Transport for NSW provides projections of population and dwellings at the small area (Travel Zone or TZ) level for NSW. The latest version is Travel Zone Projections 2024 (TZP24), released in January 2025.

TZP24 replaces the previously published TZP22.

The projections are developed to support a strategic view of NSW and are aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions.

The TZP24 Population & Dwellings Projections dataset covers the following variables:

• Estimated Resident Population

• Structural Private Dwellings (Regional NSW only)

• Population in Occupied Private Dwellings, by 5-year Age categories & by Sex

• Population in Non-Private Dwellings

The projections in this release, TZP24, are presented annually from 2021 to 2031 and 5-yearly from 2031 to 2066, and are in TZ21 geography.

Please note, TZP24 is based on best available data as at early 2024, and the projections incorporate results of the National Census conducted by the ABS in August 2021.

Key Data Inputs used in TZP24:

• 2024 NSW Population Projections – NSW Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure

• 2021 Census data - Australian Bureau of Statistics (including dwellings by occupancy, total dwellings by Mesh Block, household sizes, private dwellings by occupancy, population age and gender, persons by place of usual residence)

For a summary of the TZP24 projection method please refer to the TZP24 Factsheet.

For more detail on the projection process please refer to the TZP24 Technical Guide.

Additional land use information for workforce and employment as well as Travel Zone 2021 boundaries for NSW (TZ21) and concordance files are also available for download on the Open Data Hub.

Visualisations of the population projections are available on the Transport for NSW Website under Data and research/Reference Information.

Cautions

The TZP24 dataset represents one view of the future aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions and population and employment projections.

The projections are not based on specific assumptions about future new transport infrastructure but do take into account known land-use developments underway or planned, and strategic plans.

• TZP24 is a strategic state-wide dataset and caution should be exercised when considering results at detailed breakdowns.

• The TZP24 outputs represent a point in time set of projections (as at early 2024).

• The projections are not government targets.

• Travel Zone (TZ) level outputs are projections only and should be used as a guide. As with all small area data, aggregating of travel zone projections to higher geographies leads to more robust results.

• As a general rule, TZ-level projections are illustrative of a possible future only.

• More specific advice about data reliability for the specific variables projected is provided in the “Read Me” page of the Excel format summary spreadsheets on the TfNSW Open Data Hub.

• Caution is advised when comparing TZP24 with the previous set of projections (TZP22) due to addition of new data sources for the most recent years, and adjustments to methodology.

Further cautions and notes can be found in the TZP24 Technical Guide

Important note:

The Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (DPHI) published the 2024 NSW Population Projections in November 2024. As per DPHI’s published projections, the following variables are excluded from the published TZP24 Population and Dwellings Projections:

• Structural Private Dwellings for Travel Zones in 43 councils across Greater Sydney, Illawarra-Shoalhaven, Central Coast, Lower Hunter and Greater Newcastle

• Occupied Private Dwellings for Travel Zones in NSW.

Furthermore, in TZP24, the Structural Private Dwellings variable aligns with the 2024 Implied Dwelling projections while the Occupied Private Dwellings variable aligns with the 2024 Households projections at SA2 level prepared by DPHI.

The above variables are available upon request by contacting model.selection@transport.nsw.gov.au - Attention Place Forecasting.

ABS Census data extract - G09 COUNTRY OF BIRTH OF PERSON BY AGE providing a breakdown of population at Suburb level and by:age groupscountry of birth of person(a)Australia(b)China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)Born elsewhere(d)This data is based on place of usual residence.(a) This list consists of the most common 50 Country of Birth responses reported in the 2016 Census and 2011 Census.(b) Includes 'Australia', 'Australia (includes External Territories), nfd', 'Norfolk Island' and 'Australian External Territories, nec'.(c) Special Administrative Regions (SARs) comprise 'Hong Kong (SAR of China)' and 'Macau (SAR of China)'. (d) Includes countries not identified individually, 'Inadequately described', and 'At sea'. Excludes not stated.Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

This dataset presents projected population following the three projection series - the main projection, a high and a low projection series for 5-year periods between the years of 2011 and 2036 for the state of New South Wales (NSW). The data is presented as aggregations following the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2016 Local Government Areas (LGA).

The various projection series show the impact on the NSW population when the assumed levels of births, deaths and migration are changed.

Population projections provide a picture of the population as it may develop in future years. They provide an indication of the size and age-sex structure of the future population if specified assumptions about future fertility, mortality and migration are realised.

Population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies, changing economic circumstances or other factors (whether in Australia or overseas) might have on demographic behaviour.

For more information please read the Population Projections User Guide.Please note:

• AURIN has spatially enabled the original data.

• Population numbers are rounded to the nearest 50. They should not be taken to be accurate to that level of detail.

The NSW population projections are a scenario based on available evidence. They are not a target or a representation of Government intent. They represent possible demographic futures based on the best assessment of how the NSW population may change over time, including population size, age profile and residential location. The projections reflect current planning frameworks and strategies in place, and the potential demographic outcomes of contemporary decisions. They represent a basis from which to plan from.

As of December 2023, the proportion of the Australian population that lived in New South Wales amounted to 31.3 percent. The Northern Territory had the least number of residents in the country, with less than one percent of the population residing there.

ABS Census data extract - G01 SELECTED PERSON CHARACTERISTICS BY SEX providing a breakdown of population at Suburb level and by:age groupsaboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons (a)birthplace (b) and (c)language used at home (d)age of persons attending an education institution (e)highest year of school completed (f)count of persons in occupied private dwellings (g)Count of persons in other dwellings (g) (h)This data is based on place of usual residence unless otherwise stated.(a) Applicable to persons who are of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.(b) Includes 'Australia', 'Australia (includes External Territories), nfd', 'Norfolk Island' and 'Australian External Territories, nec'.(c) Includes 'Inadequately described', and 'At sea'. Excludes not stated.(d) Includes 'Inadequately described' and 'Non-verbal, so described'. Excludes not stated.(e) Comprises 'Preschool', 'Primary' (including Government, Catholic, Other non-Government, Primary not further defined), 'Secondary' (including Government, Catholic, Other non-Government, Secondary not further defined) and 'Tertiary' (including vocational education (including TAFE and private training providers), university or other higher education, Tertiary not further defined). Excludes persons who did not state which type of education institution they were attending.(f) Applicable to persons aged 15 years and over.(g) Data is based on place of enumeration. Excludes overseas visitors.(h) Includes 'Visitors only' and 'Other non-classifiable' households, 'Non-private dwellings' and 'Migratory, off-shore and shipping' SA1s.Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

The NSW Koala Priority Population Monitoring program is an important long-term initiative focused on 20 priority koala populations identified in the NSW Koala Strategy. The program aims to improve understanding of long-term trends in koala occupancy and habitat suitability, providing robust data on population status at both regional and statewide scales using acoustic surveys (passive acoustic recording devices, song meter minis) to monitor koala occupancy at approximately 2,000 sites. The 20 high-priority koala population areas are monitored on alternative years, maintaining a biennial monitoring cycle.

Priority Population Monitoring data for 8 sites in 2023

This dataset represents eight priority monitoring areas sampled in 2023:

• Ballina/Byron
• Armidale
• Liverpool Plains
• Southern Highlands
• Blue Mountains (Lower)
• Southwest Sydney
• Narrandera
• Far South Coast

Each passive acoustic recording device recorded between 7 and 21 nights (16 ± 1 sampling nights) between September and late November to capture the breeding season when male koalas are most vocal. Passive acoustic recording devices were programmed to record from sunset to sunrise, coinciding with the peak daily calling period of koalas. Note: Byron/Ballina forms one priority monitoring area as part of this program, however appears as two distinct areas in this dataset.

This dataset presents projected population following the three projection series - the main projection, a high and a low projection series for 5-year periods between the years of 2011 and 2036 for the state of New South Wales (NSW). The data is presented as aggregations following the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) 2016 Local Government Areas (LGA). The various projection series show the impact on the NSW population when the assumed levels of births, deaths and migration are changed. Population projections provide a picture of the population as it may develop in future years. They provide an indication of the size and age-sex structure of the future population if specified assumptions about future fertility, mortality and migration are realised. Population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact that future government policies, changing economic circumstances or other factors (whether in Australia or overseas) might have on demographic behaviour. For more information please read the Population Projections User Guide.Please note: AURIN has spatially enabled the original data.

As of June 2023, there were approximately 8.33 million residents in the New South Wales region in Australia. In comparison, there were around 252 thousand residents in the Northern Territory region.

Secondary data are not available from ABS Agricultural and Population censuses for economic indicators and measures at a scale matching the NSW water sharing plan (WSP) regions. NSW DPE – Water purchased customised data for all WSP regions from 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 ABS censuses.

The dataset contains following anonymised census data for each of the WSP regions:

• Agricultural commodity data for 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021
• Water use data for 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Gross value of irrigated agricultural production data for 2016 and 2021
• Employment by industry and occupation for 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Population by age distribution for 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Aboriginal population, families, dwellings for 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Average weekly earnings, full time, part time for 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Interstate and regional migration (where possible) for 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021
• Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) including its component scores (subject to high standard errors depending on the size of the custom region) for 2006, 2011 and 2016

Note: File Notes on ABS data by NSW water sharing plan regions.docx provides a comprehensive overview of the data's limitations that must be taken into consideration when using it..

The NSW Koala Strategy identifies 50 koala populations in New South Wales based on the Areas of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS) identified by the NSW Government (DPIE 2020), noting that koalas are also found outside these areas.\r \r These 50 koala populations have been prioritised in 2 intervention categories:\r \r * populations for immediate investment\r * populations with key knowledge gaps.\r \r The nineteen populations for immediate investment are relatively large koala populations supported by good levels of knowledge but subject to significant threats.\r \r These populations have been prioritised for investment because we have a good understanding of their size and distribution, habitat values and the nature and intensity of threats.\r \r Through targeted investment and management, we can reduce the threats to these koala populations. Expert assessment of a range of criteria determined whether a population area would be prioritised for investment over the next five years.\r \r Many of the nineteen populations are likely to support a minimum of 1000 koalas, and in some cases, they likely support many more.\r \r Populations for immediate investment in most cases exactly match existing ARKS. In a few cases, the name of the ARKS has been amended for clarity, and the boundary of several ARKS has also been amended (see Table 1 in MS Word document).\r \r For the remaining 31 koala populations, we will address knowledge gaps through a baseline survey program to assess their population status, genetics, and health.\r \r Some information is known about these koala populations already, however, in many places there are gaps in our knowledge. Interventions to reduce threats, improve habitat and support population viability will be carried out once the status of koalas is known and key threats identified.\r \r It is likely that all koala populations will benefit from local, community- based actions, improved local planning processes and targeted research on the status of koalas and the distribution of habitat.\r \r In addition to the initial surveys, for some populations we will use ongoing monitoring to track population trends and measure the effectiveness of interventions.\r \r The intervention category of koala populations may change over time. Populations can move between categories as knowledge is improved, or populations are made more secure through strategic interventions.\r \r _Reference: DPIE 2020, Framework for the spatial prioritisation of koala conservation actions in NSW: Saving our Species Iconic Koala Project _

Travel Zones (TZs) are the spatial unit of geography for Transport for NSW (TfNSW). The TZ spatial layer is applied to data sources used by TfNSW for transport modelling and analysis, including the Travel Zone Projections and key transport models such as the Strategic Travel Model (STM). \r \r The Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 boundaries provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) form the foundation of the Travel Zone geography. Generally, a TZ is an aggregation of whole ABS Mesh Blocks. The ASGS are based on population counts, whereas TZ boundaries are defined using population, employment, housing and transport infrastructure, with consideration for planned future changes in land use. Some of the State’s greenfield growth areas have deviated from using whole Mesh Blocks. Instead, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) growth area precincts have been used to create more functional TZs in those areas (for example, the Aerotropolis).\r \r TZs are designed to have standardised trip generation levels across all zones. This causes zones to be different sizes across NSW. As with many other spatial boundaries, TZs tend to be small in areas with high land-use densities and larger in areas of lower density.\r \r As areas and transport infrastructure change over time, TfNSW creates new Travel Zone geography in line with each ABS Census of Population and Housing, the latest being 2021.\r \r Below you can download spatial files of the Travel Zone 2021 (TZ21) geography, the TZ21 fact sheet, as well as concordance tables for various geographies to TZ21 and vice versa.

This data represents the indicative known and predicted distributions of threatened ecological communities, population and species. These data are a snapshot of data held and maintained in the Bionet – Threatened Species Profiles. The data were extracted mid-November 2013.\r \r The base geometry is derived from a GIS intersection of a NSW Catchment management Authority Layer and IBRA Subregions layer (Interim Bio-regionalisation of Australia). For each NSW (TSC Act) and Cwth (EPBC Act) listed entity the "known" or "predicted" occurrence of each entity is attributed against the base polygon layer based. "Prediction" of occurrence should be treated as having a low confidence.\r \r Attribution of "Known" occurrence is based on the existence of at lease one valid observation record for that polygon (locality). Validation of TS records is completed by nominated Threatened Species experts within NSW OEH (Office of Environment and Heritage). The Assignment is based on expert knowledge and is generally not assisted by distribution modelling approaches.\r \r These data are rendered live from BioNet database to the Office of Environment and Heritage Threatened Species Web site (http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/). See the following link for an example of a profile with indicative distribution map: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10616\r \r These web pages provide a view of the most current indicative distribution data. Users are recommended to check the currency of this product be for use. The data are indicative only and should be used with care - please refer to the readme and Q&A file for further information.

ABS Census data extract - G08 ANCESTRY BY COUNTRY OF BIRTH OF PARENTS providing a breakdown of population at Suburb level and by:ancestry(a)birthplace not stated(b)total responses(c) andother(d)This data is based on place of usual residence.(a) This list of ancestries consists of the most common 30 Ancestry responses reported in the 2016 and 2011 Census. (b) Includes birthplace for either or both parents not stated.(c) This table is a multi-response table and therefore the total responses count will not equal the total persons count.(d) If two responses from one person are categorised in the 'Other' category only one response is counted. Includes ancestries not identified individually and 'Inadequately described'.Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

The following table, produced by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) provides information on rates, trends and patterns in domestic violence incidents reported to, or detected by, the NSW Police Force for the period of 2017/18. The data has been aggregated to location following the 2018 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) edition of the Local Government Areas (LGAs). Domestic violence is a serious problem which impacts many NSW families. In 2012, an estimated 16.9 per cent of Australian women aged 18 years and over had experienced partner violence since the age of 15 years (ABS Personal Safety Survey 2012). Rate calculations should also be treated very cautiously for LGAs that have high visitor numbers relative to their residential population. This is because rate calculations are based on estimated residential population and no adjustment has been made for the number of people visiting each LGA per year. For the rate calculations, specialised population data were prepared and provided to BOCSAR by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For more information please visit the BOSCAR Portal. Please note: AURIN has spatially enabled the original data. LGAs which have populations less than 3000 has been suppressed to maintain confidentiality. Original data values of "n.c." have been set to null.

Transport for NSW provides projections of workforce at the small area (Travel Zone or TZ) level for NSW. The latest version is Travel Zone Projections 2024 (TZP24), released in January 2025.

TZP24 replaces the previously published TZP22. The projections are developed to support a strategic view of NSW and are aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions.

TZP24 Workforce Projections cover persons who reside in Occupied Private Dwellings, aged 15 years and over, and are presented by their usual place of residence.

The following Workforce variables are presented in TZP24:

• Employed People, 15 years and over
• Unemployed People, 15 years and over
• People not in the workforce, 15 years and over

The projections in this release, TZP24, are presented annually from 2021 to 2031 and 5-yearly from 2031 to 2066, and are in TZ21 geography.

Please note, TZP24 is based on best available data as at early 2024 and the projections incorporate results of the National Census conducted by the ABS in August 2021.

Key Data Inputs used:

• TZP24 Population and Dwellings projections
• Workforce participation rates - NSW Treasury
• Historical labour force data - ABS Labour Force Survey

For a summary of the TZP24 Projections method please refer to the TZP24 Factsheet.

For more detail on the projection process please refer to the TZP24 Technical Guide.

Additional land use information for population and employment as well as Travel Zone 2021 boundaries for NSW (TZ21) and concordance files are also available for download on the Open Data Hub.

A visualisation of the workforce projections is available on the Transport for NSW Website.

Cautions

The TZP24 dataset represents one view of the future aligned with the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions population and employment projections.

The projections are not based on specific assumptions about future new transport infrastructure, but do take into account known land-use developments underway or planned, and strategic plans.

• TZP24 is a strategic state-wide dataset and caution should be exercised when considering results at detailed breakdowns.
• The TZP24 outputs represent a point in time set of projections (as at early 2024).
• The projections are not government targets.
• Travel Zone (TZ) level outputs are projections only and should be used as a guide. As with all small area data, aggregating of travel zone projections to higher geographies leads to more robust results.
• As a general rule, TZ-level projections are illustrative of a possible future only.
• More specific advice about data reliability for the specific variables projected is provided in the “Read Me” page of the Excel format summary spreadsheets on the TfNSW Open Data Hub.
• Caution is advised when comparing TZP24 with the previous set of projections (TZP22) due to addition of new data sources for the most recent years, and adjustments to methodology.

Further cautions and notes can be found in the TZP24 Technical Guide

The NSW Koala Strategy identifies 50 koala populations in New South Wales based on the Areas of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS) identified by the NSW Government (DPIE 2020), noting that koalas are also found outside these areas.

These 50 koala populations have been prioritised in 2 intervention categories:

• populations for immediate investment
• populations with key knowledge gaps.

The nineteen populations for immediate investment are relatively large koala populations supported by good levels of knowledge but subject to significant threats.

These populations have been prioritised for investment because we have a good understanding of their size and distribution, habitat values and the nature and intensity of threats.

Through targeted investment and management, we can reduce the threats to these koala populations. Expert assessment of a range of criteria determined whether a population area would be prioritised for investment over the next five years.

Many of the nineteen populations are likely to support a minimum of 1000 koalas, and in some cases, they likely support many more.

Populations for immediate investment in most cases exactly match existing ARKS. In a few cases, the name of the ARKS has been amended for clarity, and the boundary of several ARKS has also been amended (see Table 1 in MS Word document).

For the remaining 31 koala populations, we will address knowledge gaps through a baseline survey program to assess their population status, genetics, and health.

Some information is known about these koala populations already, however, in many places there are gaps in our knowledge. Interventions to reduce threats, improve habitat and support population viability will be carried out once the status of koalas is known and key threats identified.

It is likely that all koala populations will benefit from local, community- based actions, improved local planning processes and targeted research on the status of koalas and the distribution of habitat.

In addition to the initial surveys, for some populations we will use ongoing monitoring to track population trends and measure the effectiveness of interventions.

The intervention category of koala populations may change over time. Populations can move between categories as knowledge is improved, or populations are made more secure through strategic interventions.

Reference: DPIE 2020, Framework for the spatial prioritisation of koala conservation actions in NSW: Saving our Species Iconic Koala Project

BackgroundIn recent decades, there has been a shift to later childbearing in high-income countries. There is limited large-scale evidence of the relationship between maternal age and child outcomes beyond the perinatal period. The objective of this study is to quantify a child’s risk of developmental vulnerability at age five, according to their mother’s age at childbirth.Methods and findingsLinkage of population-level perinatal, hospital, and birth registration datasets to data from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) and school enrolments in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), enabled us to follow a cohort of 99,530 children from birth to their first year of school in 2009 or 2012. The study outcome was teacher-reported child development on five domains measured by the AEDC, including physical health and well-being, emotional maturity, social competence, language and cognitive skills, and communication skills and general knowledge. Developmental vulnerability was defined as domain scores below the 2009 AEDC 10th percentile cut point.The mean maternal age at childbirth was 29.6 years (standard deviation [SD], 5.7), with 4,382 children (4.4%) born to mothers aged

A dataset containing the 100 latest settled sales in CSV format for Dorrigo as at March-2025, data sourced from the NSW Valuer General, geocoded and analyzed by AreaSearch.

A dataset containing the 100 latest settled sales in CSV format for Padstow as at March-2025, data sourced from the NSW Valuer General, geocoded and analyzed by AreaSearch.