It means our population jumped by 0.7 per cent, just slightly down on the previous year when Dubbo’s population jumped by 360. But it’s much higher than the paltry growth of just 34 people in 2002/03.

The new figures from the ABS show that in contrast, the towns surrounding Dubbo grew smaller in numbers - Wellington, Narromine, Gilgandra, Forbes and Parkes all lost population.

Orange grew by 324 (0.9 per cent) and Bathurst by 144 (0.4 per cent).

Dubbo mayor Greg Matthews said the drought was partly responsible for Dubbo’s growth, driving people from smaller towns into larger ones.

Readily available jobs and the strong economy has a bigger impact.

“The drought is having an effect, it’s quite obvious that many of the smaller communities have lost quite a few because of that, such as Bourke,” he said. “But I don’t know if those people are ending up in Dubbo - they could be going further afield.

“Dubbo has a strong economy, our jobless rate has run below the state average for years now and the participation rate is higher than the State average.

“Some of the growth is driven by the economic strength of Dubbo as well as the drought having an effect.

“Look at the development in town - I met a guy from Coonamble who was coming for his third interview with Bunnings. These developments draw people from country communities around us as well as the city.”

Dubbo is further boosted because it isn’t reliant on just one industry, such as a mine.

“Dubbo is a conundrum because you can’t put the growth figures down to one effect,” Cr Matthew said. “Lots of Orange’s growth is around Cadia mine, if you’re reliant on one industry, you can link the increase or decrease (to that industry).

“But Dubbo’s strength is broadly based, you can’t quite identify the things making the difference.”

According to the ABS, Dubbo was the 54th fastest growing local government area, and recorded the 57th largest growth.

Bourke sustained the fastest decline, losing 3.9 per cent of its population, or 130 people.

Moree had the biggest drop, with 280 people fewer in town - or 1.9 per cent of the population, while Wellington had the third biggest drop in the state, losing 160 people to number 8250. The town had 8801 people in 2001.

lynton.grace@ruralpress.com

Population change in western NSW

(2006/07 financial year)

Dubbo - up 288 to 39787 (0.7 per cent)

Bathurst - up 144 to 37686 (0.4 per cent).

Orange - up 324 to 37333 (0.9 per cent)

Wellington - down 160 to 8250 (-1.9 per cent)

Gilgandra - down 77 to 4625 (-1.6 per cent)

Narromine - down 59 to 6717 (-0.9per cent)

Cobar - up 31 to 5143 (0.6 per cent)

Parkes - down 10 to 14836 (-0.1 per cent)

Mudgee - up 110 to 22093 (0.5 per cent)

Forbes - down 28 to 9727 (-0.3per cent)

Dubbo’s growth by financial year:

2001-02 - 94

2002-03 - 34

2003-04 - 97

2004-05 - 160

2005-06 - 360

2006-07 - 288