Strangely Peter, the Archbishop has drawn us back to the parish model through Connect09. He did not envisage COnnect09 as a trans-urban evangelical programme which existed outside parish bondaries. Instead he has focused attention back onto the patch where we live.

In my parish I have not only been focusing on reconnecting the networks to those who live around us, but also to making contacts & connections for Jesus in the other networks which have become more popular in the past 20 years, which is our lifestyle connections (work, hobbies, shopping, sport etc). The archbishop’s Connect09 has pushed us to reconnect with people outside our lifestyle networks, being those who actually live near us. So the parish boundaries help us to do that.

Hi Bob,

If you can’t get the info you need locally contact the Diocesan Registry (9265 1526)

Thanks for that. My church has also been putting a Parish Map together, and we’ve found that the Parish Boundaries according to the NCLS Data differs from previous descriptions of our Parish Boundaries we’ve been able to dig up. The NCLS data moved our parish boundaries outwards. Most of this was parkland or industrial zones, but one block the NCLS data gave us would boost our Parish’s population considerably. We don’t want to accidentally take from our neighbours territory that doesn’t rightfully belong to us, so we want to get our boundaries right.

Roger
I think the NCLS data is built on the Census Collection Districts from the Australian Bureau of Stats. Each district is the ammount of houses one census collector is responsible for. The edges of parish boundaries don’t correlate with these although often they will have a common boundary formed by a river/highway etc. So if you want an accurate map of parish boundaries don’t rely on the NCLS data. That being said, the NCLS data is the best thing we’ve ever had for planning and the differences may be minor.
If you plan to doorknock the parish it would be worth checking with the neighbouring parish to figure out the right division. Mind you, if someone were to be offered two bibles that wouldn’t be a bad thing
Michael

Hi Roger,

Michael is correct (thanks Michael!), but here is a bit more detail to add to his comments:

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) collects Census data in small blocks called Collection Districts (CDs). CDs are the finest geographic detail available to us when we prepare the statistics in your Community Social Profile.

Using records from the Diocesan Registry, the ANGLICARE Policy Unit has, over many years, built a map of the Diocese in which these CDs are combined to create areas that match each parish as closely as possible. Each CD is uniquely ascribed to a single parish. ANGLICARE, a primary sponsor of NCLS Research, provided these records to NCLS Research in order to produce the Community Social Profiles.

Some differences, like the ones you’ve described, are probably just a result of the fact that CDs don’t match parish boundaries perfectly. We have made decisions about which parish a CD is allocated to using all the information available to us, including boundary records from the Registrar, CD boundaries from the ABS, church location information, and street network data.

If parishes think their boundaries are significantly in error on their Community Social Profile, then they are welcome to contact me on nswann at anglicare dot org dot au. The Community Social Profile gives you some of the most relevant data from the Census, but I’m more than happy to talk to parish representatives about accessing data directly from the ABS website if they want to dig a bit deeper and don’t know where to start.

NCLS Research can also produce Community Social Profiles based on any radius around a centre-point you specify (e.g. your church), feel free to get in touch with NCLS Research directly for more information.

Natalie Swann
Research Officer
ANGLICARE Policy Unit with NCLS Research

My name is Catherine Rich and I am the Diocesan Deputy Registrar. As Bob Cameron has said parish boundaries are available for all parishes and these are held by the Diocesan Registry.

The boundaries are available in text only. The best way to visualise your boundary is by plotting it on copied maps whether they are google or a street directory.

Parish Boundaries can be amended. Clause 9 of the Parishes Ordinance 1979 deals with how they can be amended. The ordinance says that Standing Committee is the body that approves these alterations but under Clause 7 of the Regions Ordinance 1995 this has been delegated to the Regional Councils. If you are looking at amending your boundaries, please contact your Regional Archdeacon.

For anyone who would like a copy of their parish boundaries please with your request and I’ll email them back to you. If you have any questions I can be contacted by email or on 9265 1526.

‘The world is my parish’ - was that Wesley? If only it was a hymn…