The City of Penrith is a
local government area in the state of
New South Wales,
Australia. The seat of the city is located in
Penrith, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west of
Sydney's
central business district. It occupies part of the traditional lands of the
Darug people. First incorporated as a municipality on 12 May 1871, on 1 January 1949, the municipalities of Penrith, St Marys and Castlereagh and part of the Nepean Shire amalgamated to form a new Municipality of Penrith. Penrith was declared a City on 21 October 1959, and expanded westwards to include Emu Plains and Emu Heights, formerly part of the
City of Blue Mountains, on 25 October 1963. As of the
2021 census the City of Penrith had an estimated population of 217,664.[1]
The
mayor of the City of Penrith is Todd Carney, a member of the
Labor Party.[2]
Suburbs and localities in the local government area
The following suburbs and localities are located within the City of Penrith:
The Municipality of Penrith was incorporated on 12 May 1871 under the Municipalities Act 1858 (NSW). On 3 March 1890, St Marys was separately incorporated, and on 26 July 1893 and 9 September 1895, Mulgoa and Castlereagh followed respectively. In 1913, Mulgoa became the "A" Riding of the neighbouring Nepean Shire.[3]
On 1 January 1949, under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipalities of Penrith, St Marys and Castlereagh and A Riding of the Nepean Shire amalgamated to form a new Municipality of Penrith. It was declared a City on 21 October 1959, and expanded westwards to include Emu Plains and Emu Heights, formerly part of the
City of Blue Mountains, on 25 October 1963.[3]
Demographics
This section needs expansion with:
2016 census data. You can help by
adding to it. (July 2017)
At the
2021 census, there were 217,644 people in the Penrith local government area, of these 49.4% were male and 50.6% were female.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 5% of the population; notably above the national average of 3.4%. The
median age of people in the City of Penrith was 35 years; notably below the national median of 39 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.2% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 12.9% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 45.5% were married and 12.3% were either divorced or separated.[4]
Population growth in the City of Penrith between the 2001 Census and the
2006 census was 0.15% and in the subsequent five years to the
2011 census, population growth was 3.68%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in the Penrith local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[5] The median
weekly income for residents within the City of Penrith was on with par with the national average.[4]
At the
2021 census, the proportion of residents in the Penrith local government area who stated their
ancestry as
Australian or
Anglo-Saxon exceeded 63.5% of all residents (national average was 58.4%). In excess of 28.7% of all residents in the City of Penrith area nominated a
religious affiliation with
Christianity at the
2021 census, which was fairly higher than the national average of 20%. Meanwhile, as at the Census date, compared to the national average, households in the Penrith local government area had a marginally lower than average proportion (23.9%) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 24.8%); and a higher proportion (74.2%) where
English only was spoken at home (national average was 72%).[4]
Selected historical census data for Penrith local government area
Ward One (9, Penrith) Ward Two (9, St Marys) Ward Three (3, Nepean) Ward Four (3, Castlereagh)
1950–1959
12 (3 per ward)
Ward One Ward Two Ward Three Ward Four
1959–1963
13 (3 per ward: 12 Aldermen, 1 Mayor)
Direct triennial election
1963–1968
13 (4 per ward: 12 Aldermen, 1 Mayor)
North Ward South Ward East Ward
1968–1987
12 (4 per ward)
Annual election by Aldermen/Councillors
1987–date
15 (5 per ward)
Current composition and election method
Penrith City Council is composed of fifteen
councillors elected
proportionally as three separate
wards, each electing five councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The
mayor is elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council for a two-year term, while the deputy mayor is elected for a single-year term only. The most recent election was held on 4 December 2021. The current council is as follows:[8][9][10]
The City of Penrith is served by a weekly newspaper,
The Western Weekender, which was founded in 1991. It produces a print edition each Friday as well as a digital news service. The newspaper is independently owned.
Sister cities
Since it signed its first agreement with Fujieda, Japan in 1984, Penrith City has gradually expanded its sister cities and international links programme. Presently Penrith has links with:
^"Ald. Chapman, Mayor of Penrith". Nepean Times. Vol. 67, no. 4729. New South Wales, Australia. 8 December 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Ald. B. Fowler Elected Mayor of Penrith". Nepean Times. Vol. 72, no. 5081. New South Wales, Australia. 13 December 1956. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Ald. L. Spies Now Mayor of Penrith". Nepean Times. Vol. 75, no. 3891. New South Wales, Australia. 12 December 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"The Mayor". Nepean Times. Vol. 77, no. 3991. New South Wales, Australia. 10 December 1959. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Citizens Mourn Mayor: Many Tributes". Nepean Times. Vol. 79, no. 4032. New South Wales, Australia. 27 April 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Mayor's Successor". Nepean Times. Vol. 79, no. 4032. New South Wales, Australia. 27 April 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Mayor Quick off the Mark Starting Duties". Nepean Times. Vol. 79, no. 4038. New South Wales, Australia. 8 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Congratulations for New Mayor". Nepean Times. Vol. 79, no. 4038. New South Wales, Australia. 8 June 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 2 June 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Sheehy, Patrick Francis – Member of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 13 June 2005. Retrieved 1 June 2018. For service to local government through the Penrith City Council, and to the community of Western Sydney, particularly in the areas of education and health services.
^"Aitken, James Ashley – Medal of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 8 June 1998. Retrieved 1 June 2018. For service to the community of the Penrith District, Particularly Through Youth Welfare and Service Organisations and to Local Government.
^"Crameri, Kevin Douglas – Centenary Medal". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 1 June 2018. For community service through the rural fire brigade, Red Cross and NSW Police Citizens' Boys Club.
^"Fowler, Ross Bernard – Medal of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour database. Australian Government. 26 January 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2018. For service to local government, and to the community of Penrith through a range of service and disabled care organisations.