Valley grows while faith fades

By MARA PATTISON-SOWDEN
A SNAPSHOT of the valley has seen a small increase in population while the importance of religion continues to shrink.
The 2011 Census, which was held on 9 August 2011, has revealed that Healesville, the Upper Yarra and Woori Yallock districts have all had population increases since 2006.
The Woori Yallock district, which also takes in Don Valley, Launching Place, Hoddles Creek, Seville and Wandin has grown by 609 people since 2006, with a population of 13,545.
While the Upper Yarra has increased its population to 6015, a growth of 529 people over five years.
Despite the increase in developments around the town centre, Healesville and its surrounds of Badger Creek, Chum Creek, and Toolangi only saw an extra 261 people move in, totaling 10,333 people for 2011.
The 16th Census has also revealed that people living in the valley are more likely to not have a dedicated religion.
The Woori Yallock district had the highest number of non-believers, with 4780 people not subscribing to a religion, which is a 7.8 per cent increase compared to 4,409 in 2006.
In the Upper Yarra, there are 28 less Seventh-day Adventists compared to 196 in 2006, while 488 more people ticked the “no religion” box with 2,279 non-believers.
Although the Healesville district saw an increase in Anglican and Catholic believers, up to 1542 and 1874 respectively, those not dedicated to a religion rose by 452 to 3747.
The Yarra Ranges itself has grown by almost 5000 people since 2006, with 144,541 people recorded on census night.
Children from birth to 14 years of age made up 20 per cent of the population, and people aged 65 years and over made up 12.5 per cent of the population.
German and Italian were the two languages most spoken at home after English in the Yarra Ranges, but more than 130,000 households spoke only English at home.
There are as many people undertaking technical or further education in the Shire – 3709 people – as there are attending university or other tertiary education – 4295 people.