Alexandrina Council
Encyclopedia
Alexandrina Council is a local government area covering the north east portion of Fleurieu Peninsula
in South Australia
. The Alexandrina Council was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the former District Council of Strathalbyn, the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, and a portion of the District Council of Willunga.ur
For this reason, the district is split into five wards, which represent smaller subdivisions of the district.
The district relies on a diverse range of industries including agriculture
, fishing
, forestry
, viticulture
and tourism
to supply its economy
. Many of the towns encompassed in the council are popular tourist towns not far from Adelaide
.
, fishing
and tourism
industries to occur.
The largest part of the economy comes from agriculture, with a wide variety of farming practices including dairy
, beef
and sheep farming, with areas around Goolwa and Mount Compass prominent in the dairy industry. A number of crops including cereals, as well as Lucerne
are planted in the district Langhorne Creek and Currency Creek are well known for its viticulture
, producing high quality Sauvignon Blanc
, Cabernet Sauvignon
, Merlot
, Shiraz
and Chardonnay
. In the Kuitpo region, forestry
is prominent, with large tracts of pine
present.
The district borders three distinct bodies of water, the Southern Ocean
, The Coorong and The Lower Murray River
, all of which are commercially exploited for a variety of fish
and crustaceans. The coasts produce shark
, mulloway and Australian salmon
, as well as huge numbers of Goolwa cockles which are exported all over South Australia. The Coorong holds large numbers of Salmon, Mulloway, Shark, Bream and Mullet, all of which are caught commercially.
Commercial fishing above the Locks has become highly regulated to conserve native fish species but Golden Perch
and Murray Cod
are still caught, and a number of operators have found markets for the invasive European Carp.
The area also has a significant tourism industry, particularly based around the Murray River
at Goolwa
and the beaches of Port Elliot
and Middleton
. The Steamranger
Cockle Train operates from Goolwa and stops at Port Elliot on the way to Victor Harbor
.
(held on 8 August 2006), there were 20,715 people who were usually resident in Alexandrina Council's bounds: 49.2% were male
s and 50.8% were female
s. Of the total population, 1.1% were Indigenous persons
.
It was found that 18.2% of the population usually resident in Alexandrina Council were children aged between 0–14 years, and 36.2% were persons aged 55 years and over. The median
age of persons was 45 years, compared with 37 years for persons in Australia
.
In the 2006 Census, 76.5% of people stated they were born in Australia, with lower numbers immigrating from a number of countries, with the most prominent being: England
9.4%, Netherlands
0.8%, Germany
0.8%, Scotland
0.8% and New Zealand
0.8%.
The most common responses for religious affiliation for persons usually resident were: No Religion
28.4%, Anglican 15.6%, Uniting Church 14.1%, Catholic
10.4% and Lutheran 4.7%.
Smaller towns and localities covered by the council are:
Angas Plains, Belvidere, Blackfellows Creek, Bletchley, Bull Creek, Dingabledinga, Finniss, Gemmells, Hartley
, Highland Valley, Hope Forest, Kuitpo, Kuitpo Colony, Kyeema, Lake Plains, McHarg Creek, Montarra, Mosquito Hill, Mount Magnificent, Mount Observation, Mundoo Island, Nangkita, Nurragi, Pages Flat, Paris Creek, Point Sturt, Prospect Hill, Red Creek, Salem, Sandergrove, The Range
, Tolderol, Tooperang
, Willunga Hill, Willyaroo, Woodchester, Yundi.
: Kym McHugh
CEO: Peter Dinning
Councillors: The wards of the respective members are indicated after their name.
Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a peninsula located south of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia. It was named after the French explorer and hydrographer Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin as he mapped the south coast of Australia in 1802.Towns of interest in the...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The Alexandrina Council was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the former District Council of Strathalbyn, the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, and a portion of the District Council of Willunga.ur
For this reason, the district is split into five wards, which represent smaller subdivisions of the district.
The district relies on a diverse range of industries including agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
to supply its economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
. Many of the towns encompassed in the council are popular tourist towns not far from Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
.
Economy
The economy of the Alexandrina Council is very diverse, which may be attributed to the great diversity of landscapes within its boundaries, allowing for diverse ruralRural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industries to occur.
The largest part of the economy comes from agriculture, with a wide variety of farming practices including dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
, beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
and sheep farming, with areas around Goolwa and Mount Compass prominent in the dairy industry. A number of crops including cereals, as well as Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
are planted in the district Langhorne Creek and Currency Creek are well known for its viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
, producing high quality Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
and Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
. In the Kuitpo region, forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
is prominent, with large tracts of pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
present.
The district borders three distinct bodies of water, the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
, The Coorong and The Lower Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
, all of which are commercially exploited for a variety of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and crustaceans. The coasts produce shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
, mulloway and Australian salmon
Australian salmon
Australian Salmon, , are medium-sized perciform marine fish of the small family Arripidae . Four species are recognized, all within the genus Arripis...
, as well as huge numbers of Goolwa cockles which are exported all over South Australia. The Coorong holds large numbers of Salmon, Mulloway, Shark, Bream and Mullet, all of which are caught commercially.
Commercial fishing above the Locks has become highly regulated to conserve native fish species but Golden Perch
Golden perch
The golden perch, Macquaria ambigua, is an Australian native freshwater fish, primarily of the Murray-Darling river system. It is not a true perch of the genus Perca....
and Murray Cod
Murray Cod
The Murray cod is a large Australian predatory freshwater fish of the Maccullochella genus and the Percichthyidae family. Although the species is a called cod in the vernacular, it is not related to the northern hemisphere marine cod species...
are still caught, and a number of operators have found markets for the invasive European Carp.
The area also has a significant tourism industry, particularly based around the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
at Goolwa
Goolwa, South Australia
Goolwa is a historic river port on the Murray River near the Murray Mouth in South Australia, and joined by a bridge to Hindmarsh Island. The name "Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri, the local Aboriginal language....
and the beaches of Port Elliot
Port Elliot, South Australia
Port Elliot is a town in South Australia toward the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated on the sheltered Horseshoe Bay, a small bay off the much larger Encounter Bay...
and Middleton
Middleton, South Australia
Middleton is a town in South Australia on the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated between the towns of Port Elliot and Goolwa. At the 2006 census, Middleton had a population of 818....
. The Steamranger
SteamRanger
SteamRanger is an historic train society in South Australia running trains on the Victor Harbor railway line. They are the only group regularly running broad gauge steam locomotives in South Australia...
Cockle Train operates from Goolwa and stops at Port Elliot on the way to Victor Harbor
Victor Harbor, South Australia
Victor Harbor is a city located on the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula, about 80 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. The city is the largest population centre on the peninsula, with an economy based upon agriculture, fisheries and various industries...
.
Demographics
In the 2006 CensusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
(held on 8 August 2006), there were 20,715 people who were usually resident in Alexandrina Council's bounds: 49.2% were male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
s and 50.8% were female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
s. Of the total population, 1.1% were Indigenous persons
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
It was found that 18.2% of the population usually resident in Alexandrina Council were children aged between 0–14 years, and 36.2% were persons aged 55 years and over. The median
Median
In probability theory and statistics, a median is described as the numerical value separating the higher half of a sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. The median of a finite list of numbers can be found by arranging all the observations from lowest value to...
age of persons was 45 years, compared with 37 years for persons in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
In the 2006 Census, 76.5% of people stated they were born in Australia, with lower numbers immigrating from a number of countries, with the most prominent being: England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
9.4%, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
0.8%, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
0.8%, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
0.8% and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
0.8%.
The most common responses for religious affiliation for persons usually resident were: No Religion
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
28.4%, Anglican 15.6%, Uniting Church 14.1%, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
10.4% and Lutheran 4.7%.
Localities
The main towns and localities within the council are:- AshbourneAshbourne, South AustraliaAshbourne is a small town in South Australia situated approximately 14 kilometres from the town of Strathalbyn. At the 2006 census, Ashbourne had a population of 310.- School :...
- ClaytonClayton, South AustraliaClayton is a small town on the River Murray in South Australia. The town is located opposite the north-east tip of Hindmarsh Island, by road from Adelaide or upriver from Goolwa. At the 2006 census, Clayton and the surrounding area had a population of 463....
- Currency CreekCurrency Creek, South AustraliaCurrency Creek is a small town located on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula about 6 km north of Goolwa. The Currency Creek area was initially explored by Charles Sturt in the late 1820s, with the area being officially named in 1837 after the whaling boat Currency Lass...
- GoolwaGoolwa, South AustraliaGoolwa is a historic river port on the Murray River near the Murray Mouth in South Australia, and joined by a bridge to Hindmarsh Island. The name "Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri, the local Aboriginal language....
- Goolwa Beach
- Goolwa North
- Goolwa South
- HayboroughHayborough, South AustraliaHayborough is a north-eastern suburb of the South Australian town of Victor Harbor, located on the southern Fleurieu Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Hayborough had a population of 1,847, with a median age of 47—lower than the region as a whole, but significantly higher than the state or national...
(split with City of Victor HarborCity of Victor HarborThe City of Victor Harbor is a local government area of South Australia. It covers an area of along the coast about south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. The council is responsible for the town of Victor Harbor, which contains over 85% of its population, and the surrounding rural...
) - Hindmarsh Island
- Langhorne CreekLanghorne Creek, South AustraliaLanghorne Creek is a town and wine region in South Australia. It is less than an hour's drive from Adelaide on Fleurieu Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Langhorne Creek had a population of 1,198.-Wine Industry:...
- MiddletonMiddleton, South AustraliaMiddleton is a town in South Australia on the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated between the towns of Port Elliot and Goolwa. At the 2006 census, Middleton had a population of 818....
- Milang
- Mount CompassMount Compass, South AustraliaMount Compass is a town in the Fleurieu Peninsula, on the A13 south of Adelaide, and North of Victor Harbor. It is a small community, traditionally supported by farming. Both market gardens and dairy have proved lucrative in the area...
- Port ElliotPort Elliot, South AustraliaPort Elliot is a town in South Australia toward the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated on the sheltered Horseshoe Bay, a small bay off the much larger Encounter Bay...
- StrathalbynStrathalbyn, South AustraliaStrathalbyn is a town in South Australia, in the Alexandrina Council. The town has a population of 3894 people.-History and Culture:The town was founded in 1839. Strathalbyn was once connected by broad gauge horse tram to Goolwa and Victor Harbor from 1869, and the line was extended to Mount Barker...
Smaller towns and localities covered by the council are:
Angas Plains, Belvidere, Blackfellows Creek, Bletchley, Bull Creek, Dingabledinga, Finniss, Gemmells, Hartley
Hartley, South Australia
Hartley is a ghost town located in South Australia, along the Bremer River on the Strathalbyn-Callington Road.Founded around the year 1856 as a small rural settlement, it once boasted a Methodist church , post office , school and creamery...
, Highland Valley, Hope Forest, Kuitpo, Kuitpo Colony, Kyeema, Lake Plains, McHarg Creek, Montarra, Mosquito Hill, Mount Magnificent, Mount Observation, Mundoo Island, Nangkita, Nurragi, Pages Flat, Paris Creek, Point Sturt, Prospect Hill, Red Creek, Salem, Sandergrove, The Range
The Range, South Australia
-References:...
, Tolderol, Tooperang
Tooperang, South Australia
Tooperang is a suburb of the Alexandrina Council, South Australia. It is home to Tooperang Eggs and the Tooperang Trout Farm....
, Willunga Hill, Willyaroo, Woodchester, Yundi.
Elected Members & Staff
MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
: Kym McHugh
CEO: Peter Dinning
Councillors: The wards of the respective members are indicated after their name.
- Anne Woolford - Strathalbyn
- Madeleine Walker - Port Elliot - Middleton
- Grant Gartrell - Nangkita - Kuitpo
- Jim Davis - Goolwa - Hindmarsh Island
- Barry Featherston - Angas - Bremer
- Trent Rusby - Strathalbyn
- Keith Parkes - Goolwa - Hindmarsh Island
- Alan Oliver - Port Elliot - Middleton
- Katherine Stanley-Murray - Angas - Bremer
- Margaret Gardner - Goolwa - Hindmarsh Island
- Frank Tuckwell - Goolwa - Hindmarsh Island
Statistics
Statistics from Annual Reports| Report | Report size (pg) |
Area (ha) |
Pop. (est.) |
Assess -ments |
Voters | Council size |
Sealed roads (km) |
Unsealed roads (km) |
Total roads (km) |
Staff F.T. |
Staff P.T. |
Staff Other |
Staff Total |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998/99 | 23 | 167,711 | 16,000 | 13,000 | 14,075 | 10 | 361 | 989 | 1350 | |||||
| 1999/00 | 35 | 167,711 | 17,300 | 14,132 | 18,668 | 10 | 424 | 951 | 1375 | 88 | 8 | 96 | ||
| 2000/01 | 40 | 167,711 | 17,535 | 14,132 | 18,668 | 10 | 424 | 1000 | 1424 | 102 | 14 | 116 | ||
| 2001/02 | 80 | 167,711 | 18,500 | 14,132 | 18,688 | 10 | 424 | 951 | 1375 | 96 | 13 | 19 | 128 | |
| 2002/03 | 82 | 167,711 | 20,318 | 15,345 | 20,320 | 11 | 482 | 865 | 1347 | 100 | 18 | 24 | 142 | |
| 2003/04 | 107 | 167,711 | 21,000 | 15,675 | 20,866 | 11 | 491 | 876 | 1367 | 107 | 15 | 26 | 148 | |
| 2004/05 | 108 | 180,000 | 22,000 | 16,264 | 22,127 | 11 | 502 | 866 | 1368 | 113 | 21 | 22 | 156 | |
| 2005/06 | 107 | 180,000 | 22,000 | 17,482 | 22,127 | 11 | 502 | 866 | 1368 | 112 | 27 | 20 | 159 | |
| 2006/07 | 105 | 180,000 | 20,715 | 16,671 | 22,127 | 11 | 518 | 846 | 1364 | 109 | 24 | 33 | 166 | |
| 2007/08 | 119 | 180,000 | 22,026 | 17,638 | 22,127 | 11 | 534 | 820 | 1354 | 110 | 17 | 56 | 183 | |
| 2008/09 | 132 | 180,000 | 22,350 | 17,702 | 24,338 | 11 | 528 | 800 | 1328 | 138 | 29 | 34 | 201 | |
| 2009/10 | 131 | 180,000 | 23,160 | 17,702 | 24,111 | 11 | 528 | 800 | 1328 | 118 | 24 | 48 | 190 |