Council (LGA) · Area profile
Brewarrina
19,162 km²
Typical weekly household incomes in Brewarrina are among the lowest in the region, sitting far below the national figure. This is a young community with a very high proportion of First Nations people, though the total population has shrunk by 23% since 2011. Many residents live in separate houses, but the area is marked by high rental rates and significant economic disadvantage. It is a small, rural settlement where young families and single parents are common.
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Over half the population (51.4%) identifies as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is far above the national figure. The community is notably young, with a typical age of 36 and a high proportion of children under 15.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 4.1% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national averages. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.
English is the dominant language, with only 3.6% of people using another tongue at home. This is far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%.
Christianity is the most common faith at 43.8%, while 37.2% of people report having no religion. This last figure has risen by 16 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 27.9% of residents completing Year 12. Just 9.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the national average.
The typical family earns $1,232 a week, which is far below the national figure of $2,120. Weekly personal incomes are also much lower than most areas, with 45.5% of people earning under $650.
People with long-term health conditions (24.7%) and those needing help with daily activities (3.8%) are both lower than the state and national averages. Mental health conditions are also much lower than usual.
Participation in unpaid work is low, with only 12.1% of people volunteering and 7.8% providing unpaid care, both of which are much lower than most areas.
First Nations residents are far older than those in other areas, with a typical age of 33. They face significant disadvantage, with a typical household income of $771 and an unemployment rate of 13.0%.
One-parent families (32.4%) and people living alone (37.4%) are both far more common here than in the rest of the state. Typical homes are smaller, with 2.3 people per household.
Renting is very common, with 49.9% of households renting, far above the national figure. However, costs are much lower than usual, with typical weekly rents at just $150.
Public transport is almost non-existent, with 0% of people using it to commute. Consequently, 20.2% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is among the highest rates for similar areas.
The population is relatively stable, with few people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas make up 28.6% of the community, which is far above the national average.
While 67.7% of the workforce is employed full-time, the overall number of adults working or looking for work is much lower than most areas. Agriculture, education, and health are the main industries.
Brewarrina is ranked among the most disadvantaged areas in the country, with an overall advantage score of 866. Population growth has fallen by 6.1% since 2021.
The area is hot and dry, with an average maximum temperature of 28.5°C and annual rainfall of 407mm, both of which differ significantly from the state average.
Recorded offences are among the highest at this level, particularly for assault, burglary, and property damage. However, the overall crime rate fell by 35.2% over five years.
The town is somewhat walkable, but many homes are far from parks, schools, and groceries. Interestingly, access to health services within a 15-minute walk is better than the state average.