Population

The City of Ballarat has a population of 88,437 (ABS 2006 Census data) within the Municipality and is expected to grow by 1.3% or more than 6,000 people by 2021 and to approximately 112,000 by 2031 .1 More recent projections by the City of Ballarat (June 2009) suggest growth could be even higher.2

Included in the municipality are the nearby townships of Learmonth (population 300), Buninyong (population 1,800), Miners Rest (population 450) and Cardigan Village (population 200).

As population grows so does the demand for limited resources, in particular, water.

Figure 1 – City of Ballarat Population Size
(excerpt from City of Ballarat Environment Sustainability Strategy, 2007)

Like the rest of Victoria and Australia, Ballarat’s population is aging with the number of people over the age of 65 projected to grow by 60% over the next 20 years. (Ballarat Planning Scheme 27/10/2006 Clause 21.01).  Information on population trends in Regional Australia presented by Professor Graeme Hugo, (University of Adelaide) at the ‘State of the Regions’ Luncheon, held at Beaufort in 2007 clearly shows the extent to which we will be dealing with an ageing population within the Central Highlands region.

The population pyramid in Figure 2 shows current (2006) and projected population figures (2031) for the Central Highlands region.

Figure 2 - Central Highlands Statistical Division:
Age and Sex Distribution of the Population, 2006, and Projected, 2031.
Source: ABS 2006 Census and Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2004.

With an aging population the implications of climate change relate primarily to increased health risks associated with extreme weather and a population potentially less capable of adapting to adverse conditions. As well, a growing population will mean Ballarat is a city struggling to meet its demand for potable water.

Housing

In 2008 there were approximately 38,000 households in the Shire.  It is projected than an additional 12,000 houses will be built by 2030. There is a trend towards:

• Bigger houses (larger building size)

• Smaller households (less people).

What else do we know?

Approximately 90% of households have one or more vehicles (Census 2006)

Travel to and from work is heavily car based. Over 70% of people travelling to work use a car (Census 2001)

The four largest employment areas are retail (17% of the workforce), manufacturing (16% of the workforce), health and community services (14% of the workforce) and education (9% of the workforce), (Census 2001).

1. http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/About_Ballarat/Profile/index.aspx (2009)
2.  http://www.ballarat.vic.gov.au/Council_Plan_20092013/indexdl_6594.aspx