Area profile
A quick snapshot of Weddin Shire, drawn from official ABS estimates, the NSW Government's council data and the council's own Community Strategic Plan. The shire takes its name from the Weddin Mountains — from the Wiradjuri word 'Weedin', meaning a place to sit, stay or remain — and its administrative and commercial centre is Grenfell, in the Central West between Cowra, Forbes and Young. It is a big, thinly settled area: over 3,400 square kilometres of which the council says 94% is dry-land agriculture, 3% national park and 3% state forest.
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)
- 3,608ABS Estimated Resident Population, per OLG time-series data. The council's Community Strategic Plan cites the same figure, with a median age of 52 (NSW: 39).
- Area
- 3,414.9 km2
- Population density
- ~1 person per km2
- Region
- Central West, NSW — Grenfell, between Cowra, Forbes and Young
- Council classification
- Rural (OLG group 9)
- Main centres
- Grenfell (council seat) and the villages of Caragabal, Greenethorpe and Quandialla, plus the locality of BimbiCouncil's Community Strategic Plan reports agriculture as the largest employer at 22.7% of employed residents, followed by local government (3.9%) and hospitals (3.6%). The shire sits at the crossroads of the Newell and Mid Western Highways.
- Heritage and visitors
- 101 heritage items and 3 conservation areas listed in the Weddin LEP 2011Henry Lawson was born at Grenfell on 17 June 1867, and the Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of Arts has been recognised by Destination NSW as a flagship regional event. Weddin Mountains National Park, which the council calls the shire's most prominent tourist attraction, draws over 25,000 visitors a year.
Suburbs & postcodes
- Grenfell2810
- Caragabal2810
- Bimbi2810
- Greenethorpe2809
- Quandialla2721
On the map
The shaded area is the official Local Government Area boundary.
The suburb list and postcodes cover the township and villages for which the council publishes rating-category maps and a kerbside collection service; the LGA also contains a number of smaller rural localities. The shaded area on the map is the official Local Government Area boundary (OpenStreetMap administrative boundary for Weddin Shire Council). The council acknowledges the Wiradjuri people as the traditional owners and custodians of the land.
Sources — check it yourself
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2023-24 (population, area, classification) · ABS ERP 2023-24
- Weddin Shire Council — Weddin 2035 Community Strategic Plan (PDF) · Adopted 19 Jun 2025
- Weddin Shire Council — Heritage (LEP 2011 listings) · 2026
- Australian Dictionary of Biography — Henry Lawson (1867-1922)
- NSW National Parks — Weddin Mountains National Park
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.