COOMAMONARO SHIRE

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COOMA-MONARO SHIRE

• A Profile

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Contact Details

• Cooma-Monaro Shire CouncilCommissioner Street,
  CoomaPO Box 714, Cooma(02) 6450
  1777www.cooma.nsw.gov.au

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Electorate Details

• State Electorate of Eden-MonaroMember for Monaro
  (since 2003), Steve Whan Australian Labor Party
• Federal Electorate of Eden-MonaroMember for
  Eden-Monaro (since 1996), Gary Nairn Liberal
  Party

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An Introduction

• Cooma is the largest town in the region. A very
  good sealed road system offers easy access to
  Melbourne and to Sydney.
• We are approximately one hour by road from the
  ski fields, the Sapphire Coast and Canberra.

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History

• When Europeans came upon this area in the 1820s
  they commented on what excellent grazing land it
  offered, as it did not need to be
  cleared.Within 20 years our population was
  2,000 people, 500,000 sheep and 50,000 cattle.

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Monaro means treeless plains
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History continued

• The Kiandra Gold-rush of 1860 saw the Cooma
  population soar, and established Cooma as the
  commercial centre for the region with stores,
  hotels, the court-house, gaol, banks, even a
  convent being established, and the railway in
  1889.

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History continued

• Today, Cooma remains the main supply and service
  centre for the Snowy Mountains and Monaro region
• Cooma District Hospital services the entire
  region (including the skifields)
• Countrylink terminates in Cooma (continues to the
  coast but not further into the mountains)

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Population

• The current population of Cooma-Monaro Shire is
  9,725 (compared to 9,448 in 2001)
• The population is ageing In 2006 our population
  of 5-14 year-olds is 16.23 less than in
  2001While our population of 55-64 year-olds is
  20.13 greater
• Source ABS Census 2001 2006

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Population continued

• A population forecast prepared by Dr Kim Houghton
  of Strategic Economic Solutions indicates a
  marked increased in the population of older
  people in Cooma-Monaro
• This is typical, although in Cooma-Monaro we lose
  our 15-24 year-olds as they leave for university
  education

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Labour Force

• The Total Labour Force of Cooma-Monaro Shire in
  2006 is 4,659 (an 8.29 increase on 2001)(There
  was a decrease of 18.15 in unemployed people
  from 2001 to 2006)
• Source ABS Census 2001 2006

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Industry of Employment

• The industry employing the most people - 12.73
  of the local population - is Retail
  TradeFollowed by Public Administration
  Safety (9.85), Health Community Services
  (9.42) Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing
  (8.65)
• Source ABS Census 2001 2006

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Industry of Employment continued

• Manufacturing employs 4.89
• Electricity, Gas, Water employs 4.69
• Construction employs 8.04
• Transport Storage employs 4.01
• Source ABS Census 2001 2006

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Main Industry Sectors

• Our main industries are
• Agriculture
• Tourism (Retail Accommodation)
• Government/Community Services (Defence Force Call
  Centre, Correctional Centre, Local Government,
  Snowy Hydro)

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Freight-generating Industries

• Local industries generating freight include
• Wool-brokers
• Cattle Sheep farming
• Abattoir
• Retail businesses
• Tourism (passenger buses, year-round)
• The route is used by logging other trucks as
  well

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Cooma-Monaro Transport Infrastructure

• AirportSnowy Mountains Airport is located
  (outside the shire) 12km from Cooma, utilised
  mainly by tourists during the ski season and
  business people (this is ceasing during Summer
  2007/8)
• RailThe railway service to Cooma ceased
  operation in 1989, exactly 100 years after it came

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Transport Infrastructure Needs

• Lifestyle
• Industry
• Tourism

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Needs - Lifestyle

• Safe roads are vital, due to lack of other
  transport options
• Public road transport is needed to cater for the
  needs of the ageing population
• Sydney-centric policies affect regional NSW
  eg youth driving rules being considered do not
  take into account the needs of rural youth
• Source Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Submission to
  NSW Rural Regional Taskforce

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Needs - Industry

• The Snowy Monaro Business Enterprise Centre
  undertook an Industry Industrial Land Audit in
  2005
• Amongst the respondents were manufacturers of
  herbal tonics, rabbit food, spun yarn, winery
  equipment, organic foodstuffs, kit homes, energy
  storage, cabinet-making, cattle-handling
  equipment, hydraulics, electronic control systems
  and ski industry support products

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Needs Industry continued

• Advantages of Having Your Business in Cooma (89
  respondents)Lifestyle attractive town, social
  life, nice/trustworthy people, proximity to
  beach/skifields, climate, low crime-rate, low
  stressLocation between Sydney, Melbourne,
  Canberra, low-cost real estate, low
  overheadsLocal Support

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Needs Industry continued

• Disadvantages of Having Your Business in Cooma
  (59 respondents)Population Base not growing
  quickly enough, not large enough to support some
  business/industryFuel Freight cost
  availabilityLocation Distance for deliveries,
  IsolationInfrastructure Lack of tertiary
  institutions, local/regional transport system,
  skills shortage

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Needs Industry continued

• Of the respondents sampled
• 50 said Transport Costs are Fair
• 19 said they are Good
• 17 said they are Poor
• 10 said they are Very Poor
• 4 said they are Excellent

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Needs Industry continued

• In 2006, there was a 20.69 increase in the
  number of Cooma-Monaro Shire residents using
  Motorcycles/Scooters as a mode of transport to
  get to workAnd a 14.16 increase in the number
  of residents driving a Car to work

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Needs Industry continued

• One reason for our population growth is the fact
  the Shire was amalgamated in 2004, Michelago is
  now within Cooma-Monaro ShireA number of
  Cooma-Monaro Shire residents are employed in the
  ACT, and therefore commute each day for work

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Needs - Tourism

• Kosciuszko National Park sees approximately 2
  million vehicles entering the park each year,
  predominantly for recreation purposes
• The ratio of wintersummer visitors is changing
  the number of people driving themselves (rather
  than using public transport) is increasing the
  number of motorcycle tourists is increasing

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Needs Tourism continued

• In the Tourism Snowy Mountains Regional Tourism
  Plan (dated 2002), one action wasDevelop a
  proposal for sealingthe road between Dalgety
  Bombala (now called the Snowy River Way)the
  access road to Yarrangobilly Cavesthe road
  between Adaminaby Tharwa (the Bobeyan Road)
  andthe route through Namadji National Park

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Needs Tourism continued

• Tourism Snowy Mountains is strongly supportive of
  the continued improvement to roads throughout the
  region, as this improves access for visitors, as
  well as enabling the visitor to further explore
  and experience the region by utilising loops and
  trails.

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Sources

• Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Business Information
  Kit
• Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001 2006
• Strategic Economic Solutions Understanding Your
  Market Presentation 2007
• Snowy Monaro BEC Industry Industrial Land Audit
  2005
• Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Submission to NSW
  Rural Regional Taskforce
• Tourism Snowy Mountains Regional Tourism Plan
  2002