suburbs_demographics_population_historyTotal suburb population is current_population (ABS Census 2021),
alongside suburb census points (2011/2016/2021) and the LGA's yearly
population series with a 10-year modelled projection tail. Use this route
for questions such as "what is the total population of Clarkson?
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| suburb_name | Yes |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
Output schema / (root)Previous value: -{
- "properties": {
- "available": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "boolean"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "`false` on no-data responses. Omitted on success — branch on `data !== null` if you want a single discriminator.",
- "title": "Available"
- },
- "data": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "Suburb + LGA population history with a 10-year LGA projection.",
- "example": {
- "census_year": 2021,
- "current_population": 6302,
- "lga": "Lake Macquarie",
- "lga_growth": {
- "end_population": 219000,
- "end_year": 2025,
- "pct_change": 9,
- "start_population": 201000,
- "start_year": 2015
- },
- "lga_projection": {
- "pct_change": 12.2,
- "source": "MIB",
- "to_year": 2035
- },
- "lga_series": [
- {
- "population": 216983,
- "projected": false,
- "year": 2024
- },
- {
- "population": 219000,
- "projected": false,
- "year": 2025
- },
- {
- "population": 221672,
- "projected": true,
- "year": 2026
- }
- ],
- "microburb_count": 77,
- "suburb": "Belmont North",
- "suburb_growth": {
- "end_population": 6302,
- "end_year": 2021,
- "pct_change": 3.5,
- "start_population": 6086,
- "start_year": 2011
- },
- "suburb_series": [
- {
- "population": 6086,
- "year": 2011
- },
- {
- "population": 6338,
- "year": 2016
- },
- {
- "population": 6302,
- "year": 2021
- }
- ]
- },
- "properties": {
- "census_year": {
- "description": "Census year of current_population.",
- "title": "Census Year",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "current_population": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "integer"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "Current residents (ABS Census 2021, mesh-block sum).",
- "title": "Current Population"
- },
- "lga": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "string"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "The suburb's LGA name.",
- "title": "Lga"
- },
- "lga_growth": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "Start → end growth summary over a population series.",
- "properties": {
- "end_population": {
- "description": "Population at end_year.",
- "title": "End Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "end_year": {
- "description": "Last year of the window.",
- "title": "End Year",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "pct_change": {
- "description": "Percent change over the window.",
- "title": "Pct Change",
- "type": "number"
- },
- "start_population": {
- "description": "Population at start_year.",
- "title": "Start Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "start_year": {
- "description": "First year of the window.",
- "title": "Start Year",
- "type": "integer"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "start_year",
- "end_year",
- "start_population",
- "end_population",
- "pct_change"
- ],
- "title": "PopulationGrowth",
- "type": "object"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "LGA growth over the last ~10 historical years."
- },
- "lga_projection": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "LGA 10-year projection summary.",
- "properties": {
- "pct_change": {
- "description": "Projected percent change from the last historical year.",
- "title": "Pct Change",
- "type": "number"
- },
- "source": {
- "description": "Data source — 'MIB'.",
- "title": "Source",
- "type": "string"
- },
- "to_year": {
- "description": "Final projected year.",
- "title": "To Year",
- "type": "integer"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "to_year",
- "pct_change",
- "source"
- ],
- "title": "LgaProjection",
- "type": "object"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "LGA projection to the 10-year horizon."
- },
- "lga_series": {
- "description": "LGA yearly series — ABS ERP history (projected=false) plus a 10-year interpolated projection tail (projected=true).",
- "items": {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "One LGA population reading — ABS ERP history or projection tail.",
- "properties": {
- "population": {
- "description": "Estimated resident population.",
- "title": "Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "projected": {
- "description": "True on the 10-year modelled projection tail.",
- "title": "Projected",
- "type": "boolean"
- },
- "year": {
- "description": "Calendar year.",
- "title": "Year",
- "type": "integer"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "year",
- "population",
- "projected"
- ],
- "title": "LgaPopulationPoint",
- "type": "object"
- },
- "title": "Lga Series",
- "type": "array"
- },
- "microburb_count": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "integer"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "Residential microburbs (mesh blocks) in the suburb.",
- "title": "Microburb Count"
- },
- "suburb": {
- "description": "Canonical SAL name.",
- "title": "Suburb",
- "type": "string"
- },
- "suburb_growth": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "Start → end growth summary over a population series.",
- "properties": {
- "end_population": {
- "description": "Population at end_year.",
- "title": "End Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "end_year": {
- "description": "Last year of the window.",
- "title": "End Year",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "pct_change": {
- "description": "Percent change over the window.",
- "title": "Pct Change",
- "type": "number"
- },
- "start_population": {
- "description": "Population at start_year.",
- "title": "Start Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "start_year": {
- "description": "First year of the window.",
- "title": "Start Year",
- "type": "integer"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "start_year",
- "end_year",
- "start_population",
- "end_population",
- "pct_change"
- ],
- "title": "PopulationGrowth",
- "type": "object"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "Suburb growth over the census window."
- },
- "suburb_series": {
- "description": "Suburb census points (2011/2016/2021 where available).",
- "items": {
- "additionalProperties": true,
- "description": "One suburb census reading (ABS Census years).",
- "properties": {
- "population": {
- "description": "Residents counted that year.",
- "title": "Population",
- "type": "integer"
- },
- "year": {
- "description": "Census year (2011/2016/2021).",
- "title": "Year",
- "type": "integer"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "year",
- "population"
- ],
- "title": "PopulationPoint",
- "type": "object"
- },
- "title": "Suburb Series",
- "type": "array"
- }
- },
- "required": [
- "suburb",
- "census_year",
- "suburb_series",
- "lga_series"
- ],
- "title": "PopulationHistory",
- "type": "object"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "The endpoint's payload, or `null` when Microburbs has no value."
- },
- "message": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "string"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "Human-readable explanation. Omitted on success.",
- "title": "Message"
- },
- "reason": {
- "anyOf": [
- {
- "type": "string"
- },
- {
- "type": "null"
- }
- ],
- "description": "Machine-readable slug naming the no-data condition (e.g. `no_avm_for_GANSW704074813`). Stable per endpoint. Omitted on success.",
- "title": "Reason"
- }
- },
- "title": "ApiResponse[PopulationHistory]",
- "type": "object",
- "x-fastmcp-top-level-schema": "ApiResponse_PopulationHistory_"
-}New value: +nullDoes the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
Annotations already establish readOnly/idempotent/non-destructive behavior, and the description adds the data provenance (ABS Census 2021), timepoints (2011/2016/2021), and the LGA projection series. This gives the agent a good sense of what kind of response to expect without needing an output schema.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two focused sentences front-load the data contents and then give a concrete usage example. There is no filler or repetition of the schema/annotations.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a low-complexity one-parameter read tool with no output schema, the description conveys the essential response contents, sources, and the kind of question it answers. It does not spell out every output field, but the naming and data description make the return shape predictable.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The schema provides only a bare suburb_name string with 0% description coverage, so the description must carry the meaning. The example 'total population of Clarkson' makes it clear the parameter is the suburb to look up and that the returned figure is the total population, which is sufficient for a single obvious parameter.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description specifies the route's resource (suburb population) and its exact contents: current_population from ABS Census 2021, census points for 2011/2016/2021, and an LGA yearly series with a projection tail. This clearly identifies what the tool returns, though it does not explicitly contrast it with sibling demographics routes.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
It gives a concrete example question ('what is the total population of Clarkson?') and says 'Use this route for' such questions, providing clear guidance on when to invoke it. It stops short of naming alternatives or exclusion conditions, but for a single-purpose census tool this is effective.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
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