Kempsey Shire

Kempsey Shire
Location in New South Wales
Coordinates: 31°05′S 152°50′E / 31.083°S 152.833°E / -31.083; 152.833
CountryAustralia
StateNew South Wales
RegionMid North Coast
Established1 October 1975 (1975-10-01)
Council seatKempsey
Government
 • MayorKinne Ring (Independent)
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Area
 • Total
3,380 km2 (1,310 sq mi)
Population
 • Totals28,885 (2016 census)
29,665 (2018 est.)
 • Density8.546/km2 (22.13/sq mi)
WebsiteKempsey Shire
LGAs around Kempsey Shire
Armidale Bellingen & Nambucca Tasman Sea
Walcha Kempsey Shire Tasman Sea
Walcha Port Macquarie-Hastings Tasman Sea

Kempsey Shire is a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia.

The shire services an area of 3,380 square kilometres (1,310 sq mi) and is located on the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line. Kempsey Shire was formed on 1 October 1975 by the amalgamation of the former Kempsey Municipality and the former Macleay Shire.

At the 2011 census, Kempsey Shire had a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people residing within its boundaries; being 11.1 per cent of the resident population, more than four times the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent. The shire also contains a coastal strip that was identified in 2007, and confirmed in 2015, as one of the most socially disadvantaged areas in Australia.

The mayor of the Kempsey Shire is Kinne Ring, an independent politician.