Bathurst is a city located in New South Wales, Australia. This city was first established in 1814 and is believed to be the oldest inland settlement in all of Australia. The city has had periods of rapid growth in population, and estimates in 2016 put the city’s population has reached 41,300 individuals.
This city has an area of 3,820 square kilometers available. The population density is calculated to be approximately 11 people per square kilometer.
One of the most interesting things about the demographics of Bathurst residents is their age, which falls below the national average. The median age of city residents is 37 years old. This younger demographic has led to the popularity of modern sports among residents, such as BMX, wakeboarding, and parkour. Because the city has the largest education sector in the area, this contributes to the younger demographic. Over 87% of the population are residents of Australia.
In terms of religious demographics in Bathurst, approximately 31% follow Catholicism, 22.4% follow no religion, 19% follow an Anglican path, 11.3% made no religious statement, and 4.2% are affiliated with Presbyterian or Reformed.
The majority of the population uses the English language at home and work.
The area where Bathurst is located was first occupied by Wiradjuri Aborigines. Europeans first spotted the area in 1813. A road was constructed from the Emu Plains across the Blue Mountains by William Cox, who was given 2,000 acres of land including what is now known as Bathurst. In 1815, the city was named for Henry Bathurst by Governor Lachlan Macquarie.
In its earliest years, Bathurst was used as a base for explorers. However, things soon changed with the discovery of gold. Gold flakes were found in 1823 in the Fish River, but it was several years later when actual gold was discovered. Australia’s first gold rush began, and the world’s largest mass of gold was discovered. During this time, Bathurst became a center of the gold rush, and many hotels and inns were built to accommodate those coming to the area in search of riches.
The city then went through a period of development in the 1900s, with significant infrastructure including water, gas, and electricity making its way through. An army camp was developed during the 1940s and post-World War II became a migrant reception and training center. Today, the economy is reliant upon the education and government service sectors, as well as manufacturing and forestry. Tourism is also a popular industry. The city has seen rapid spurts of population growth throughout the years, first with the gold rush and then later with migrants moving from war-torn cities and returning WWII soldiers coming back to claim land that was gifted by the government.
As previously mentioned, Bathurst has seen strong periods of growth throughout its history. Now, the population growth has slowed but remains steady – around 1.6% annually. It is the seventh fastest growing city in New South Wales. To accommodate this growth, the city continues to build and develop, with new retail shops, sports centers, residential areas, and commercial buildings being constructed. History shows that the population of Bathurst will continue to grow at a steady, healthy rate in the coming years.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 5,464,920 | 1.35% |
| Sydney | 5,312,640 | 1.22% |
| Brisbane | 2,599,740 | 1.23% |
| Perth | 2,195,090 | 1.19% |
| Adelaide | 1,407,600 | 1.05% |
| Gold Coast | 762,290 | 1.29% |
| Canberra | 488,541 | 1.15% |
| Newcastle | 474,766 | 1.06% |
| Wollongong | 321,908 | 1.06% |
| Hobart | 178,009 | 1.01% |
| Townsville | 168,729 | 1.01% |
| Geelong | 157,104 | 1.02% |
| Cairns | 144,730 | 1.02% |
| Darwin | 118,456 | 1.03% |
| Toowoomba | 100,032 | 1.01% |
| Ballarat | 93,759 | 1.02% |
| Bendigo | 92,379 | 1.02% |
| Maitland | 78,015 | 1.03% |
| Mackay | 75,710 | 1% |
| Launceston | 75,329 | 1% |
| Bunbury | 71,090 | 1.02% |
| Rockhampton | 61,214 | 1% |
| Melton | 54,456 | 1.04% |
| Hervey Bay | 52,073 | 1.01% |
| Bundaberg | 50,148 | 1% |
| Wagga Wagga | 48,263 | 1.01% |
| Coffs Harbour | 48,225 | 1.01% |
| Albury | 47,974 | 1.01% |
| Port Macquarie | 44,814 | 1.02% |
| Orange | 37,182 | 1.01% |
| Queanbeyan | 36,248 | 1% |
| Wodonga | 35,130 | 1.02% |
| Sunbury | 34,425 | 1.01% |
| Dubbo | 34,339 | 1.01% |
| Tamworth | 33,885 | 0.99% |
| Mildura | 33,444 | 1.01% |
| Gladstone | 33,418 | 1.01% |
| Geraldton | 31,982 | 1% |
| Warrnambool | 30,709 | 1.01% |
| Albany | 29,373 | 1.02% |
| Lismore | 27,569 | 1% |
| Gawler | 26,472 | 1.02% |
