Wingecarribee Shire

The major towns in the Shire are Mittagong, Bowral, Moss Vale, Robertson and Bundanoon. Villages include: , Balmoral Village, , , , , , , , , Willow Vale, and Yerrinbool. == Etymology ==

The current shire retains the name of the former Wingecarribee Shire because the Wingecarribee River is one of the most significant geographical features that is found in all the three previous local government areas that made up the Highlands prior to amalgamation. The word Wingecarribee is from the Dharawal language (an Indigenous Australian language) which loosely translates into "a flight of birds", or "waters to rest beside". Moreover, the term "Wingecarribee" was used as the name of the area by the first settlers of the area, the Oxley Family (See, History of Bowral) and Governor Macquarie in 1816 recorded it as "Winge Karribee". In 1838, the contemporary spelling was adapted by Surveyor Mitchell. == Geology and geography ==

The Shire is crossed by the Hume Highway and the Southern Highlands railway line. The pattern of development is one of small towns and villages. The eastern parts of the Shire are bounded by the Illawarra escarpment and Morton National Park, with some remnant rainforest and heathland. The north of the Shire is characterised by rugged eucalypt bushland, with gullies, gorges and sandy soils. This area forms part of the catchment for Sydney's water supply and two major storage dams (Avon and Nepean Dams) are in this area. The dams cannot be accessed by any roads within the Wingecarribee Shire but by roads leading off south-east of the Wollondilly Shire. The Wollondilly and Wingecarribee Rivers flow through the west of the Shire, through deep sandstone valleys and much of this area forms part of the catchment for Warragamba Dam. The south of the Shire is bounded by Uringalla Creek and is a sandstone plateaux dissected by deep gorges. Wingecarribee Swamp is home to the remaining population of the endangered Giant dragonfly and Wingecarribee Leek Orchid. == Demographics ==

Population At the , the Wingecarribee Shire had an estimated population of 47,882 a growth rate 1.1% per annum. The population density is 17.8 person/km2. The Shire is relatively homogenous with an Australian-born population making up 77.1% of the population. Indigenous Australians make up 2.0% of the population. 88.4% of the population speak English at home. The Shire's workforce are 14.7% managers, 19.3% professionals, 16.2% technicians and trades workers, 9.2% community and personal service workers, 12.5% clerical and administrative workers, 9.5% sales workers, 6.3 machinery operators and drivers, and 10.7% labourers. At the 2006 census, The workforce predominately works within the Shire, with 77% of the workforce working within the Shire. Moreover, 3% travel to nearby Wollongong for employment and 20% work in Sydney. the Shire had an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Housing and residential Separate and detached housing make up the majority of the housing in the Shire at 90.7%. The rest is semi-detached/townhouse at 5.9% and apartments and units at 1.8%. == Council ==

Composition and election method Wingecarribee Shire is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The most recent election was held on 10 September 2016. The council was suspended by the Minister for Local Government and gazetted on 12 March 2021 at 12:35pm. The composition of the council prior to it being suspended by the Minister for Local Government on 12 March 2021 was as follows: The council elected in 2016 and suspended in 2021, in order of election, was: Past mayors In 1981, the first shire president was David Wood and the shire clerk was Harold Jopling. • Duncan Gair • Gordon Lewis 2004 • Dr Sara Murray 2012 • Philip Yeo • Juliet Arkwright ==Election results==

Weekly paid local newspapers, Southern Highland News and Southern Highlands Express, closed down in early 2025. The Southern Wire covers regional news including in the Southern Highlands, Wollondilly and Southern Tablelands. Local news is published online through The Bowral News. Commercial radio station is broadcast via stations 2ST 102.9 and Highland FM 107.1. == Local attractions ==