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Peninsula goes multi-cultural

Census figures have shown that the Peninsula is finally becoming a multi-cultural community.

Just six years ago, the Peninsula was a bastion of white Anglo-Saxon Australia.

Figures from last year's census show a 10 per cent increase in the number of Peninsula residents not born in Australia and a six per cent increase in households where English was not the only language spoken at home.

They also showed a 10 per cent drop in the number of married people, and almost a 10 per cent drop (from 48.2 to 38.7 per cent) in the numbers of fully-owned houses.

The population of the Woy Woy Peninsula has increased by 341 people according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Last year's Census recorded 41,580 people usually resident in postcodes 2256 and 2257 on August 8.

The 2001 Census recorded 41,239 people living on the Peninsula.

Of the total population, the percentage of males in 2006 was only slightly higher than in 2001.

In 2001 ABS recorded 47.75 per cent males on the Peninsula compared with 47.97 per cent last year.

The percentage of females in the area in 2001 was 52.25 per cent and dropped slightly to 52.1 per cent last year.

However, the number of Indigenous persons has increased by more than 30 per cent, from 1.75 per cent of the population to 2.3 per cent last year.

In the 2001 Census 12.05 per cent of the population usually resident on the Peninsula were children aged between 5-14 years, and 37.35 per cent were persons aged between 25-54 years.

In comparison, last year's Census recorded 12 per cent of the Peninsula population were children aged between 5-14 years, and 35.75 per cent were persons aged between 25-54 years.

The population of persons 65 years and over has risen by 0.4 per cent since 2001.

Of persons usually resident here, 90.15 per cent were Australian citizens in 2001 compared with 85.8 per cent last year.

About 70 per cent of persons living on the Peninsula stated they were born in Australia.

In 2001 this figure was 80.55 per cent of the population.

English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 91.35 per cent of Peninsula residents in 2001 in contrast to 85.8 per cent last year.

In the 2001 Census 33.85 per cent of persons living in the area stated they were Anglican.

Last year this figure dropped to 30.3 per cent.

Similarly, 27.05 per cent of the population stated they were Catholic in 2001 compared to 25.9 per cent last year.

The number of persons usually resident in the area to have no religious affiliation was 11.95 per cent in 2001.

Last year's Census recorded an increase in persons on the Peninsula to have no religious affiliation (14.5 per cent).

In the 2001 Census 48.8 per cent of persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in the area were married, 25.75 per cent never married, 14.6 per cent separated or divorced and 10.85 per cent widowed.

Last year's Census recorded a decline in the number of persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in the area to be married by 10.5 per cent (38.3 per cent).

A decline was also recorded in last year's Census between the number of Peninsula residents aged 15 years and over who have never married or who have been divorced or separated.

According to 2006 figures, 22.8 per cent of persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in the area never married and 12.7 per cent were separated or divorced.

There were 11,363 families living on the Peninsula in 2001: 36.6 per cent were couple families with children, 42.9 per cent were couple families without children, 18.9 per cent were single parent families and 1.5 per cent were other families.

On last year's Census night there 10,819 families recorded in the area.

Last year 35.5 per cent of families living on the Peninsula were couple families with children, 42.7 per cent were couple families with no children, 20.2 were one parent families and 1.6 per cent were other families.

In 2001 about 48.15 per cent of occupied dwellings in the area were fully owned compared to a significant drop of 38.7 per cent last year.

About 19.3 per cent of private dwellings were being purchased in 2001.

This figure increased to 23.3 per cent last year.

The number of private dwellings being rented on the Peninsula has increased from 25.05 per cent in 2001 to 27 per cent last year.

There were 20,803 private dwellings in postcodes 2256 and 2257 in the 2001 Census and 21,043 last year.

The number of private dwellings on the Peninsula has risen by 240 over the last five years.

Of these 75.7 per cent were separate houses in 2001 in contrast to 75.5 per cent last year.

There has been a 1.9 per cent increase in the number of flats, units or apartments on the Peninsula.

In last year's Census family households accounted for 60.6 per cent of occupied private dwellings in the area compared to 63 per cent in 2001.

Clare Graham, 20 Jul 2007