Wyong Shire

Wyong Shire was a local government area located in the Central Coast region of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney.
Wyong Shire was located around the coastal lake system of Tuggerah Lake, Budgewoi Lake and Lake Munmorah. The area included a coastal strip from Bateau Bay to Budgewoi, some lakeside towns and residential areas, some inland towns on the coastal plain and a sparsely populated region to the west with the rural townships of Yarramalong, Dooralong, Jilliby, and regions of native bush surrounding Kulnura.
Wyong Shire's administrative centre waslocated in the town of Wyong, and the Council maintained service and information centres at The Entrance, Tuggerah and at Lakehaven Shopping Centre. Wyong Shire and the City of Gosford controlled the Gosford/Wyong Councils' Water Authority, that operates the Mangrove Creek Dam.
In May 2016 Wyong Shire was amalgamated with the City of Gosford to create Central Coast Council. The last Mayor of Wyong Shire was Cr. Doug Eaton, an independent politician.
== Suburbs and localities in the local government area ==
Suburbs, towns and localities in the former Wyong Shire are
==Demographics==
At the , there were people in the Wyong Shire local government area, of these 48.3% were male and 51.7% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.6% of the population which is higher than the national average. The median age of people in the Wyong Shire was 40 years; significantly higher than the national median age of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 20.2% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 18.8% of the population; 34% higher than the national average in this age bracket. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 46.4% were married and 15.0% were either divorced or separated.
Population growth in the Wyong Shire between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 7.10%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 7.11%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Wyong Shire local government area was on par with the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Wyong Shire was significantly lower than the national average.
At the 2011 Census, the proportion of residents in the Wyong Shire local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 81% of all residents (national average was 65.2%). In excess of 65.0% of all residents in the Wyong Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 Census, which was significantly above the national average of 50.2%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Wyong Shire local government area had a lower than average proportion (6.0%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4%); and a significantly higher proportion (91.8%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8%).
Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area	Selected historical census data for Wyong Shire local government area
Census year 	Census year 	Census year 	1991 	1996 	2001 	2006 	2011
Population 	Population 	Estimated residents on Census night 	 	 	 	 	
Population 	Population 	LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 	 	 	 	16th 	
Population 	Population 	% of New South Wales population 	1.76% 	 1.92% 	 2.05% 	 	2.16%
Population 	Population 	% of Australian population 	0.60% 	 0.65% 	 0.70% 	 0.70% 	 0.70%
Cultural and language diversity 	Cultural and language diversity 	Cultural and language diversity 	 	 	 	 	
Ancestry,top responses 	Ancestry,top responses 	Australian 	 	 	 	 	33.6%
Ancestry,top responses 	Ancestry,top responses 	English 	 	 	 	 	31.5%
Ancestry,top responses 	Ancestry,top responses 	Irish 	 	 	 	 	8.4%
Ancestry,top responses 	Ancestry,top responses 	Scottish 	 	 	 	 	7.0%
Ancestry,top responses 	Ancestry,top responses 	German 	 	 	 	 	2.3%
Language,top responses(other than English) 	Language,top responses(other than English) 	Italian 	 	 	0.4% 	 0.4% 	 0.4%
Language,top responses(other than English) 	Language,top responses(other than English) 	Spanish 	 	 	0.2% 	 0.3% 	 0.3%
Language,top responses(other than English) 	Language,top responses(other than English) 	Greek 	 	 	0.2% 	 0.2% 	 0.2%
Language,top responses(other than English) 	Language,top responses(other than English) 	German 	 	 	0.2% 	 0.2% 	 0.2%
Language,top responses(other than English) 	Language,top responses(other than English) 	Cantonese 	 	 	0.2% 	 0.2% 	 0.2%
Religious affiliation 	Religious affiliation 	Religious affiliation 	 	 	 	 	
Religious affiliation,top responses 	Religious affiliation,top responses 	Anglican 	 	 	34.7% 	 32.0% 	 30.4%
Religious affiliation,top responses 	Religious affiliation,top responses 	Catholic 	 	 	27.0% 	 27.4% 	 27.5%
Religious affiliation,top responses 	Religious affiliation,top responses 	No Religion 	 	 	11.6% 	 14.5% 	 17.8%
Religious affiliation,top responses 	Religious affiliation,top responses 	Uniting Church 	 	 	5.2% 	 4.4% 	 3.9%
Religious affiliation,top responses 	Religious affiliation,top responses 	Presbyterian and Reformed 	 	 	3.9% 	 3.6% 	 3.2%
Median weekly incomes 	Median weekly incomes 	Median weekly incomes 	 	 	 	 	
Personal income 	Personal income 	Median weekly personal income 	 	 	 	381 	469
Personal income 	Personal income 	% of Australian median income 	 	 	 	81.8% 	81.3%
Family income 	Family income 	Median weekly family income 	 	 	 	A$770 	A$1,171
Family income 	Family income 	% of Australian median income 	 	 	 	75.0% 	79.1%
Household income 	Household income 	Median weekly household income 	 	 	 	A$1,013 	A$934
Household income 	Household income 	% of Australian median income 	 	 	 	86.5% 	75.7%
==Council==
===Composition and election method===
Wyong Shire Council was composed of ten Councillors elected proportionally as two separate wards (previously known as "ridings"), each electing five Councillors. All Councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The Mayor was elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the Council. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the composition of the Council was:
Party 	Party 	Councillors
 	Independents 	3
 	Australian Labor Party 	3
 	Liberal Party of Australia	2
 	Save Tuggerah Lakes 	2
 	Total 	10
The last Council, elected in 2012, in order of election by ward, was:
Ward 	Councillor	Councillor 	Party 	Notes
A Ward	  	Doug Vincent 	Labor 	
A Ward	  	Luke Nayna 	Liberal 	
A Ward	  	Greg Best 	Independent 	
A Ward	  	Adam Troy 	Save Tuggerah Lakes	
A Ward	  	Ken Greenwald	Labor 	
B Ward	  	Lynne Webster	Liberal 	Deputy Mayor
B Ward	  	Bob Graham 	Independent 	
B Ward	  	Lisa Matthews	Labor 	
B Ward	  	Lloyd Taylor 	Save Tuggerah Lakes	
B Ward	  	Doug Eaton 	Independent 	Mayor
A referendum was held on 8 September 2012 and an absolute majority of voters resolved in favour of the election of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term which necessarily increases the number of Councillors by one. The change will take effect at the next elections in 2016 unless changed by another referendum before then.
=== Mayors ===
==History==
The area now known as Wyong Shire was developed in modern times alongside the Putty Road, connecting Sydney and Hunter Valley. Progressively people started to establish timber cutting and from there dairy and citrus farming in the valleys of the shire. On the opening of the railway in 1889 to Newcastle the focus of commercial activity shift eastward to Wyong town. 
As Wyong town developed this was marked by the opening of the Royal Hotel and the first post office was established. The development of railways locally and within the state was an important aspect in the ongoing sustainment of the local timber industry. In 1903 the Lighthouse at Norah Head was built and the first few houses and tourist accommodations began to appear at The Entrance. In 1947, Wyong Shire was created following the division of the former Erina Shire into two, the other being Gosford Shire.
==Industries and services==
Tourism is an important industry, with the region attracting visitors mainly from within the state. The shire Tourist Information Office is located at The Entrance.
* University of Newcastle (Australia) has a campus at Ourimbah, Wyong Shire
* NSW Police Assistance Line (PAL) call centre operates from Tuggerah Business Park, Wyong Shire
* Woolworths has one of two state distribution centres in the Shire, located at Warnervale
* ING Bank Australia has its main call centre, training facility and backup recovery site at Tuggerah Business Park, Wyong Shire
* Belkin Australia (multinational computer & audiovisual supplier) has its Australian headquarters at Tuggerah Business Park, Wyong Shire
==Sister cities==
Wyong Shire was a sister city to Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
and Southland District, New Zealand until 2010 when ties were severed for financial reasons.
==References==
==External links==
*Wyong Shire Council website
*Central Coast tourism
*Central Coast Regional Development Organisation
*Suburbs and Towns in Wyong Council - NSW Department of Local Government (includes map)
Category:Former local government areas of New South Wales
Category:Central Coast (New South Wales)
Category:2016 disestablishments in Australia