# Bland Shire

Bland Shire is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. it covers an area of 8,560 square kilometres (3,310 sq mi). As at the 2016 census the population was 5,995. It is a member of the League of Extraordinary Communities which was established by Dull, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, UK and Boring, Oregon, US.
The major economic activities of the shire are agriculture, mining, transport, tourism and wholesale distribution.

## History

The farm community of Bland Shire was a former gold prospecting site in the Riverina region, centred on West Wyalong.
Bland Shire was ploclaimed on 6 March 1906. The shire was named in honour of William Bland.

## Location and settlements

Bland Shire is located on the boundary between the central west and Riverina regions. The area is adjacent to the Newell and Mid-Western highways.
The largest town and council seat is West Wyalong. The region also includes the towns of Wyalong, Barmedman, Tallimba, Ungarie, Weethalle and Mirrool. The major economic activities of the shire are agriculture, mining, transport, tourism and wholesale distribution.

### Twin towns

In 2013, the community joined Dull in Perthshire, Scotland and Boring in Oregon, US to create a "League of Extraordinary Communities" to group Dull, Boring and Bland as a means of encouraging travel, promoting all three communities.
This grouping is not officially a "twin towns" relationship, as Bland is a shire, Dull is a village, and Boring is a town, and all three have very different population sizes.

## Climate

Average annual rainfall is 480 millimetres (19 in). Average temperature are: maximum 23.3 °C (73.9 °F), minimum 9.5 °C (49.1 °F). The prevailing wind direction is north east in the morning and south west in the afternoon and evening, with predominantly calm conditions.

## Topography, flora and fauna, and geology

Topography is generally undulating or flat, with the altitude ranging from 200 to 486 metres (656–1,594 ft).
Main tree species include: kurrajong, cypress pine, mallee, box, ironbark, belah and wilga. Native pasture plants include: wallaby grasses, Queensland blue grass and plains and wire grass. Native fauna include: water fowl, red and grey kangaroos, echidnas, goannas, possums, bats and mallee fowls.
Soil are predominantly clay with some granite soil and red brown earth, mostly neutral in pH.

## Council
### Current composition and election method

Bland Shire Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally as a single 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 4 December 2021, and the make-up of the council is as follows:
| Party | Councillors |
| Independents | 8 |
| Independent Labor | 1 |
| Total | 9 |
The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election, is:
| Councillor | Party | Notes |
| Kerron Keatley | Unaligned | |
| Elizabeth McGlynn | Unaligned | |
| Brian Monaghan | Independent | Mayor |
| Rodney Crowe | Unaligned | Deputy Mayor |
| Roger Moore | Independent | |
| Tony Lord | Independent Labor | |
| Jill Funnell | Unaligned | |
| Monica Clark | Unaligned |
| Bruce Baker | Unaligned | |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Bland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Brian Monaghan (elected) | 729 | 22.4 | −6.0 |
| | Independent | Holly Brooks (elected) | 364 | 11.2 | |
| | Independent | Elizabeth McGlynn (elected) | 324 | 10.0 | −2.4 |
| | Independent | Emma Henderson (elected) | 311 | 9.6 | |
| | Independent National | Lisa Minogue (elected) | 306 | 9.4 | |
| | Independent | Rodney Crowe (elected) | 264 | 8.1 | −2.5 |
| | Independent | Malcolm Carnegie (elected) | 189 | 5.8 | |
| | Independent | Mark Hoskinson | 176 | 5.4 | |
| | Independent Labor | Tony Lord (elected) | 159 | 4.9 | −1.4 |
| | Independent | Jill Funnell (elected) | 138 | 4.3 | −2.0 |
| | Independent | Roger Moore | 117 | 3.6 | −4.4 |
| | Independent | Glenda Tasker | 63 | 1.9 | |
| | Independent | Alan McGlynn | 55 | 1.7 | |
| | Independent | Bradley Staniforth | 53 | 1.6 | −2.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,248 | 96.3 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 126 | 3.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,374 | 81.7 | |

### 2021

2021 New South Wales local elections: Bland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Brian Monaghan (elected) | 913 | 28.4 |
| | Independent | Elizabeth McGlynn (elected) | 405 | 12.6 |
| | Independent | Kerron Keatley (elected) | 399 | 12.4 |
| | Independent | Rodney Crowe (elected) | 339 | 10.6 |
| | Independent | Roger Moore (elected) | 256 | 8.0 |
| | Independent | Jill Funnell (elected) | 201 | 6.3 |
| | Independent Labor | Tony Lord (elected) | 201 | 6.3 |
| | Independent | Bruce Baker (elected) | 196 | 6.1 |
| | Independent | Monica Clark (elected) | 176 | 5.5 |
| | Independent | Bradley Staniforth | 125 | 3.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,211 | 96.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 131 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,342 | 80.7 |

## Demographics

Selected historical census data for Bland Shire local government area :
| Census year | Census year | Census year | 2011 | 2016 |
| Population | Population | Estimated residents on census night | 5,865 | 5,995 |
| Population | Population | LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | 111th | 109th |
| Population | Population | % of New South Wales population | |
| Population | Population | % of Australian population | |
| Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | English | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Australian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Italian | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Chinese | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Irish | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Italian | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Mandarin | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Cantonese | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Korean | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Greek | |
| Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Catholic | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | No religion | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Anglican | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Eastern Orthodox | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Buddhism | |
| Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | |
| Personal income | Personal income | Median weekly personal income | A$ |
| Personal income | Personal income | % of Australian median income | |
| Family income | Family income | Median weekly family income | |
| Family income | Family income | % of Australian median income | |
| Household income | Household income | Median weekly household income | |
| Household income | Household income | % of Australian median income | |