Named in honour of Sir William John Lyne, the Lyne electorate covers more than 16,000 sq kms on NSW's midcoast - from Karuah in the south, Ballengarra in the north, and inland to the western boundaries of the Shires of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie–Hastings, Gloucester, Dungog and Maitland.
Key Facts
Name derivation: Named in honour of Sir William John Lyne, 1844–1913. Lyne was a participant in the Constitutional Conventions that led to the Commonwealth of Australia and was the first member of the Australian Parliament to be offered a commission to form a government. The 1949 Federal Election was the first election this name was used. (source: AEC Lyne Electorate Profile)
Area and Location: Lyne covers an area of more than 16,000 square kilometres from Ballengarra in the north to Paterson and Karuah in the south and inland to the western boundaries of the Shires of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie – Hastings, Gloucester, Dungog and Maitland (part). The main towns include Bonny Hills, Bulahdelah, Dungog, Forster, Gloucester, Gresford, Harrington, Tea Gardens, Hawks Nest, Lake Cathie, Lansdowne, Laurieton, Nabiac, North Haven, Old Bar, Paterson, Smiths Lake, Stroud, Taree and Wauchope. The current boundary was gazetted on 25 February 2016. You can find a detailed map of the electorate here. (source: AEC)
Demographic Classification: Rural – outside capital cities and without majority of enrolment in major provincial cities. (source: AEC Lyne Electorate Profile)
Population: The 2021 Census recorded 157,347 people living in the Lyne electorate, with 48.9% male and 51.1% female. (source: ABS 2021 Census Lyne Electorate )
Key Demographics: Metrics that show substantial difference between Lyne and NSW/Australian averages include: (source: ABS 2021 Census Lyne Electorate)
| Metric | Lyne | NSW | Australia |
| Median Age | 51 | 39 | 38 |
| Registered Marital Status = Divorced | 11.5% | 8.6% | 8.8% |
| Tertiary Education = University or Other Higher Education | 6.7% | 15.3% | 15.4% |
| Country of Birth = Australia | 83.9% | 65.4% | 66.9% |
| Country of Birth Parents = Both Parents Born in Australia | 72.5% | 43.7% | 45.9% |
| Language Used at Home = Only English | 91.3% | 67.6% | 72.0% |
| Religious Affiliation = Anglican | 22.2% | 11.9% | 9.8% |
| Participation in Labour Force = Not in Labour Force | 45.8% | 35.5% | 33.1% |
| Family Composition = Couple without Children | 51.1% | 37.9% | 38.8% |
| Dwelling Structure = Separate House | 85.5% | 65.6% | 72.3% |
| Tenure Type = Owned Outright | 47.1% | 31.5% | 31.0% |
Representation: Lyne has had only six members in the 64 years since its creation, five Nationals and one Independent. Lyne was represented from 1993 until his retirement in 2008 by Mark Vaile, who served as National Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 until the 2007 election. On Vaile's retirement in 2008, local state Independent and ex-National MP Rob Oakeshott won the by-election and was easily re-elected in 2010. Oakeshott did not contest Lyne at the 2013 election and the seat was won by David Gillespie, who is the current sitting member. (source: ABC 2022 Federal Election - Lyne)
