Area profile
A quick snapshot of Lockhart Shire, drawn from official ABS estimates and the NSW Government's council data. The shire sits in the southern Riverina between Wagga Wagga and Urana: Lockhart is about 62 km south-west of Wagga Wagga, 62 km east of Narrandera and 105 km north of Albury, while The Rock is on the Olympic Highway 25 km south of Wagga, with Yerong Creek another 15 km down the highway. Created in 1906, it is one of the most sparsely populated LGAs in the Riverina, with roughly one person per square kilometre spread across nearly 2,900 km² of grain, sheep and cattle country.
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)
- 3,474ABS Estimated Resident Population, per OLG time-series data.
- Area
- 2,895.8 km²
- Population density
- ~1 person per km²
- Region
- Riverina, NSW — between Wagga Wagga and Urana
- Council classification
- Rural (OLG group 9)
- Main centres
- Lockhart (council seat) and The Rock, with the villages of Yerong Creek, Pleasant Hills, Milbrulong, Osborne and UrangelineThe council's Community Strategic Plan describes the shire as a hub for grain, lamb, beef and wool production, with heritage and eco-tourism growing in recent years. Its Annual Report notes the 2021 Census population of 3,319 and a NSW planning projection of about 4,500 by 2041. A selection of localities is listed below.
- Local landmarks
- The Rock Nature Reserve — Kengal Aboriginal Place; Galore Hill Scenic ReserveThe Rock rises about 364 m above the surrounding plains and is a NSW National Parks nature reserve and declared Aboriginal Place. Galore Hill Scenic Reserve is roughly 12 km north of Lockhart.
- Council services
- Roads, sewer, waste, planning, library, swimming pools, an early learning centre, aged and community servicesCouncil maintains the shire's local and regional road network and four landfill sites, and runs the Lockhart Caravan Park, Magnolia Lodge, the Lockhart Early Learning Centre, a community services bus and seasonal swimming pools at Lockhart and The Rock.
- Traditional custodians
- WiradjuriThe council's Community Strategic Plan 2035 acknowledges the Wiradjuri people as the traditional custodians of the land.
Suburbs & postcodes
- Lockhart2656
- The Rock2655
- Yerong Creek2642
- Pleasant Hills2658
- Milbrulong2656
- Osborne2656
- Tootool2655
- French Park2655
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 Lockhart Shire LGA. The shaded area on the map is the official Local Government Area boundary (OpenStreetMap administrative boundary for Lockhart Shire Council). Lockhart markets itself as the 'Verandah Town': its main street, Green Street, is lined with wide Federation-era verandahs restored in the early 1990s and classified by the National Trust, with more than 400 etched pavers set into the footpath beneath them.
Sources — check it yourself
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2023–24 (population, area, classification) · ABS ERP 2023–24
- Lockhart Shire Council — Community Strategic Plan 2035 (Our community, p.8) · Adopted 23 Jun 2025
- Lockhart Shire Council — Annual Report 2025 (Our Community, p.8) · FY2025
- Visit Lockhart Shire — Lockhart, the 'Verandah Town' · 2026
- NSW National Parks — The Rock Nature Reserve, Kengal Aboriginal Place
- Lockhart 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.