Welcome to the Hay Shire Council

Welcome to the Hay Shire Council web site.

Water Restrictions have changed for Hay

as of Friday 1st August

Hay Shire is now on Level 3 Restrictions

Click here for a detailed listing of all the allowances for each Water Restriction Level.

Hay is situated on the Murrumbidgee River at the junction of three highways. It is a safe, friendly community to raise a family and offers most community amenities.

Geography & Demography
The terrain is a flat, almost treeless, saltbush plain, with a magnificent 180 degree skyline, which at night is like black velvet with diamond stars, as far as the eye can see.
The population of the town of Hay is 2,932 with an additional 890 people living in small villages or properties within the Shire boundaries. The Hay Shire includes the townships or villages of Booligal (made famous by Banjo Patterson, in "Hay and Hell and Booligal"), Maude and One Tree.

Vegetation
Perennial bushes, mostly cottonbush and saltbush, form the greatest part of vegetation, covering 65% of the district; the remainder being grass country and flood plains. Box trees inhabit the plains country, with river gums along the river.

Climate
The climate of Hay is considered temperate. The average summer temperature is 34 degrees Celsius, with an average winter temperature being 13 degrees Celsius. The rainfall is comparatively low with an average of 325mm (13") annually. Spring and autumn are delightful times with the deciduous trees colouring beautifully in the autumn and the plains covered with wildflowers in the spring.

Products
The Hay Irrigation Area is virtually the "cradle of irrigation" on the Murrumbidgee River. Irrigated crops grown around the Hay area are maize, cotton, wheat, oats, barley, cereal rye, grain sorghum, sunflowers, soya beans, rapeseed, large seeds and legumes. Pasture crops include paspalum/white clover and sub clover/rye grasses are the normal winter pastures. More recently Hay has become a major rice producer with the crop now responsible for a significant portion of the Shire's rural income. In addition, melons, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and garlic are grown in the area for the Sydney and Melbourne markets and broccoli is an emerging export product. Wine grapes are also being grown in increasing quantities in the Hay region.

AREA	11,348 km2
LAND VALUE	$132,606,783
POPULATION	3,822

Hay: 2932

Booligal: 30

Maude: 60

Rural: 890

RATEABLE ASSESSMENTS	1844
MAIN ROADS	156 km
STATE HIGHWAYS	339 km
LOCAL ROADS & TOWN STREETS	765 km

NEW JOB VACANCIES