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City of Penrith New South Wales | |||||||||||||||
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![]() Location in Metropolitan Sydney | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 33°45′S 150°42′E / 33.750°S 150.700°E | ||||||||||||||
Population | 217,664 (2021 census)[1] (24th) | ||||||||||||||
• Density | 537.57/km2 (1,392.31/sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Established | 12 May 1871 21 October 1959 (City) | (Municipality)||||||||||||||
Area | 404.9 km2 (156.3 sq mi) | ||||||||||||||
Time zone | AEST (UTC+10) | ||||||||||||||
• Summer (DST) | AEDT (UTC+11) | ||||||||||||||
Mayor | Todd Carney | ||||||||||||||
Council seat | Civic Centre, Penrith | ||||||||||||||
Region | Greater Western Sydney | ||||||||||||||
State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||||
Federal division(s) | |||||||||||||||
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Website | City of Penrith | ||||||||||||||
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The City of Penrith is a local government area in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The seat of the city is located in Penrith, located within Sydney about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of Sydney central business district. It occupies part of the traditional lands of the Darug people. First incorporated as a municipality on 12 May 1871, on 1 January 1949, the municipalities of Penrith, St Marys and Castlereagh and part of the Nepean Shire amalgamated to form a new Municipality of Penrith. Penrith was declared a City on 21 October 1959, and expanded westwards to include Emu Plains and Emu Heights, formerly part of the City of Blue Mountains, on 25 October 1963. As of the 2021 census the City of Penrith had an estimated population of 217,664.[1]
The mayor of the City of Penrith is Todd Carney, a member of the Labor Party.[2]
Suburbs and localities in the local government area
The following suburbs and localities are located within the City of Penrith:
- Agnes Banks (shared with the City of Hawkesbury)
- Badgerys Creek (shared with the City of Liverpool)
- Berkshire Park
- Caddens
- Cambridge Gardens
- Cambridge Park
- Castlereagh
- Claremont Meadows
- Colyton
- Cranebrook
- Emu Heights
- Emu Plains
- Erskine Park
- Glenmore Park
- Jamisontown
- Jordan Springs
- Kemps Creek (shared with Liverpool)
- Kingswood
- Leonay
- Llandilo
- Londonderry
- Luddenham (shared with Liverpool)
- Mount Vernon
- Mulgoa
- North St Marys
- Orchard Hills
- Oxley Park
- Penrith
- Regentville
- St Clair
- St Marys (shared with City of Blacktown)
- Shanes Park (shared with City of Blacktown)
- South Penrith
- Wallacia (shared with Liverpool and Wollondilly Shire)
- Werrington
- Werrington County
- Werrington Downs
Council history
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/%281%29Community_centre_Penrith.jpg/250px-%281%29Community_centre_Penrith.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Penrith_plaque_1971-05-12_%28cropped%29.jpg/250px-Penrith_plaque_1971-05-12_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The Municipality of Penrith was incorporated on 12 May 1871 under the Municipalities Act 1858 (NSW). On 3 March 1890, St Marys was separately incorporated, and on 26 July 1893 and 9 September 1895, Mulgoa and Castlereagh followed respectively. In 1913, Mulgoa became the "A" Riding of the neighbouring Nepean Shire.[3]
On 1 January 1949, under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipalities of Penrith, St Marys and Castlereagh and A Riding of the Nepean Shire amalgamated to form a new Municipality of Penrith. It was declared a City on 21 October 1959, and expanded westwards to include Emu Plains and Emu Heights, formerly part of the City of Blue Mountains, on 25 October 1963.[3]
Demographics
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At the 2021 census, there were 217,644 people in the Penrith local government area, of these 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5% of the population; notably above the national average of 3.4%. The median age of people in the City of Penrith was 35 years; notably below the national median of 39 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.2% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 12.9% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 45.5% were married and 12.3% were either divorced or separated.[4]
Population growth in the City of Penrith between the 2001 Census and the 2006 census was 0.15% and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 3.68%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Penrith local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[5] The median weekly income for residents within the City of Penrith was on with par with the national average.[4]
At the 2021 census, the proportion of residents in the Penrith local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon exceeded 63.5% of all residents (national average was 58.4%). In excess of 28.7% of all residents in the City of Penrith area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2021 census, which was fairly higher than the national average of 20%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Penrith local government area had a marginally lower than average proportion (23.9%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 24.8%); and a higher proportion (74.2%) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 72%).[4]
Selected historical census data for Penrith local government area | |||||||
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Census year | 2001[5] | 2006[6] | 2011[4] | 2016[7] | 2021 | ||
Population | Estimated residents on census night | 171,870 | 172,140 | 178,467 | 196,066 | 217,644 | |
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | 7th | ![]() |
13th | 9th | |||
% of New South Wales population | 2.58% | 2.63% | 2.67% | ||||
% of Australian population | 0.92% | ![]() |
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0.84% | 0.85% | ||
Cultural and language diversity | |||||||
Ancestry, top responses |
Australian | 29.1% | 26.3% | 33.3% | |||
English | 25.2% | 24.5% | 30.2% | ||||
Irish | 6.8% | 7.2% | 8.2% | ||||
Scottish | 5.3% | 5.5% | 6.7% | ||||
Maltese | 3.0% | 2.8% | |||||
Language, top responses (other than English) |
Arabic | 1.3% | ![]() |
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1.6% | 1.8% | |
Tagalog | 1.3% | ![]() |
![]() |
1.1% | 1.2% | ||
Italian | 1.0% | ![]() |
![]() |
0.9% | |||
Maltese | 0.8% | ![]() |
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0.7% | |||
Hindi | 0.6% | ![]() |
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0.9% | 1.1% | ||
Religious affiliation | |||||||
Religious affiliation, top responses |
Catholic | 34.5% | ![]() |
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32.1% | 28.7% | |
Anglican | 26.1% | ![]() |
![]() |
18.4% | 13.1% | ||
No religion | 9.8% | ![]() |
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21.1% | 28.9% | ||
Presbyterian and Reformed | 3.4% | ![]() |
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Uniting Church | 3.7% | ![]() |
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Median weekly incomes | |||||||
Personal income | Median weekly personal income | A$517 | A$623 | A$728 | A$866 | ||
% of Australian median income | 110.9% | 108.0% | 109.6% | 106.52% | |||
Family income | Median weekly family income | A$1,147 | A$1,582 | A$1,858 | A$2188 | ||
% of Australian median income | 111.7% | 106.8% | 107.1% | 100.14% | |||
Household income | Median weekly household income | A$1,285 | A$1,398 | A$1,658 | A$1903 | ||
% of Australian median income | 109.7% | 113.3% | 111.5% | 104.05% |
Council
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/%281%29Penrith_City_Council.jpg/250px-%281%29Penrith_City_Council.jpg)
Composition and election methods
Term | Aldermen/Councillors | Wards | Mayor |
---|---|---|---|
1871–1891 | 9 | No wards | Annual election by Aldermen |
1891–1893 | 12 | ||
1893–1948 | 9 | ||
1949–1950 | 24 | Ward One (9, Penrith) Ward Two (9, St Marys) Ward Three (3, Nepean) Ward Four (3, Castlereagh) | |
1950–1959 | 12 (3 per ward) | Ward One Ward Two Ward Three Ward Four | |
1959–1963 | 13 (3 per ward: 12 Aldermen, 1 Mayor) | Direct triennial election | |
1963–1968 | 13 (4 per ward: 12 Aldermen, 1 Mayor) | North Ward South Ward East Ward | |
1968–1987 | 12 (4 per ward) | Annual election by Aldermen/Councillors | |
1987–date | 15 (5 per ward) |
Current composition and election method
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/51/Penrith_wards_map.svg/250px-Penrith_wards_map.svg.png)
Penrith City Council is composed of fifteen councillors elected proportionally as three separate wards, each electing five councillors. 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 for a two-year term, while the deputy mayor is elected for a single-year term only. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021. The current council is as follows:[8][9][10]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Australian_Penrith_Council_2021.svg/350px-Australian_Penrith_Council_2021.svg.png)
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Australian Labor Party | 4 | |
Liberal Party of Australia | 6 | |
Independents | 4 | |
Vacant Seats | 1 | |
Total | 15 |
The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election by ward, is:
Ward | Councillor | Party | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
East Ward[8] | Bernard Bratusa | Liberal | ||
Tricia Hitchen | Liberal | Mayor 2022-2023;[11] Deputy Mayor 2016–2017, 2020–2021[12] | ||
Todd Carney | Labor | Mayor 2023–Present; Deputy Mayor 2022–2023 | ||
Marlene Shipley | Independent | |||
Robin Cook | Labor | |||
North Ward[9] | John Thain | Labor | Mayor 2005–2006, 2016–2018; Deputy Mayor 2004–2005[12] | |
Ross Fowler OAM | Liberal | Mayor 1995–1996, 2013–2015, 2018–2020; Deputy Mayor 2015–2016 | ||
Glenn Gardiner | Liberal | |||
Jonathan Pullen | Independent | Member of the Multicultural Working Party and the Recreation Working Party. Was a member of the Labor Party until 2022.[13] | ||
Kevin Crameri OAM | Independent | Mayor 1996–1997, 2009–2011; Deputy Mayor 1988–1989. | ||
South Ward[10] | Karen McKeown OAM | Labor | Mayor 2015–2016, 2020–2021; Deputy Mayor 2006–2007, 2019–2020[14] | |
Mark Davies | Liberal | Mayor 2012–2013; Deputy Mayor 2023–Present | ||
Mark Rusev | Labor | |||
Sue Day | Independent | |||
Jim Aitken OAM | Resigned[15] | Mayor 2008–2009; Deputy Mayor 2010–2011, 2013–2014. Resigned 2023. |