--- title: "Looking at your area from a demographic perspective: Mid Murray | .id blog" description: Maybe I?m showing my age, but a recent trip to Mid-Murray Council reminded me of the old TV series F Troop.� In the TV series, to get to Fort Courage, you had to turn... image: https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/polar.jpg --- [![id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png?width=2440&height=881&name=id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png) ![id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png?width=2440&height=881&name=id-Master-logo-colour-tight-crop.png)](https://home.id.com.au) - Services - [Services for Local Government](https://home.id.com.au/services/local-government) - [Services for Industry](https://home.id.com.au/industry-services) - [Resources](https://home.id.com.au/demographic-resources) - [Case studies](https://home.id.com.au/case-studies) - 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[Population](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population) - [Demographic analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/demographic-analysis) - [Local area analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/local-area-analysis) - [Population trends](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population-trends) - [Australian census](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/australian-census) - [New Zealand population and census](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/new-zealand-population-and-census) - [Population forecasting](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/population-forecasting) - [Economic analysis](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/economic-analysis) - [Housing](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/housing) - [Community views](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/community-views) - [.id news](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/-id-news) - [Fun stuff](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/fun-stuff) - [Online tools](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/online-tools) - [Community profiles](https://content.id.com.au/community-profiles-australia) - [Social atlas](https://content.id.com.au/social-atlases-australia) - [Population forecasts](https://content.id.com.au/population-forecast-australia) - [Economic profiles](https://content.id.com.au/economic-profiles-australia) - [Housing monitors](https://housing.id.com.au/) - [Community views](https://views.id.com.au/local_governments) - [How to](https://home.id.com.au/idinsight/topic/how-to) - [Features and updates](https://home.id.com.au/new-data-and-features) ## Looking at your area from a demographic perspective: Mid Murray [Jim - ideas, observations and handy shortcuts](https://blog.id.com.au/author/jim-ideas-observations-and-handy-shortcuts) 13 Nov, 2014 Maybe I’m showing my age, but a recent trip to Mid-Murray Council reminded me of the old TV series F Troop. In the TV series, to get to Fort Courage, you had to turn left at the rock that looks like a bear, and then right at the bear that looks like a rock. Mid-Murray Council, one of .id’s most recent clients, boasts a spectacular rural outlook, interesting demographics – and a rock that looks like a polar bear. [![Looking at your area from a demographic perspective: Mid Murray](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Polarbear-618x400.jpg?width=618&height=400&name=Polarbear-618x400.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Polarbear-618x400.jpg) Bear Rock is just outside Palmer, a small town located about 15km from Mannum. It’s famous in the area for being painted to reflect certain occasions at different times of the year. For example, it’s often painted with an Australian Flag for Australia Day. Mid-Murray Council covers a large geographic area, north-east of Adelaide, and includes major Murray River localities such as Mannum, Blanchetown and Morgan. Their demographic, like many regional areas, shows an ageing profile. [![Looking at your area from a demographic perspective: Mid Murray](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart1.png?width=740&height=440&name=Chart1.png)](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart1.png) However an interesting trend can be found in their volunteer workers. With an ageing population, it’s often assumed that there will be more volunteers, as historically, the participation rate actually increases as for males above 55, and slows only slightly from a high base for females. Volunteering age, ABS Voluntary Work Survey 2006 [![Chart2](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart2.gif?width=246&height=170&name=Chart2.gif)](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart2.gif) However – even with large gains in post 55 age population, Mid-Murray’s volunteers have actually fallen between 2006-2011. [![Chart3](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart3.png?width=740&height=440&name=Chart3.png)](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart3.png) The answer may be found in the figures relating to providing care for an older person or a person with a disability or long term illness. It seems Mid-Murray has a very large increase in people providing unpaid care. This increase may be “soaking up” the potential volunteering, as these people are essentially “volunteering” their time to caring for an older or disabled person. [![Looking at your area from a demographic perspective: Mid Murray](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart4.png?width=740&height=440&name=Chart4.png)](https://blog.id.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/ID-Blog-Media-2024/Chart4.png) Is this the trend in other places in Australia? Yes, especially in more remote areas, as the population ages this is an increasing trend. More and more baby boomers (such as early retirees) are engaged in caring for their older parents, especially as life expectancy improves. [![Visit Profile](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/d7315fb1-3993-422e-9357-2a66f6ce0924.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/d7315fb1-3993-422e-9357-2a66f6ce0924) Tags: [Local area analysis](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/local-area-analysis) ##### Jim - ideas, observations and handy shortcuts Jim has been a member of the .id team since early 2010, following 10 years as a Director in local government and prior to that, many years at IBM. Jim is also a former .id client and recognised the value of .id’s tools in council decision making. He decided to join .id to help spread the word! He manages .id’s local government clients in Queensland and South Australia, helping them to use .id’s tools for informed strategy and policy decisions. Outside work, Jim enjoys learning Spanish, travel (especially to Spanish speaking locales) and collects the odd car or two… Previous Story [Birth numbers remain high](https://blog.id.com.au/2014/population/demographic-trends/birth-numbers-remain-high) Next Story [Is your council “Fit for the future”?](https://blog.id.com.au/2014/population/local-area-analysis/is-your-council-fit-for-the-future) ### Related Posts [Local area analysis](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/local-area-analysis) [![Measuring the impact of environmental risk and climate change perceptions](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/bushfire.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/measuring-the-impact-of-environmental-risk-on-populations) 29 Nov, 2024 [Measuring the impact of environmental risk and climate change perceptions](https://blog.id.com.au/measuring-the-impact-of-environmental-risk-on-populations) [Australian census](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/australian-census) [![Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/annie-spratt-A2bvXVD5qgo-unsplash.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/modelling-the-likely-future-for-disability-services-across-australia) 07 Aug, 2024 [Modelling the likely future for disability services across Australia](https://blog.id.com.au/modelling-the-likely-future-for-disability-services-across-australia) [Local area analysis](https://blog.id.com.au/topic/local-area-analysis) [![The Importance of Land Use Planning in Local Government Areas](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/Blog%20%20The%20importance%20of%20land%20use%20planning.jpg)](https://blog.id.com.au/the-importance-of-land-use-planning-in-local-government-areas) 21 May, 2024 [The Importance of Land Use Planning in Local Government Areas](https://blog.id.com.au/the-importance-of-land-use-planning-in-local-government-areas) ### Leave a Reply [Next Story Is your council “Fit for the future”?](https://blog.id.com.au/2014/population/local-area-analysis/is-your-council-fit-for-the-future) [Previous Story Birth numbers remain high](https://blog.id.com.au/2014/population/demographic-trends/birth-numbers-remain-high) ###### Other Resources [![Visit the demographic resource centre](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/9f91699d-64e2-4b1a-862a-a9b326d7ace7.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/9f91699d-64e2-4b1a-862a-a9b326d7ace7) [![New Call-to-Action](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/c38b4439-45ab-4e1b-b8e2-e2c83dcd4f2d.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/c38b4439-45ab-4e1b-b8e2-e2c83dcd4f2d) [![Living in place - Things to consider when surveying communities](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/edc7cbe4-2147-4109-804c-c409a6cc4ad4.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/edc7cbe4-2147-4109-804c-c409a6cc4ad4) [![New Call-to-Action](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/daf7b77f-d989-4d66-964e-394afb2b297c.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/daf7b77f-d989-4d66-964e-394afb2b297c) [![Living in place - learnings and applications](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/d18ace05-bcc1-4478-a1b4-b01c86d003e9.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/d18ace05-bcc1-4478-a1b4-b01c86d003e9) [![New Call-to-action](https://hubspot-no-cache-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/320463/afec380f-71d7-4e79-b8b0-5b952ebe12e0.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-ap1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/320463/afec380f-71d7-4e79-b8b0-5b952ebe12e0) ![AoC-Australia-sm-1668562151-412x274](https://blog.id.com.au/hubfs/AoC-Australia-sm-1668562151-412x274.webp) In the spirit of reconciliation .id acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. 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