Walgett LGA crime statistics
Reporting period: 2025-07 – 2026-06
1,591 recorded in this period, compared with 1,536 in the preceding period.
LGA totals use the selected offence categories. Locality counts and population-adjusted LGA rates are different measures.
About Walgett
The Walgett Shire is a large local government area situated in the northwestern plains of New South Wales, encompassing approximately 22,000 square kilometers. The landscape is characterized by flat, semi-arid pastoral land and extensive floodplains fed by the Barwon and Namoi Rivers. The region supports a significant Aboriginal population, with the Gomeroi people serving as the traditional custodians of the land. The demographic profile is primarily rural, with the population distributed across the central township of Walgett and several smaller service centers, including Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri, and Rowena.
Economic life in the shire is largely driven by broad-acre dryland cropping, irrigation agriculture, and livestock production. Lightning Ridge serves as a unique global hub for the mining and sale of black opal, which attracts international tourism and contributes significantly to the local economy. Essential amenities are centered in Walgett, which functions as the administrative and service hub for the shire, providing health, educational, and retail facilities to the surrounding pastoral communities.
The region’s heritage is defined by its history of pastoral expansion, the 19th-century boom of the inland river trade, and the mid-20th-century development of the opal industry. The area contains numerous sites of cultural and historical significance, including remnants of early colonial infrastructure and locations reflecting the deep historical connection of the local Indigenous population to the river systems. The town of Walgett itself was formally gazetted in 1859, evolving from a river port and stock crossing point into the regional center that serves the shire today.
Recorded offence categories
| Category | Current period | Previous period |
|---|---|---|
| Harassment threatening | 246 | 217 |
| Breach bail conditions | 178 | 175 |
| Assault - domestic violence | 162 | 162 |
| Breach AVO | 153 | 135 |
| Malicious damage to property | 135 | 165 |
| Break and enter dwelling | 87 | 79 |
| Assault - non-domestic violence | 84 | 86 |
| Trespass | 80 | 57 |
| Sexual Offences | 59 | 36 |
| Steal from motor vehicle | 54 | 52 |
| Prohibited weapons offences | 41 | 73 |
| Possession use of cannabis | 40 | 44 |
| Steal from dwelling | 38 | 20 |
| Fraud | 33 | 32 |
| Resist or hinder officer | 31 | 25 |
| Other theft | 30 | 27 |
| Steal from retail store | 28 | 16 |
| Break and enter non-dwelling | 25 | 27 |
| Arson | 22 | 33 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 22 | 33 |
| Offensive conduct | 18 | 12 |
| Receiving stolen goods | 14 | 14 |
| Liquor offences | 5 | 7 |
| Steal from person | 3 | 4 |
| Offensive language | 2 | 4 |
| Robbery | 1 | 1 |
Community context
The 2021 Census recorded 5,253 residents. This is not a current population estimate.
Sources and interpretation
These are police-recorded incident or victim counts, not every unreported incident or a prediction of personal safety. Percentage changes are not tests of statistical significance; small counts need particular care.