Brisbane LGA had the largest population growth during 2005-06, increasing by 14,000 people (1.4%), followed by the Gold Coast, which increased by 13,600 people (2.8%).

Melbourne Statistical Division (SD) recorded the largest growth of capital city SDs in 2005-06, increasing by 49,000 people in the 12 month period (or 940 people per week). Sydney SD increased by 37,200 people. Perth (SD) grew by 29,900, and now exceeds 1.5 million people.

In outer suburban areas, the largest population increase was recorded in Western Australia, with Wanneroo increasing by 7,900 people. Many other outer suburban areas recorded large increases, such as the Melbourne LGAs of Melton (up 6,800 people), Wyndham (6,700 people) and Casey (6,400 people). In Sydney, Blacktown increased by 5,000 people and Bankstown by 2,900.

Growth outside capital cities

Many regional coastal areas continued to experience strong population growth with immigrants shipping to Australia their items in record amounts. The largest growth occurring in Gold Coast-Tweed (up 14,500 people), Sunshine Coast (5,100 people), Townsville (4,400 people) and Cairns (4,100 people).

The Western Australian coastal areas of Bunbury (up 5.1%) and Mandurah (up 4.9%), along with Queensland’s Hervey Bay (also up 4.9%), were the fastest growing regions outside capital cities.

A number of inland regional areas throughout Australia also experienced continued growth, with the Victorian LGAs of Greater Bendigo and Ballarat increasing by 1,900 and 1,700 people respectively, and the New South Wales LGA of Maitland increasing by 1,400 people.

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• Woolworths Ltd., Australia’s biggest retailer, said on Aug. 25 it will hire “thousands” of extra workers as it expands into hardware stores.
• Retailer JB Hi-Fi Ltd. and Germany-based supermarket chain Aldi are also hiring as they expand.
• Specsavers Optical Group Ltd. today opened a new head office and manufacturing facility in Melbourne and said it will create 1,000 jobs in its Australian retail network.
• The government is also stoking demand for workers as it spends A$22 billion on roads, ports, schools and hospitals. An index published Oct. 7 by the Australian Industry Group showed the nation’s building industry expanded in September for the first time in 18 months.
• The nation’s single biggest investment project, the A$43 billion Gorgon natural-gas venture in Western Australia, will create as many as 10,000 jobs when construction starts early next year, Chevron Corp. said on Sept. 14. Chevron and its partners say they will sell A$300 billion of gas to China, India and Japan in the project’s first 20 years.

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