The coastal part of the Great Southern region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with typically warm summers and cool, wet winters. Rainfall decreases and temperature increases moving from the coast to inland areas. The north and east of the region is considered to be semi-arid with hot and dry conditions. Higher rainfall areas tend to support a wider range and greater diversity of industry activities.

In 2020, the population of the Great Southern was estimated to be 61,400 with approximately 38,300 living in Albany.

In 2019, the top three Industry Sectors by employment are:

• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing at 4,978 jobs
• Health Care and Social Assistance at 4,708 jobs
• Retail Trade at 3894 jobs

In 2020, the majority of Great Southern businesses had a turnover of between $50,000 and $2 million, and over 50 businesses a turnover of $10 million or more.

There are nearly 7,000 businesses in the Great Southern. Of these 4,377 are non-employing (sole traders) and 152 employ 20 or more employees.

Want to find more data like this? Visit the Data and Statistical Resources below for more information.

District Centres in the Great Southern region with populations of around 5,000 include the towns of Denmark, Katanning and Mount Barker. Smaller towns in the region, with populations of less than 2,500 include Kojonup, Woodanilling, Pingrup, Nyabing, Jerramungup, Bremer Bay, Wellstead, Cranbrook, Frankland, Tambellup Broomehill, Borden, Ongerup, Gnowangerup, Nornalup, Kendenup, Rocky Gully and Tenterden.

The Great Southern is bounded by the South West region to the west, the Wheatbelt region to the north and the Goldfields Esperance region to the east. It is one of the smallest of the nine regions in Western Australia by the hectare, and third lowest by Gross Regional Product at $4.979 billion, but it is the second largest agricultural producer in Western Australia. Primary production is the core strength of the Great Southern economy, contributing 17.5% of the region’s turnover. The main agricultural industries include cropping, livestock and wool, with horticulture and viticulture also important contributors to this sector. There are major sheep and lamb export abattoirs at Katanning and Narrikup (near Albany) and a smaller abattoir at Beaufort River.

Diversification from traditional agricultural methods has seen developments of the following industries in the region: timber, light engineering, energy, horticulture, tourism (adventure and ecotourism), fine food and wine (marketing, farmers markets, regional branding), aquaculture, and bush products and exports.

The moderate coastal climate and clean image associated with the Great Southern has enabled the Region to become a prime centre for production of high value fruits, nuts and vegetables including strawberries, potatoes, and asparagus. Being free from major diseases and pests, the region is an ideal location for fruit and vegetable production.

The woodchip industry continues to be one of the primary exporters in the region. The dominant species planted are Tasmanian blue gums and pines. From March 2021 – March 2022, the Port of Albany’s rolling annual trade from 145 ship visits was 4,092,115 (tn) in exports, of which 3million was grain, and 213,361 (tn) in imports.

The Great Southern is the State’s second largest wine grape producing region, with many wines receiving international recognition. In 2021, the top five varieties in the Great Southern were Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon. Wine Tasting and the cellar door experience are an important attraction for tourists.

The commercial fishing industry on the south coast is an important contributor to the socioeconomic health of the region. There is a wide diversity of products including pilchards, salmon, crabs, herring, estuarine species, deep sea table fish, sharks, rock lobster and aquaculture species such as oysters and mussels. The products provide seafood availability and food security for local residents and are keenly sought by tourists visiting the region. The benefits flow to local restaurants and fish and chip shops throughout the Great Southern, and to discerning metropolitan markets, thereby creating jobs and value-added opportunities. Other industrial activities include the retail, tourism, construction, and manufacturing sectors.