Area profile
A quick snapshot of Brewarrina Shire, drawn from official ABS estimates and the NSW Government's council data. The shire sits in far north-west NSW on the Barwon River, running north to the Queensland border, and is one of the largest and least densely populated local government areas in the state — about 1,400 people across 19,162 km². The town of Brewarrina is the council seat; Goodooga, Gongolgon, Weilmoringle and Angledool are the other settlements. The economy runs on sheep and cattle grazing, wool and cotton, with the council itself among the larger local employers, alongside a growing cultural-tourism sector.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Local Government Area (LGA)
- The official area a council governs.
- Estimated Resident Population (ERP)
- The official population count for an area.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- The national statistics agency behind population figures.
The area at a glance
- Population (ERP, 2023–24)
- 1,408ABS Estimated Resident Population, per OLG time-series data.
- Area
- 19,162.0 km²
- Population density
- ~0.07 people per km²About one resident for every 14 km².
- Region
- Far north-west NSW (Orana), on the Barwon River
- Council classification
- Rural (OLG group 8)
- Main centres
- Brewarrina (council seat), Goodooga, Gongolgon, Weilmoringle and AngledoolThe council describes itself as serving Brewarrina and the surrounding villages of Goodooga, Angledool, Gongolgon and Weilmoringle. Angledool straddles the boundary with Walgett Shire. A selection of localities is listed below.
- Roads
- More than 1,700 km of sealed and unsealed roadThe council's road network spans over 1,700 km; many roads are unsealed and suitable only for dry-weather travel, and all unsealed roads in the shire close in wet weather.
- Baiame's Ngunnhu (Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps)
- On the National Heritage List since 3 June 2005A traditional Aboriginal freshwater fishery on the Barwon River at Brewarrina: dry-stone weirs and holding pens arranged across the river for nearly half a kilometre. The Australian Heritage Database records it as listed for rarity (the largest dry-stone fish trap recorded in Australia) and for creative or technical achievement. The Ngemba people are the custodians of the fishery. The council states that archaeologists estimate the Ngunnhu to be over 40,000 years old and that it is believed to be the oldest human-made structure on earth.
Suburbs & postcodes
- Brewarrina2839
- Goodooga2831
- Gongolgon2839
- Weilmoringle2839
- Collerina2839
- Talawanta2839
- Narran Lake2839
- Angledool2834
On the map
The shaded area is the official Local Government Area boundary.
The suburb list and postcodes are a selection of the localities in the Brewarrina Shire LGA; Angledool is split between the Brewarrina and Walgett local government areas. The shaded area on the map is the official Local Government Area boundary (OpenStreetMap administrative boundary for Brewarrina Shire Council). The council acknowledges the Ngemba, Murrawarri, Euahlayi, Weilwan, Ualarai and Baranbinja peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land it governs.
Sources — check it yourself
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2023–24 (population, area, classification) · ABS ERP 2023–24
- Brewarrina Shire Council — About Council · Aug 2026
- Brewarrina Shire Council — First Nations (Baiame's Ngunnhu) · Aug 2026
- Australian Heritage Database — Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps (Baiame's Ngunnhu), National Heritage List, Place ID 105778 · Listed 3 Jun 2005
- Brewarrina Shire (Wikipedia)
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.