Canberra Central

Canberra Central Australian Capital Territory
Partial view of National Triangle in Canberra
Location of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory
Canberra Central
Coordinates	35°17′35″S 149°07′37″E / 35.29306°S 149.12694°E / -35.29306; 149.12694
Population	92,780 (2021 census)[1][2]
Gazetted	12 May 1966[3]
Territory electorate(s)	Kurrajong Murrumbidgee
Federal division(s)	Canberra
Localities around Canberra Central: Belconnen Gungahlin Majura Belconnen Canberra Central Majura Weston Creek Woden Valley Jerrabomberra

Canberra Central is a district in the Australian Capital Territory in Australia. Consisting of both the subdivisions of North Canberra and South Canberra. The district is subdivided into divisions (suburbs), sections and blocks. The district of Canberra Central lies entirely within the bounds of the city of Canberra, the capital city of Australia.

The traditional custodians of the district are the indigenous people of the Ngunawal tribe.^[4]

Following the transfer of land from the Government of New South Wales to the Commonwealth Government in 1911, the district was established in 1966 by the Commonwealth via the gazettal of the Districts Ordinance 1966 (Cth) which, after the enactment of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988,^[5] became the Districts Act 1966.^[6] This Act was subsequently repealed by the ACT Government and the district is now administered subject to the Districts Act 2002.^[7]

The district of Central Canberra is a set of contiguous residential suburbs consolidated around Lake Burley Griffin, together with a town centre located at Canberra City (also known as Civic), and a range of commercial suburbs, some of which form parts of the Parliamentary Triangle and contain many of Canberra's national monuments and institutions. The district is often known as two separate parts, being the Inner North and Inner South.^[3] While some of the other districts in the Australian Capital Territory and within the city of Canberra are well known (e.g. Belconnen, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, Weston Creek, Woden Valley) Canberra Central would less often be thought of as a district outside of its administrative use: more often as the Inner North and Inner South. The district of Canberra Central is mentioned in various ACT legislation.^[8]

Canberra Central is bounded on the north by the Gungahlin district, the east by the Majura district, the south-east by the Jerrabombera district (as distinct from the suburb of Jerrabomberra that lies within the Queanbeyan local government area within New South Wales), the south by the district of the Woden Valley, the south-west by the Weston Creek district, and the west and north-west by the Belconnen district.

The Inner North includes the inner north subdivisions (suburbs) of Acton, Ainslie, Braddon, Campbell, City, Dickson, Downer, Hackett, Lyneham, O'Connor, Reid, Russell, Turner and Watson (except for the very north end near the Australian Heritage Village which is in the Majura district). Part of the nature park to the east and south of Mount Majura is also in the Inner North. It also includes Black Mountain and the land south of Lady Denman Drive around Yarramundi Reach, near Lake Burley Griffin.

The Inner South includes the inner south subdivisions (suburbs) of Barton, Capital Hill, Deakin, Forrest, Fyshwick, Griffith, Kingston, Narrabundah, Parkes, Red Hill (except for the Federal Golf Course which is in Woden Valley district), and Yarralumla.

At the 2021 census, there were 92,780 people in the Canberra Central district.^[9][10] Population growth in the Canberra Central district between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 3.5%; in the five years to the 2011 census, the population grew by 9.7%; in the five years to the 2016 census, the population grew by 10.8%; and in the five years to the 2021 census, the population grew by 16.0%. Population growth in Canberra Central was slower than the national average during the first five years (the national average was 5.8%), but it has been significantly faster since (the national average was 8.3, 8.8% and 8.6% respectively in the last three periods).^{[11][12][13][14][9][10]} The median weekly income for residents within the Canberra Central district was significantly higher than the national average.^[9][10]

Selected historical census data for the Canberra Central district
Census year			2001[11][12]	2006[13][14]	2011[15][16]	2016[9][10]	2021[1][2]
Population		Estimated residents on census night	63,577	65,781	72,184	80,009	92,780
		District rank in terms of size within the Australian Capital Territory	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	2nd
		Percentage of the Australian Capital Territory population			20.2%	20.1%	20.5%
		Percentage of the Australian population	0.34%	0.33%	0.34%	0.34%	0.36%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry, top responses		English			32.7%	33.7%	34.2%
		Australian			32.4%	28.7%	29.9%
		Irish			14.0%	14.6%	14.0%
		Scottish			10.7%	11.2%	11,5%
		Chinese			4.8%		6.9%
Language, top responses (other than English)		Mandarin	0.9%	1.6%	2.7%	4.1%	3.8%
		Vietnamese	0.7%	0.8%	1.0%
		Greek	1.1%	0.9%	1.0%
		Italian	1.3%	1.1%	1.0%
		Cantonese	n/c	0.9%	1.0%	1.0%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation, top responses		No Religion	24.7%	29.3%	36.2%	44.3%	52.2%
		Catholic	24.0%	23.4%	20.8%	17.2%	15.3%
		Anglican	17.4%	15.0%	12.7%	11.5%	8.1%
		Uniting Church	4.2%	3.7%	3.1%
		Buddhism	n/c	2.6%	3.1%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income		Median weekly personal income		A$781	A$1,013	A$1,078	A$1,363
		Percentage of Australian median income		167.6%	175.6%	139.8%	154.2%
Family income		Median weekly family income		A$2,058	A$2,652	A$2,825	A$3,362
		Percentage of Australian median income		175.7%	141.9%	152.5%	149.8%
Household income		Median weekly household income		A$1,521	A$2,101	A$2,100	A$2,467
		Percentage of Australian median income		148.1%	170.2%	137.8%	134.1%

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