Singleton Council

Singleton and the surrounding area was originally occupied by The Wonnarua / Wanaruah people and they are the traditional land owners of the Singleton area.{{Cite web|title=Singleton Council – Aboriginal History|url=https://www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/212/Aboriginal-History|access-date=18 September 2020}}

The town is named after Ben Singleton who explored the area in 1820s . In 1821 he started to occupy the land. In 1823 he started an agistment business on the Hunter River and started a flour mill in 1827.In 1829 the town expanded to a post office and an inn.{{Cite web|title=Singleton, NSW|url=https://www.aussietowns.com.au/town/singleton-nsw|access-date=2020-09-16|website=Aussie Towns|language=en-US}}

The Council area includes Singleton, Broke, Bulga, Howes Valley, Putty, Warkworth, Jerrys Plains, Camberwell, Ravensworth, Mount Olive, Carrowbrook, Mirranie, Elderslie, Belford and Branxton.

At the 2011 census, there were {{formatnum:22694}} people in the Singleton Council local government area, of these 51.3 per cent were male and 48.7 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.7 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The median age of people in the Singleton Council area was 35 years, which was slightly lower than the national median of 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 22.2 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 10.4 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 51.5 per cent were married and 10.5 per cent were either divorced or separated.

File:Hunter Expressway - Singleton LGA Boundary.jpg near Black Creek]]

Population growth in the Singleton Council area between the 2001 census and the {{CensusAU|2006}} was 8.12 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 3.45 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Singleton Council local government area was slightly lower than the national average. The median weekly income for residents within the Singleton Council area was marginally higher than the national average.

At the 2011 census, the proportion of residents in the Singleton Council local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Celtic exceeded 83 per cent of all residents (national average was 65.2 per cent). In excess of 69% of all residents in the Singleton Council area nominated a religious affiliation with Christianity at the 2011 census, which was significantly higher than the national average of 50.2 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in the Singleton Council local government area had a significantly lower than average proportion (4.0 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 20.4 per cent); and a significantly higher proportion (93.5 per cent) where English only was spoken at home (national average was 76.8 per cent).

Singleton Council is composed of ten councillors, including the mayor, for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor is directly elected while the nine other councillors are elected proportionally as one entire ward. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council, including the mayor, is as follows:

File:Australia Singleton Council 2021.svg

The current Council, elected in 2021, in order of election by ward, is:{{cite web |url=https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101/singleton/councillor |title=Singleton Councillor Election|work=Local Government Elections 2021 |publisher=Electoral Commission of New South Wales |date=23 December 2021 |access-date=19 March 2022}}

{{excerpt|Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Hunter|section=Singleton results}}

{{excerpt|2022 New South Wales local elections|section=Singleton}}

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{{Suburbs of Singleton Council}}

{{Local Government Areas of New South Wales}}

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Category:1976 establishments in Australia