3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2011-12 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/04/2013   
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QUEENSLAND


State summary

Population change in Greater Brisbane

Population change in the remainder of Queensland

Population decline

Population density

Centre of population


STATE SUMMARY

At June 2012, the estimated resident population of Queensland was 4.56 million people, an increase of 86,000 since June 2011. In the year to 2012, Queensland's population grew by 1.9%, which was the second fastest growth rate (along with the Australian Capital Territory), behind Western Australia at 3.3%.

SA2 POPULATION CHANGE, Queensland - 2011-12
Diagram: SA2 POPULATION CHANGE, Queensland—2011-12



POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER BRISBANE

At June 2012, the population of Greater Brisbane (which excludes the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) was 2.19 million people, accounting for nearly half of Queensland's population. Between 2011 and 2012, the population of Greater Brisbane increased by 2.0% (43,300 people), which was the second fastest growth rate of the capital cities, behind Greater Perth (3.6%).

Ipswich had the largest growth of all SA4s in Greater Brisbane, with an increase of 8,700 people (3.0%) in 2011-12. This was followed by Logan - Beaudesert (up 6,000 people) and Brisbane - South (5,600). The SA4s with the fastest population increases in Greater Brisbane were Moreton Bay - South, which grew by 3.1%, Ipswich (3.0%), and Logan - Beaudesert and Moreton Bay - North (both 2.0%).

In the year to 2012, the SA2s with the largest growth in Greater Brisbane were North Lakes - Mango Hill (up 2,000 people), Forest Lake - Doolandella (1,700), and Redbank Plains (1,200). North Lakes - Mango Hill was also the fastest-growing SA2 in Greater Brisbane, increasing by 10%. This was followed by Redbank Plains (up 7.8%), Collingwood Park - Redbank (6.9%) and Pallara - Willawong (6.6%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REMAINDER OF QUEENSLAND

The population in the remainder of Queensland increased by 42,700 people in the year to June 2012, to reach 2.37 million. Out of the ten SA4s that comprise the remainder of Queensland, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast accounted for 39% (16,500 people) of this growth. The SA4s along the central Queensland coast of Fitzroy, Mackay and Townsville accounted for 35% (14,700 people).

Gold Coast had the largest growth in Queensland, increasing by 10,800 people to 538,300. Other SA4s in the remainder of Queensland with large population increases were Fitzroy (up 5,900 people), Sunshine Coast (5,800), and Townsville and Mackay (both 4,400).

The SA4 of Fitzroy had the fastest growth in the remainder of Queensland, increasing by 2.7% in 2011-12, followed by Mackay (2.6%), and Gold Coast and Townsville (both 2.0%).


Gold Coast

In the year to June 2012, the SA2s with the largest growth on the Gold Coast were Upper Coomera - Willow Vale which increased by 1,700 people, and Coomera which increased by 850 people.

The fastest-growing SA2 in Queensland was the Gold Coast SA2 of Pimpama, which increased by 13% (or 420 people). Coomera and Upper Coomera - Willow Vale also experienced fast growth, up 9.5% and 6.9% respectively.


Townsville

The SA2s with the largest growth in Townsville in 2011-12 were Deeragun which increased by 1,800 people, followed by Mount Louisa (350) and Kelso (340).

Deeragun was also the fastest-growing SA2 in Townsville, as well as the second fastest in Queensland, increasing by 12%. This was followed by Mount Louisa (up 4.4%) and Townsville City - North Ward (3.3%).


Mackay

In the year to June 2012, the SA2s with the largest growth in Mackay were Eimeo - Rural View (up 490 people), Airlie - Whitsundays (460) and Pioneer Valley (350).

Shoal Point - Bucasia, which increased by 6.0%, was the fastest-growing SA2 in Mackay, followed by Pioneer Valley and Eimeo - Rural View (both 4.8%).


Sunshine Coast

In 2011-12, the SA2 on the Sunshine Coast with the largest growth was Maroochydore - Kuluin (up 420 people), followed by Mountain Creek (400) and Peregian (390).

Mountain Creek was also the fastest-growing SA2 on the Sunshine Coast, increasing by 5.5%. This was followed by Peregian (up 4.8%) and Beerwah (4.2%).


Elsewhere in Queensland

Emerald, located in the SA4 of Fitzroy, experienced both large and fast growth, increasing by 720 people (5.3%) in the year to June 2012. Other SA2s of note in Fitzroy were Yeppoon, which had large growth (up 630 people), and Gracemere, which showed fast growth (up 4.8%).

In the SA4 of Queensland - Outback, Mount Isa was the largest-growing SA2 (up 520 people), while Weipa had the fastest growth (up 5.1%).

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, Queensland

ERP at 30 June
Population Change
2012p
2011pr-2012p
SA2
no.
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

North Lakes - Mango Hill
21 800
2 000
10.2
Deeragun
17 300
1 800
11.8
Forest Lake - Doolandella
28 000
1 700
6.5
Upper Coomera - Willow Vale
26 200
1 700
6.9
Redbank Plains
16 700
1 200
7.8

FASTEST GROWTH

Pimpama
3 700
420
12.6
Deeragun
17 300
1 800
11.8
North Lakes - Mango Hill
21 800
2 000
10.2
Coomera
9 800
850
9.5
Redbank Plains
16 700
1 200
7.8



POPULATION DECLINE

In the year to June 2012, 5% of Queensland SA2s declined in population.
POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2012, the population density of Queensland was 2.6 people per square kilometre (sq km). Most of Queensland had a low population density, with 45 SA2s (comprising 93% of the total area of Queensland) having less than one person per sq km. The population density of Greater Brisbane was 140 people per sq km.

The most densely populated SA2s in Greater Brisbane were inner-city New Farm (6,000 people per sq km), Kangaroo Point (5,800) and Highgate Hill (5,300).

In the year to 2012, the largest increase in population density in Greater Brisbane occurred in the SA2 of New Farm, which added 150 people per sq km. The largest increase in the remainder of Queensland was in the Gold Coast SA2 of Mermaid Beach - Broadbeach, which increased by 60 people per sq km over the same period.

POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Brisbane - June 2012
Diagram: POPULATION DENSITY BY SA2, Greater Brisbane—June 2012



CENTRE OF POPULATION

Queensland's centre of population at June 2012 was in the suburb of Coalstoun Lakes, roughly 100 kilometres south-west of the town of Maryborough.

The centre of population for Greater Brisbane at June 2012 was in the suburb of Highgate Hill, to the south of the city's central business district.