New England Online > Geography > Administrative Divisions > Counties > Gwydirshire
Gwydirshire
| Gwydirshire | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Geography | |
| Established: | 1 July 2016 |
| Population: | 70,100 |
| County Town: | Bingara |
| Politics | |
| Control: | National |
| Earl: | Jack Francis |
Gwydirshire is the westernmost county of New England, located in the Gwydir and Macdonald valleys. The county was created on 1st July 2016 with the merger of Barraba and Bingara Counties.
The county town is Bingara, which is located on the Gwydir River the north of the county, about forty kilometres south-west of Inverell.
Area & Population
In terms of population, Gwydirshire is the second smallest county in New England with just 46,000 people. Only Parkes is smaller. The county is divided into the Districts of Macdonald-Upper Horton and Upper Gwydir and the Towns of Barraba, Bingara, Bundarra and Manilla . There are no cities in the county. By area, however, Gwydir is the third largest, ranking behind Clarence and Macintyre.
Culturally, Gwydirshire is the most homogenous county in New England. 99% percent of population is of European heritage, and 85% of those are descended from pre-independence settlers.
Politics
Of all of New England's counties, none is more politically homogenous as Gwydirshire. The SDLP has never held a seat here, and the opposition to the National Party comes in the form of two ex-National Party Thegns who now sit as independents.
| Earls of Macintyre | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Party | In Office | Duration | ||
| 1 | John Naseby | United | 1 October 2012 - 31 August 2016 | |||
| 2 | Kerry Young | National | 1 September 2016 - | |||
| 3 | Ben Smith | National | ||||
| 4 | Jack Francis | National | - Present | Incumbent | ||
Places of Interest
There are a number of places of interest in Gwydirshire registered with the Department of Cultural Heritage, including:
- Barraba Geothermal Fields
- Gwydir Gorge
- Myall Creek Memorial
- Split Rock Dam
Counties of New England
Apsleyshire · Clarence · Fitzroyshire · Greater Armidale · Guyra · Gwydir
Macintyre · Macleay · Macquarie · Parkes · Raleigh · Severnshire · Uralla
