman Townsend Trenayr Tucabia Tullymorgan Tyndale Tyringham Ulmarra Upper Copmanhurst Upper Corindi Upper Fine Flower Warragai Creek Warregah Island Waterview Waterview Heights Wells Crossing Whiteman Creek Winegrove Wombat Creek Woodford Island Woody Head Wooli Wooloweyah Woombah Yamba

Heritage listings The Clarence Valley Council has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: High Conservation Value Old Growth forest

Demographics At the , there were people in the Clarence Valley local government area, of these 49.4 per cent were male and 50.6 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5.7 per cent of the population which is more than double the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Clarence Valley Council area was 46 years; some 10 years higher than the national median. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 18.6 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 21.3 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 49.3 per cen% were married and 14.6% were either divorced or separated.

Population growth in the Clarence Valley Council area between the and the 2011 Census was 3.15 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.32 per cent, population growth in the Clarence Valley local government area was lower than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Clarence Valley Council area was significantly below the national average, being one of the factors that place the Clarence Valley Council area in an area of social disadvantage.

At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Clarence Valley local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 82 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 64 per cent of all residents in the Clarence Valley Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was above the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Clarence Valley local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (3.1 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (94.0 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).

Selected historical census data for Clarence Valley local government areaCensus year 20062011 2016Population Estimated residents on census night LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales th th% of New South Wales population 0.72% 0.68%% of Australian population 0.24% 0.23% 0.22%Cultural and language diversity Ancestry,top responses Australian 34.6% 33.2%English 31.9% 31.4%Irish 9.0% 9.1%Scottish 8.3% 8.6%German 3.4% 3.4%Language,top responses(other than English) German 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%Cantonese 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%Spanish n/c 0.1% 0.1%Mandarin n/c n/c 0.1%Dutch 0.1% 0.2% 0.1%Religious affiliation Religious affiliation,top responses No religion 15.3% 19.0% 26.4%Anglican 32.0% 30.6% 25.7%Catholic 22.5% 22.1% 20.0%Not stated n/c n/c 10.4%Presbyterian and Reformed 7.4% 6.7% 6.0%Median weekly incomes Personal income Median weekly personal income 333 396 477% of Australian median income 71.5% 68.6% 72.1%Family income Median weekly family income A$631 A$924 A$1133% of Australian median income 61.4% 62.4% 65.3%Household income Median weekly household income A$781 A$768 A$910% of Australian median income 66.7% 62.2% 63.3%

Council

Current composition and election method Clarence Valley Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as one entire ward. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 14 September 2024, and the makeup of the council is as follows:

PartyCouncillors Independents 6 Independent National 2 Greens 1 Total 9

The current Council, elected in 2024, in order of election, is:

CouncillorPartyNotes Cristie Yager Independent Councillor Peter Johnstone Independent National Councillor Greg Clancy Greens Deputy Mayor Ray Smith Independent Mayor Alison Whaites Independent National Councillor Shane Causley Independent Councillor Lynne Cairns Independent Councillor Debrah Novak Independent Councillor Karen Toms Independent Councillor

Election results 2024

2021

Clarence Valley Council

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