City of Hawkesbury

The City of Hawkesbury (formerly Hawkesbury Shire) is a Local Government Area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about 50 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkesbury River.

History
It was first settled by Europeans in 1794 in a bid to acquire arable land to feed the increasing population of the penal colony at Sydney. In April 1794 Governor Grose submitted plans for the First 22 Farms on the Hawkesbury River in the present Pitt Town Bottoms area. By 1811 Governor Lachlan Macquarie established the five Macquarie Towns in the area. They are Windsor, Richmond, Castlereagh, Wilberforce and Pitt Town. Many of the early 19th century buildings still survive today. Ebenezer has the oldest surviving church and school building in Australia.

Demographics
According to the Australian Bureau Statistics, there:

- were 63,732 people as at 30 June 2006, the 34th largest Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 0.9% of the New South Wales population of 6,827,694

- was an increase of 292 people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 58th largest population growth in a Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to less than 0.1% of the 58,753 increase in the population of New South Wales

- was, in percentage terms, an increase of 0.5% in the number of people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 102nd fastest growth in population of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 0.9%

- was an increase in population over the 10 years to 30 June 2006 of 9,202 people or 15.8% (1.6% in annual average terms), the 4th highest rate of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 622,966 or 10% (1.0% in annual average terms) over the same period.

Incomes
According to the Australian Bureau Statistics during 2003-04, there:

- were 26,117 wage and salary earners (ranked 32nd in New South Wales and 95th in Australia, 1.0% of New South Wales's 2,558,415 and 0.3% of Australia's 7,831,856)

- was a total income of $1,014,898,928 (around $1.0 billion) (ranked 34th in New South Wales and 94th in Australia, 0.9% of New South Wales's $107,179,688,262 (around $107 billion) and 0.3% of Australia's $304,034,755,876 (around $304 billion))

- was an estimated average income per wage and salary earner of $38,860 (ranked 44th in New South Wales and 124th in Australia, 94% of New South Wales's $41,407 and 100% of Australia's $38,820)

- was an estimated median income per wage and salary earner of $35,944 (ranked 37th in New South Wales and 100th in Australia, 101% of New South Wales's $35,479 and 105% of Australia's $34,149).

Main suburbs/localities
Until recently Hawkesbury city remained largely rural, but urban expansion within Sydney has since transformed the southern part of the Shire into dormitory suburbs; the lack of quality roads and public transport is a major local issue. The northern part of the Shire still contains some farmlands, as well as a vast area of national park, which will remain untouched due to the inaccessible terrain. It also includes the small town of Bucketty.

Council
Hawkesbury City Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally. The mayor is not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:

The current council, elected in 2008, is: