Shire of Harvey reaches major population milestone with 30,000 people now calling local government area home

A South West council has hit a major population milestone for the first time as it continues to ride a wave of growth.

Statistics from the Australia Bureau of Statistics show the Shire of Harvey ticked over the 30,000 population mark last year, with the rise largely driven by increases in the population of Australind which now has nearly 17,000 residents.

The results mean the Shire of Harvey’s population has increased by about 50 per cent from the 20,450 people which lived in the local government area in 2006.

Its population has grown continuously since that time, beating the regional WA average every year since.

Last year’s growth was estimated at 1.7 per cent.

Harvey Shire president Paul Gillett said it was “no surprise” people were moving to the shire or choosing to stay in the region.

“We are known as an agricultural powerhouse, but word is spreading about our unmatched lifestyle and fast-developing urban centres, too,” he said.

“We have several big projects on the go that will accommodate these population movements and enable sustainable social and economic growth,” he said.

The Shire of Waroona has seen a lower 1.1 per cent rise in its smaller population, growing to more than 4400 people.

However, neither council had the biggest population growth in the South West, with the Shire of Boyup Brook growing by 3.4 per cent between 2021 and 2022.

The City of Busselton has the biggest overall population, with nearly 42,900 people calling the area home.