# Canberra Central

Canberra Central is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Consisting of both the subdivisions of North Canberra and South Canberra. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. The district of Canberra Central lies entirely within the bounds of the city of Canberra, the capital city of Australia.

## Establishment and governance

The traditional custodians of the district are the indigenous people of the Ngunawal tribe.
Following the transfer of land from the Government of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government in 1911, the district was established in 1966 by the Commonwealth via the gazettal of the Districts Ordinance 1966 (Cth) which, after the enactment of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988, became the Districts Act 1966. This Act was subsequently repealed by the ACT Government and the district is now administered subject to the Districts Act 2002.

## Location and urban structure

The district of Central Canberra is a set of contiguous residential suburbs consolidated around Lake Burley Griffin, together with a town centre located at Canberra City (also known as Civic), and a range of commercial suburbs, some of which form parts of the Parliamentary Triangle and contain many of Canberra's national monuments and institutions. The district is often known as two separate parts, being the Inner North and Inner South. While some of the other districts in the Australian Capital Territory and within the city of Canberra are well known (e.g. Belconnen, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek, Woden Valley) Canberra Central would less often be thought of as a district outside of its administrative use: more often as the Inner North and Inner South. The district of Canberra Central is mentioned in various ACT legislation.
Canberra Central is bounded on the north by the Gungahlin district, the east by the Majura district, the south-east by the Jerrabombera district (as distinct from the suburb of Jerrabomberra that lies within the Queanbeyan local government area within New South Wales), the south by the district of the Woden Valley, the south-west by the Weston Creek district, and the west and north-west by the Belconnen district.

### Inner North

The Inner North includes the inner north subdivisions (suburbs) of Acton, Ainslie, Braddon, Campbell, City, Dickson, Downer, Hackett, Lyneham, O'Connor, Reid, Russell, Turner and Watson (except for the very north end near the Australian Heritage Village which is in the Majura district). Part of the nature park to the east and south of Mount Majura is also in the Inner North. It also includes Black Mountain and the land south of Lady Denman Drive around Yarramundi Reach, near Lake Burley Griffin.

### Inner South

The Inner South includes the inner south subdivisions (suburbs) of Barton, Capital Hill, Deakin, Forrest, Fyshwick, Griffith, Kingston, Narrabundah, Parkes, Red Hill (except for the Federal Golf Course which is in Woden Valley district), and Yarralumla.

## Demographics

At the 2021 census, there were 92,780 people in the Canberra Central district. Population growth in the Canberra Central district between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.5%; in the five years to the 2011 census, the population grew by 9.7%; in the five years to the 2016 census, the population grew by 10.8%; and in the five years to the 2021 census, the population grew by 16.0%. Population growth in Canberra Central was slower than the national average during the first five years (the national average was 5.8%), but it has been significantly faster since (the national average was 8.3, 8.8% and 8.6% respectively in the last three periods). The median weekly income for residents within the Canberra Central district was significantly higher than the national average.
Selected historical census data for the Canberra Central district :
| Census year | Census year | Census year | 2001 | 2006 | 2011 | 2016 | 2021 |
| Population | Population | Estimated residents on census night | 63,577 | 65,781 | 72,184 | 80,009 | 92,780 |
| Population | Population | District rank in terms of size within the Australian Capital Territory | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd |
| Population | Population | Percentage of the Australian Capital Territory population | | | 20.2% | 20.1% | 20.5% |
| Population | Population | Percentage of the Australian population | 0.34% | 0.33% | 0.34% | 0.34% | 0.36% |
| Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | Cultural and language diversity | | | | | |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | English | | | 32.7% | 33.7% | 34.2% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Australian | | | 32.4% | 28.7% | 29.9% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Irish | | | 14.0% | 14.6% | 14.0% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Scottish | | | 10.7% | 11.2% | 11,5% |
| Ancestry, top responses | Ancestry, top responses | Chinese | | | 4.8% | | 6.9% |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Mandarin | 0.9% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Vietnamese | 0.7% | 0.8% | 1.0% | | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Greek | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.0% | | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Italian | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.0% | | |
| Language, top responses (other than English) | Language, top responses (other than English) | Cantonese | n/c | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.0% | |
| Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | Religious affiliation | | | | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | No Religion | 24.7% | 29.3% | 36.2% | 44.3% | 52.2% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Catholic | 24.0% | 23.4% | 20.8% | 17.2% | 15.3% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Anglican | 17.4% | 15.0% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Uniting Church | 4.2% | 3.7% | 3.1% | | |
| Religious affiliation, top responses | Religious affiliation, top responses | Buddhism | n/c | 2.6% | 3.1% | | |
| Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | Median weekly incomes | | | | | |
| Personal income | Personal income | Median weekly personal income | | A$781 | A$1,013 | A$1,078 | A$1,363 |
| Personal income | Personal income | Percentage of Australian median income | | 167.6% | 175.6% | 139.8% | 154.2% |
| Family income | Family income | Median weekly family income | | A$2,058 | A$2,652 | A$2,825 | A$3,362 |
| Family income | Family income | Percentage of Australian median income | | 175.7% | 141.9% | 152.5% | 149.8% |
| Household income | Household income | Median weekly household income | | A$1,521 | A$2,101 | A$2,100 | A$2,467 |
| Household income | Household income | Percentage of Australian median income | | 148.1% | 170.2% | 137.8% | 134.1% |