# Snowy Monaro Regional Council

The Snowy Monaro Regional Council is a local government area located in the Snowy Mountains and Monaro regions of New South Wales, Australia. The council was formed on 12 May 2016 through a forced merger of the Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River shires.
The council comprises an area of 15,162 square kilometres (5,854 sq mi) and occupies the higher slopes of the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range between the Australian Capital Territory to the north and the state boundary with Victoria to the south. At the time of its establishment the council had an estimated population of 20,707. Its population at the 2021 census was 21,666.
The Mayor of the Snowy Monaro Regional Council is Chris Hanna since 21 September 2023.

## Towns and localities

The following towns are located within Snowy Monaro Regional Council:
* Adaminaby
* Berridale
* Bombala
* Cooma
* Delegate
* Jindabyne
* Nimmitabel
The following localities are located within Snowy Monaro Regional Council:
* Ando
* Anembo
* Anglers Reach
* Arable
* Avonside
* Badja
* Beloka
* Bibbenluke
* Billilingra
* Binjura
* Blue Cow
* Bobundara
* Bolaro
* Braemar Bay
* Bredbo
* Buckenderra
* Bumbalong
* Bungarby
* Bunyan
* Burra (part)
* Carlaminda
* Chakola
* Cathcart
* Clear Range
* Colinton
* Coolringdon
* Cootralantra
* Corrowong
* Countegany
* Crackenback
* Craigie
* Creewah
* Dairymans Plains
* Dalgety
* Dangelong
* Dry Plains
* East Jindabyne
* Eucumbene
* Frying Pan
* Glen Allen
* Glen Fergus
* Gooandra
* Greenlands
* Grosses Plain
* Guthega
* Hill Top
* Ingebirah
* Ironmungy
* Jerangle
* Jimenbuen
* Jingera
* Kalkite
* Kiandra
* Kybeyan
* Long Plain
* Lords Hill
* Maffra
* Merriangaah
* Michelago
* Middle Flat
* Middlingbank
* Mila
* Moonbah
* Murrumbucca
* Myalla
* Nimmo
* Numbla Vale
* Numeralla
* Nungar
* Old Adaminaby
* Palarang
* Paupong
* Peak View
* Perisher
* Pine Valley
* Polo Flat
* Quidong
* Rhine Falls
* Rock Flat
* Rockton
* Rocky Plain
* Rose Valley
* Rosemeath
* Shannons Flat
* Smiggin Holes
* Springfield
* Steeple Flat
* Tantangara
* The Angle
* The Brothers
* Thredbo
* Tinderry
* Tolbar
* Tombong
* Tuross
* Wambrook
* Williamsdale (part)
* Winifred
* Yaouk

## Heritage listings

The Snowy Monaro Region has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* Bombala, Goulburn-Bombala railway: Bombala railway station
* Bombala, 91 Main Road: Crankies Plain Bridge
* Bredbo, Goulburn-Bombala railway: Bredbo Rail Bridge
* Cooma, Bradley Street: Cooma railway station
* Cooma, 59 – 61 Lambie Street: Royal Hotel
* Cooma, Sharp Street: Rock Bolting Development Site
* Eucumbene, Old Adaminaby and Lake Eucumbene
* Kiandra: Kiandra Courthouse
* Kiandra: Matthews Cottage

## Demographics

The population for the predecessor councils was estimated in 2013 as:
* 2,401 in Bombala Shire
* 10,073 in Cooma-Monaro Shire and
* 8,087 in Snowy River Shire.
At the 2021 census there were 21,666 people in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area; of these 51.5% were male and 48.5% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.1% of the population; the NSW and Australian averages are 3.4 and 3.2% respectively. The median age of people in the Snowy Monaro Regional Council was 43 years; the national median is 38 years. 78.9% of the population were born in Australia and 85.8% of households only speak English at home.
Selected historical census data for Snowy Monaro Regional Council local government area :
| Census year | Census year | 2016 | 2021 |
| Population | Estimated residents on census night | 20,218 | 21,666 |
| Population | LGA rank in terms of population size within New South Wales | 69th | 68th |
| Population | % of New South Wales population | 0.27% | 0.27% |
| Population | % of Australian population | 0.09% | 0.09% |
| Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Australian | 41.3% | 39.8% |
| Ancestry, top responses | English | 39.2% | 39.8% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Irish | 12.3% | 12.8% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Scottish | 11.0% | 12.5% |
| Ancestry, top responses | German | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | German | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | Italian | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | Mandarin | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | French | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | Dutch | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | Thai | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Language, used at home (other than English) | Spanish | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | No religion, so described | 29.8% | 41.6% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Catholic | 23.6% | 20.3% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Anglican | 20.4% | 16.0% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Not stated | 12.2% | 9.2% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Uniting Church | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | | |
| Personal income | Median weekly personal income | A$675 | A$835 |
| Personal income | % of Australian median income | 102.0% | 103.7% |
| Family income | Median weekly family income | A$1,569 | A$2,092 |
| Family income | % of Australian median income | 90.5% | 98.7% |
| Household income | Median weekly household income | A$1,200 | A$1,593 |
| Household income | % of Australian median income | 83.4% | 91.2% |

## Council

The Snowy Monaro Regional Council comprises eleven Councillors elected proportionally in a single ward. The Councillors elected for a fixed four-year term of office with effect from 4 December 2021 were: Hanna was re-elected mayor while Hopkins became deputy mayor in the 2024 council elections. New councillor Andrew Thaler was sworn in October 2024.
| Councillor | Party | Notes |
| Christopher Hanna | Independent | Current Mayor 2023– |
| Tanya Higgins | Labor | Deputy Mayor 2022-24 |
| Narelle Davis | Independent | Mayor 2022–2023 |
| Tricia Hopkins | Independent | Deputy mayor 2024- |
| Karlee Johnson | Independent | Elected as Karlee Pateman, switched to using her married name shortly thereafter. |
| Bob Stewart | Independent | Re-elected |
| Lynda Summers | Labor | |
| Luke Williamson | Independent | Elected via countback in August 2022, following resignation of John Last. |
| John Last | Independent | Resigned July 2022. Replaced by Luke Williamson following countback. |
| John Castellari | The Greens | Resigned August 2022. Replaced by Craig Mitchell following countback. |
| Peter Beer | Independent | Re-elected |
| Louise Frolich | Independent | |
| Craig Mitchell | Independent | Elected via countback in October 2022, following resignation of John Castellari. |
| Andrew Thaler | Independent | Elected 2024 |

## Election results
### 2024

2024 New South Wales local elections: Snowy Monaro :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | 1. Chris Hanna (elected 1) 2. Tricia Hopkins (elected 6) 3. Karlee Johnson 4. Cindy Chawner 5. Anne O'Leary 6. Guy Palframan | 2,130 | 18.5 | −20.0 |
| | Labor | 1. Tanya Higgins (elected 2) 2. Lynda Summers (elected 7) 3. Bill Walker 4. Anthony Garvin 5. Penny Judge 6. Kylie Phillips | 1,924 | 16.7 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | 1. Bob Stewart (elected 3) 2. Nick Elliott (elected 9) 3. Megan Downie 4. Cathy Ingram 5. Suzanne Bate 6. Richard Murphy 7. Michael Downie | 1,734 | 15.0 | +7.1 |
| | Team Williamson | 1. Luke Williamson (elected 4) 2. Mick Newman 3. Vele Civijovski 4. Hamish Williamson 5. Michael Freeman 6. Nicholas Kopievsky 7. Katherine Corbett | 1,505 | 13.0 | +9.7 |
| | Reuben Rose Group | 1. Reuben Rose (elected 5) 2. Chris Chan 3. Sidonie Carpenter 4. Stuart McKenzie 5. Shawn Joynt 6. Jeremy Meeks | 1,293 | 11.2 | |
| | John Rooney's Blue Team | 1. John Rooney (elected 11) 2. Anna Lucas 3. Bernard Rooney 4. Adrian Ljubic 5. Fiona Foster 6. Catherine Turnbull | 585 | 5.1 | +3.3 |
| | Independent | 1. Andrew Thaler (elected 10) 2. Charles Kolano 3. Nicolaas Luntungan 4. Michal Chotar 5. Faye Simpson 6. Allen Simpson 7. Kylie Paske | 545 | 4.7 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | Narelle Davis (elected 8) | 342 | 3.0 | |
| | Independent | Lynley Miners | 314 | 2.7 | |
| | Independent | Craig Mitchell | 231 | 2.0 | −0.5 |
| | Independent | Vickie Pollard | 202 | 1.8 | −0.6 |
| | Independent | Maree Stevenson | 175 | 1.5 | |
| | Independent | Peter Beer | 170 | 1.5 | −2.4 |
| | Shooters, Fishers, Farmers | Mathieu Nolte | 140 | 1.2 | |
| | Independent | 1. James Gilbert 2. Lionel Harris 3. Dave Chatterton | 133 | 1.2 | |
| | Independent | Rachelle Edwards | 51 | 0.4 | |
| | Independent | Bernie McDonald | 35 | 0.3 | |
| | Independent | Barry Bridges | 19 | 0.2 | |
| | Independent | Oliver Moran | 13 | 0.1 | |
| | Independent | Malcolm Bruce | 8 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 11,547 | 92.9 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 880 | 7.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,427 | 83.5 | |