3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2014-15 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/03/2016   
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QUEENSLAND

STATE SUMMARY


At June 2015, the estimated resident population of Queensland was 4.78 million people, an increase of 58,900 or 1.2% since June 2014. This was the fifth-fastest growth rate of all states and territories behind Victoria (1.7%), Australian Capital Territory (1.4%), New South Wales (1.4%) and Western Australia (1.3%).


POPULATION CHANGE BY SA2, Queensland - 2014-15

Diagram: POPULATION CHANGE BY SA2, Queensland - 2014-15




POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER BRISBANE


The population of Greater Brisbane (which excludes the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) was 2.31 million people at June 2015, accounting for nearly half (48%) of Queensland's population. Between 2014 and 2015, the population of Greater Brisbane increased by 1.6% (35,200 people).

Ipswich had the largest growth of all SA4s in Greater Brisbane, with an increase of 7,400 people. This was followed by Moreton Bay - South (up by 5,700 people) and Brisbane Inner City (4,500). However, Moreton Bay - South had the fastest growth (up by 3.0%), followed by Ipswich (2.3%) and Brisbane Inner City (1.8%).

The SA2 with the largest growth in both Greater Brisbane and Queensland was North Lakes - Mango Hill, up by 2,500 people. Other SA2s in Greater Brisbane with large growth were Dakabin - Kallangur (1,100) and Redbank Plains (830). The fastest-growing SA2s in Greater Brisbane were North Lakes - Mango Hill (up by 9.7%), Rochedale - Burbank (7.0%) and Taigum - Fitzgibbon (6.9%).


POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF QUEENSLAND


In the 12 months to 2015, the population in the rest of Queensland (outside of Greater Brisbane) grew by 1.0%, or 23,700 people, to reach 2.47 million. This was the fastest growth rate of all rest of state regions, ahead of New South Wales (0.8%) and Victoria (0.6%).

Gold Coast had the largest growth of all SA4s in Queensland, increasing by 9,900 people to 570,000. The SA4 with the second largest growth in the rest of Queensland was Sunshine Coast (up by 5,300 people), followed by Fitzroy (2,100).

The SA4 of Gold Coast had the fastest growth in the rest of Queensland (up by 1.8%), followed by Sunshine Coast (1.6%) and Toowoomba (1.0%).

Combined, the SA4s of Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast accounted for almost two thirds of the growth in the rest of Queensland and about one quarter of the total growth for the state.

Gold Coast


In the year to 2015, the SA2s with the largest growth on the Gold Coast were Upper Coomera - Willow Vale (up by 1,500 people), Pimpama (1,000) and Southport (920). These were also among the largest increases in the state.

The fastest-growing SA2 in Queensland was Pimpama, which increased by 20%, putting it also among the fastest-growing SA2s in the country. Other Gold Coast SA2s that experienced fast growth were Coomera and Upper Coomera - Willow Vale, up by 6.7% and 5.1% respectively.

Sunshine Coast


The SA2 with the largest growth on the Sunshine Coast was Caloundra - West, which increased by 450 people in 2014-15. This was followed by Buderim - South (up by 410) and Mooloolaba - Alexandra Headland (370).

Mountain Creek had the fastest growth with an increase of 4.2%. Other SA2s on the Sunshine Coast with fast growth were Peregian (up by 3.0%) and Mooloolaba - Alexandra Headland (2.9%).

Elsewhere in Queensland

A number of other SA2s in the rest of Queensland, outside of the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, also showed comparatively strong growth during 2014-15. In Townsville, the SA2 of Deeragun increased by 1,300 people, which ranked it as the third largest growth in the state. Other SA2s experiencing large population increases included Clinton - New Auckland (470) to the south-west of Gladstone's central business district, and Toowoomba - West (360).

Deeragun was among Queensland's top ten fastest-growing SA2s at 6.3%. Other SA2s with relatively fast growth were Gladstone (3.9%) and Clinton - New Auckland (3.5%).



SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Queensland

ERP at 30 June
Population Change
2015p
2014r-2015p
SA2
no.
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

North Lakes - Mango Hill
28 600
2 500
9.7
Upper Coomera - Willow Vale
31 000
1 500
5.1
Deeragun
21 800
1 300
6.3
Dakabin - Kallangur
24 500
1 100
4.8
Pimpama
6 000
1 000
20.0

FASTEST GROWTH

Pimpama
6 000
1 000
20.0
North Lakes - Mango Hill
28 600
2 500
9.7
Rochedale - Burbank
5 000
330
7.0
Taigum - Fitzgibbon
11 500
740
6.9
Coomera
12 000
750
6.7

(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.



POPULATION DECLINE

More than three quarters of all SA2s in Queensland grew in the year to 2015, however, population decreases were recorded in a minority of SA2s. While the drought and the downturn in the mining sector may have influenced population declines in some inland areas of the state, decreases were also experienced by SA2s along the Queensland coast and in Greater Brisbane.

In south-west Queensland, decreases were recorded by a number of drought-affected SA2s, including Longreach (down by 3.4%), Far South West (2.5%) and Charleville (1.8%). Within the mining area of the Bowen Basin located in central Queensland, the SA2s of Broadsound - Nebo and Collinsville had decreases of 2.9% and 1.8% respectively. In another mining area in Queensland's north-west, decreases were recorded by Mount Isa Region (down by 1.3%) and Mount Isa (0.8%).

In Greater Brisbane, the SA2s of Slacks Creek and Jindalee - Mount Ommaney had decreases of 1.8% and 1.7% respectively. Along the Queensland coastal areas, population declines were experienced by Ingham Region (down 2.1%) north of Townsville, and the Rockhampton SA2 of Park Avenue (1.7%).


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2015, the population density of Queensland was 2.8 people per square kilometre (sq km). Most of Queensland had fairly low population densities, with 46 SA2s (comprising 93% of the total area of Queensland) having less than 1 person per sq km. The population density of Greater Brisbane was 150 people per sq km.

The most densely populated SA2s in Greater Brisbane were inner-city New Farm (6,500 people per sq km), Kangaroo Point (6,400) and Highgate Hill (5,500). In the rest of Queensland, seven of the ten most densely populated SA2s were on the Gold Coast, ranging from 3,800 people per sq km in Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach to 2,300 per sq km in Miami. The remaining SA2s in the top ten were Manoora (2,800) in Cairns, Kirwan - East (2,400) near Townsville, and Mooloolaba - Alexandra Headland (2,300) on the Sunshine Coast.

In the year to 2015, the SA2 of Kangaroo Point had the largest increase in population density in Greater Brisbane, up by 200 people per sq km. The largest increase across the rest of Queensland was in the Gold Coast SA2 of Labrador (up by 100 people per sq km).

POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Brisbane - June 2015

Diagram: POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Brisbane - June 2015



CENTRE OF POPULATION


Queensland's centre of population at June 2015 was in Booubyjan, roughly 110 kilometres south-west of the town of Maryborough. The centre moved around 6.0 kilometres south-east in the ten years to 2015, reflecting sustained population growth in Greater Brisbane and Queensland's coastal regions over this period.

The centre of population for Greater Brisbane at June 2015 was in the suburb of Highgate Hill, to the south-west of the city's central business district.