The region derives most of its wealth from healthy mining and manufacturing sectors. 
Labour Market
The South West is a region with historically low levels of unemployment compared to the rest of the State and nationally.
Quarterly unemployment rate
Labour force by Shire
| Sub-region /
Shire |
Quarterly unemployment rate (%) | Total labour force | ||||
| Mar 2011 |
June 2011 |
Sept 2011 |
Dec 2011 |
Dec 2011 |
||
| Preston region | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunbury | 6.3 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 20,118 | |
| Capel | 5.0 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 6,976 | |
| Collie | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 5.3 | 5,092 | |
| Dardanup | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 7,043 | |
| Donnybrook-Balingup | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 3,219 | |
| Harvey | 4.0 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 13,239 | |
| Vasse region | ||||||
| Augusta-Margaret River | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 7,378 | |
| Busselton | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 16,791 | |
| Blackwood region | ||||||
| Boyup Brook | 2.9 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 1,055 | |
| Bridgetown-Greenbushes | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 2,574 | |
| Manjimup | 5.1 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 6,053 | |
| Nannup | 4.2 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 790 | |
| TOTAL SOUTH WEST | 4.8 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 90,328 | |
Source Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations, Small Area Labour Markets - Australia (smoothed data series). |
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