Aimed at understanding the wellbeing and social impacts of the local community, Clarence Valley Council (CVC) partnered with .id (Informed Decisions) in late 2024 to conduct a survey featuring 526 residents, with the results indicating the Clarence Valley achieves an overall liveability index of 61.2, outperforming the Northern NSW benchmark of 58.8.
During the survey participants revealed five key insights relating to overall liveability, community concerns, climate change, housing challenges, and values and experiences, with residents also identifying access to the natural environment and a strong sense of community as being particularly important to them while rating their experiences in these areas more positively compared to other parts of Australia.
In a statement released last week, CVC Mayor Ray Smith highlighted the value of the survey and said the community views conducted by .id provides a valuable perspective on how residents feel about life in the Clarence Valley.
“The liveability rating is proof of how the work Council does contributes to the lives of our residents while also helping us understand what matters most to our community,” he said.
Another key finding from the survey highlighted the demand for high quality health services, which residents rated as highly important, but reported experiencing poor local availability.
“This data will support councillors in advocating for improved healthcare services, alongside other priority issues identified in the survey,” Mayor Smith said.
The survey also brings attention to the diversity of the Clarence Valley community, revealing generational and spatial differences in values and experiences.
Residents aged between 18–34 prioritised access to nature, affordable housing, and job opportunities while residents aged between 35–59 valued strong job prospects and high-quality education.
Older residents aged 60 and above placed the highest importance on quality healthcare and low traffic congestion.
The results of the survey will assist Council’s future planning and advocacy efforts to enhance the quality of life for all Clarence Valley residents.
The results of the Community Views survey are available online at https://views.id.com.au/clarence-valley