Area profile
A quick snapshot of Central Darling Shire, drawn from official ABS estimates and the NSW Government's council data. Central Darling is the largest local government area in New South Wales by land area — more than 53,000 km², roughly a sixteenth of the state — and one of the least populated, with fewer than 1,800 residents. It sits in far-western NSW along the Darling River, known to the Barkandji people as the Baaka, and takes in the Menindee Lakes. Its towns and villages are Wilcannia (the council seat), Menindee, Ivanhoe, White Cliffs, Sunset Strip and Tilpa, separated by long distances and connecting roads that are largely unsealed.
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)
- 1,767ABS Estimated Resident Population, per OLG time-series data. The council's Community Strategic Plan 2026-2036 describes the shire as having 'around 2,000 permanent residents'.
- Area
- 53,492.2 km²The largest local government area in NSW by land area.
- Population density
- ~0.03 people per km²About 33 people per 1,000 km².
- Region
- Far West NSW — the Darling River (Baaka) and Menindee Lakes
- Council classification
- Rural (OLG group 9)
- Main centres
- Wilcannia (council seat), Menindee, Ivanhoe, White Cliffs, Sunset Strip and TilpaCouncil offices operate at Wilcannia (main office, 21 Reid Street), the Menindee Rural Transaction Centre and the Ivanhoe Multi Service Outlet.
- What the local economy runs on
- Pastoral grazing, irrigated horticulture, mining and tourismRural grazing properties account for about 97% of the shire's land area. Horticulture and agriculture are concentrated around Menindee, drawing on the Darling River and the Menindee Lakes storage scheme. Opal was discovered at White Cliffs in 1884 and the field — known for its underground dwellings — remains the shire's best-known mining industry. The council also runs caravan parks at White Cliffs and Wilcannia.
- Water security
- An active, publicly documented issueThe council's Community Strategic Plan 2026-2036 lists dependable drinking water supplies among the challenges its communities identified. Council and the NSW Government are delivering new water treatment plants at White Cliffs, Ivanhoe and Wilcannia, and test drilling for the Wilcannia Additional Emergency Groundwater Bore began in August 2026. See Priorities & direction.
Suburbs & postcodes
- Wilcannia2836
- White Cliffs2836
- Menindee2879
- Sunset Strip2879
- Ivanhoe2878
- Tilpa2840
On the map
The shaded area is the official Local Government Area boundary.
The list above covers the shire's named towns and villages; the rest of the LGA is rural holdings. The shaded area on the map is the official Local Government Area boundary (OpenStreetMap administrative boundary for Central Darling Shire Council). The council acknowledges the Barkandji people as the traditional owners and custodians of this land.
Sources — check it yourself
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2023-24 (population, area, classification) · ABS ERP 2023-24
- Your Council (NSW Government) — council data · 2023-24
- Central Darling Shire Council — Community Strategic Plan 2026-2036 (PDF) · Adopted 23 Jun 2026
- Central Darling Shire Council — Visiting Our Towns · Aug 2026
- Central Darling 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.