Gungahlin

This article is about the district of the Australian Capital Territory. For the suburb, see Gungahlin, Australian Capital Territory.
Gungahlin
Australian Capital Territory

Gold Creek was typical of the sheep properties of the Gungahlin region prior to development.

Location of Gungahlin, shaded.
Coordinates 35°10′59″S 149°07′59″E / 35.1831°S 149.133°E / -35.1831; 149.133Coordinates: 35°10′59″S 149°07′59″E / 35.1831°S 149.133°E / -35.1831; 149.133
Population 46,971 (2011 census)[1][2]
 • Density 518.44/km2 (1,342.8/sq mi)
Gazetted 12 May 1966[3]
Area 90.6 km2 (35.0 sq mi)
Location 10 km (6 mi) N of Canberra City
Territory electorate(s) Yerrabi
Federal Division(s) Fenner
Localities around Gungahlin:
Hall New South Wales New South Wales
Belconnen Gungahlin New South Wales
Belconnen Canberra Central Majura

The District of Gungahlin is one of the original eighteen districts of the Australian Capital Territory used in land administration. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. Gungahlin is an Aboriginal word meaning "little rocky hill".

As of 2013 Gungahlin comprised eleven suburbs, including three currently under construction and a further seven suburbs planned. The town of Gungahlin was part of the original 1957 plan for future development in the ACT and in 1991 was officially launched as Canberra’s fourth ‘town’ by the ACT Chief Minister. At the time, the population of Gungahlin was just 389 residents. At the 2011 census, the population of the district was 46,971;[1][2] and this figure is expected to rise to 60,000 by the year 2016;[4] and to grow to 72,900 by 2021.[5]

Within the district is Canberra's northernmost town centre that is situated 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of Canberra city centre. The town centre is one of five satellites of Canberra, seated in Woden, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek and Belconnen.

Establishment and governance

The traditional custodians of the district are the indigenous people of the Ngunawal tribe.[6]

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 No. 5 (Cth) which, after the enactment of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth), became the Districts Act 1966 No. 5 (ACT). This Act was subsequently repealed by the ACT Government and the district is now administered subject to the Districts Act 2002 (ACT).[7]

During colonial times and up until the late 1960s, present-day Gungahlin was part of the former farmlands of Ginninderra. Ginninderra Village and later still the village of Hall serviced the needs of the local farming community. Free settlers included farming families such as the Rolfe, Shumack, Gillespie and Gribble families.[8] These settlers established wheat and sheep properties such as 'Weetangara', 'Gold Creek', 'The Valley', 'Horse Park' and 'Tea Gardens'. Much of the local produce supplied the large workforce at goldfields located at Braidwood and Major's Creek in New South Wales.[9]

Location and urban structure

The district is a set of contiguous residential and industrial suburbs that surround a town centre, together with undeveloped pastoral leases that border with the state of New South Wales to the north, north-east and east. The suburbs are divided from the surrounding districts of Belconnen to the west and south-west, Canberra Central to the south, Majura to the south-east, and Hall to the north-west.

The main industrial suburb of the district is Mitchell.

Demographics

At the 2011 census, there were 46,971 people in the Gungahlin district, of these 49.4 per cent were male and 50.6 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.2 per cent of the population, which was lower than the national and territory averages. The median age of people in the Gungahlin district was 31 years, which was significantly lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 24.6 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 4.7 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 54.8 per cent were married and 9.1 per cent were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the Gungahlin district between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 35.6 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was in excess of 51 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in Gungahlin district was significantly higher than the national average.[10][11] The median weekly income for residents within the Gungahlin district was nearly double the national average, and slightly higher than the territory average.[1]

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Gungahlin district who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 70 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 40 per cent of all residents in the Gungahlin district nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was lower than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Gungahlin district had a significantly higher than average proportion (31.4 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a slightly lower proportion (69 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).[1]

Selected historical census data for the Gungahlin district
Census year 2001[10][12]2006[11][13]2011[1][2]
Population Estimated residents on census night 23,098 31,318 46,971
District rank in terms of size within the Australian Capital Territory 5th Steady 5th Increase 4th
Percentage of the Australian Capital Territory population 13.15%
Percentage of the Australian population 0.12% Increase 0.16% Increase 0.22%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses 		Australian 25.6%
English 21.1%
Irish 7.1%
Scottish 5.6%
Chinese 5.2%
Language,
top responses
(other than English) 		Mandarin1.2% Increase 1.6% Increase 3.3%
Vietnamese2.1% Decrease 1.9% Increase 2.0%
Cantonese1.7% Steady 1.7% Increase 1.8%
Croatian3.0% Decrease 2.2% Decrease 1.6%
Hindin/cn/c Increase 1.5%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses 		Catholic33.0% Decrease 30.8% Decrease 27.1%
No Religion16.0% Increase 19.1% Increase 24.7%
Anglican17.1% Decrease 16.5% Decrease 13.8%
Buddhism3.5% Steady 3.5% Increase 4.2%
Hinduismn/c n/c Increase 4.0%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$813 A$1,019
Percentage of Australian median income 174.5% Increase 176.6%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,836 A$2,355
Percentage of Australian median income 156.8% Increase 159.0%
Household income Median weekly household income A$1,676 A$2,176
Percentage of Australian median income 163.2% Increase 176.3%

List of suburbs

Asterisk indicates undeveloped suburbs as of 2014.

Transport

View of Hibberson Street looking east.

The primary mode of transport within the district is by private vehicle. Despite continued discussion about the preference for sustainable public transport especially light rail, Gungahlin's development is still guided by a philosophy of reliance on private personal transport and an extensive road network.

Public transport

Bus

The ACTION bus service provides public transport throughout Canberra and is the only form of regularly scheduled public transport in the Gungahlin district. Services from the various suburbs generally pass through a bus interchange located at the Gungahlin Town Centre from where they continue to Civic as well as other town centres in Canberra's south. Some services operate direct to the Belconnen Town Centre. The Gungahlin bus interchange is located in Hibberson Street. The route 200 Red Rapid limited stops express service from the Gungahlin Interchange to Civic, the office precincts of Barton and Russell and Fyshwick runs every 15 minutes between 7am and 7pm on weekdays.[14]

Light rail

Construction of a light rail network linking the Gungahlin Town Centre to Civic is underway. The project is intended to address peak-hour congestion on Northbourne Avenue by encouraging public transport use[15]

Private transport

Private transport is the dominant mode of transport for Gungahlin commuters. The district's major arterial roads to North Canberra and the city centre are Northbourne Avenue via the Barton Highway, Horse Park Drive and Flemington Road. Gundaroo Drive-William Slim Drive is the main connection to the district of Belconnen. With the completion of the Gungahlin Drive Extension in 2008, Gungahlin commuters can bypass the city centre to reach city's southern suburbs via Gungahlin Drive and onto William Hovell Drive and the Tuggeranong Parkway.

A number of projects have improved road access to the Gungahlin district including:

Public facilities

The Gungahlin Community Health Centre, opened in 2012

While the Gungahlin district is serviced by Calvary Hospital and The Canberra Hospital for emergency treatment, a number of private medical practices have established in the town centre and surrounding suburbs. The ACT Government Health Directorate also operates a Community Health Centre, providing access to allied health and outpatient services including mental health services, children's dental and nutrition, diabetes clinic, pathology collection and drug and alcohol counseling services. The clinic opened on 3 September 2012.[16]

The Australian Capital Territory Emergency Services Agency operates the Gungahlin Joint Emergency Services Centre which provides the Gungahlin district with a local operations centre for Ambulance and Police as well as ACT Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service.

Community and sports organisations

The Gungahlin Community Council is the peak community representative organisation for the district. Gungahlin local sport teams include the Gungahlin Eagles (rugby union), the Gungahlin Bulls (rugby league), Gungahlin United (association football) and the Gungahlin Jets (Australian rules football). All four club play matches at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval. Gungahlin is also represented in the ACT Cricket Association by the North Canberra Gungahlin Cricket Club.

Schools

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Gungahlin (SA3)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Hall (SLA)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  3. ↑ "Districts Ordinance 1966 No. 5 (Cth)". Australian Capital Territory Numbered Ordinances. AustLII. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  4. ↑ "Live In Gungahlin - Your one stop shop for information about living and working in Gungahlin in the Australian Capital Territory". Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  5. ↑ ACT Suburbs and Districts Population Projections: 2009 to 2021, ACT Chief Minister’s Department, Canberra
  6. ↑ "Aboriginal Heritage in the ACT". Heritage. Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate. 17 March 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "Districts Act 1966 Notes". Australian Capital Territory Repealed Acts. AustLII. 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  8. ↑ Shumack, S (1977). Tales and legends of Canberra pioneers. Canberra: Australian National University.
  9. ↑ Newman, Chris (2004). Gold Creek, Reflections of Canberra's Rural Heritage. Canberra: Gold Creek Homestead Working Group.
  10. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Gungahlin-Hall (SSD)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  11. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Gungahlin-Hall (SSD)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  12. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Hall (SLA)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  13. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Hall (SLA)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  14. ↑ "Timetable and Service Information" (PDF). ACTION. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Capital Metro". ACT Government. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "Gungahlin Community Health Centre". ACT Government. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
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