The move to an increasingly online Census appears to have caused problems in parts of the Richmond Valley, with residents around Evans Head, Broadwater and Woodburn being offered extra face-to-face help tomorrow.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says Census returns from the area have not been as strong as elsewhere locally, prompting an additional “Fill in the Form” session at Club Evans RSL from 10am to 6pm on Thursday.

This year’s Census has moved much more heavily online, with households encouraged to complete their forms digitally rather than automatically receiving the traditional paper form.

An ABS spokesman said further sessions had generally not been scheduled in areas where returns had been healthy.

However, returns in the Evans Head, Broadwater, Woodburn and Wardell areas had “for some reason” not been as strong.

The district is the only local area where an additional face-to-face session has been scheduled.

Census staff will be able to issue forms to people who did not receive one, replace lost forms, answer questions and help residents complete their Census.

Property owners with more than one dwelling on their land can also collect additional forms.

There is still time to complete the 2026 Census, with the ABS stressing that every response helps build a more accurate picture of local communities.