Child Care Emerald

Needs Analysis

Emerald 4720 is served by 19 child care centres for an estimated 1,151 children under 5 — around 3.2 children per long day care place. See how local fees, occupancy and supply gaps compare with Rest of Qld.

Updated September 21, 2026 19 Centres Pop: 16,113
Centres map & directory

Child care centres

Explore centres on the map, filter by type, then review the directory below.

Id Name Type Places Approval Distance (Km) Day Rate Availability

* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.

Local supply snapshot

Key metrics

Emerald (Qld) compared with Rest of Qld

LDC Providers
LDC Providers
5
926
LDC Places
Total LDC Places
361
76,868
Population
Total Population
16,113
2,871,768
Per Place
Persons Per Place
44.6
-
Avg Age
Avg Centre Age
11.9 yrs
12 yrs
0-4 Pop
Population 0-4
1,151
152,778
Kids Per Place
0-4 Per LDC Place
3.19
2
Workforce
Workforce Impact
Standard
Standard
School Att
School Attendance
8,028
-
School Per LDC
School Per LDC Place
22.24
5.8
Avg Fee
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$154
$151
Other
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
255
-

SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:

Approvals Pipeline Childcare development approvals near Emerald (Qld)

Childcare development applications on record across the catchment around Emerald (Qld), from lodgement through to determination. Project-by-project detail — addresses, proposed places and status, drawn from council DA / planning registers — is in the full approvals register on this page.

Development approvals is a new addition to AreaSearch. We’re actively expanding council coverage and refining the dataset — details and statuses for some councils may be partial. Check back regularly for the latest pipeline.
Childcare approvals
43
In the local catchment
Proposed places
129
Where disclosed
Under assessment
0
Awaiting determination
Determined
29
Approved or decided

Most recent projects

  • Child Care Centre

    Lodged Jul 2026

  • A development application has been submitted to Gladstone Council for a childcare centre located at 51 & 55-5…

    Lodged Aug 2024 129 proposed places

Free accounts see the two most recent projects above. Sign in or go Pro to unlock the full approvals register on this page — search by address or DA number, filter by status, council and project scale. Data is drawn from council DA / planning registers.

SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.

Emerald (Qld) Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Emerald (Qld)?
As of our last update on September 21, 2026, there are 19 child care centres in Emerald (Qld). Of these, 5 centres provide Long Day Care offering 361 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 83 places, 3 centres provide Preschool/Kindergarten offering 172 places, and 10 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 10 schools, collectively accommodating 8,028 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Emerald (Qld) service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Emerald (Qld) as at August 2026 stands at a total of 16,113 people, of this 1151 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Emerald (Qld)?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Emerald (Qld) was assessed as having 14,904 people with 1,141 of these (7.7%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Emerald (Qld) has experienced population growth of approximately 1,209 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Emerald (Qld) compare to those in Rest of Qld?
In Emerald (Qld), our latest analysis shows there are 3.2 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is significantly higher than the 2 children per place across Rest of Qld.
How do childcare fees in Emerald (Qld) relate to those in Rest of Qld?
Childcare fees in Emerald (Qld) average $154, which is comparable to the regional average of $151 in Rest of Qld.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Emerald (Qld) and Rest of Qld?
In Emerald (Qld), there are 22.2 students per LDC place. This figure is significantly higher than the 5.8 students per LDC place in Rest of Qld.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Emerald (Qld)?
The average LDC in Emerald (Qld) was approved 11.9 years ago, while across Rest of Qld the typical centre approval is 12 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Emerald (Qld)?
Workforce activity is within the standard range and may moderately influence child care demand in this area.
Who would typically use analysis such as this?
Childcare operators, developers, investors and financiers would typically conduct a thorough child care supply and demand analysis (SDA) on Emerald (Qld) before allocating the significant amount of capital required. Boundary-based analysis such as this is often used as an initial guide however, and analysis would be undertaken on the specific site adopting a radial, travel time, or custom catchment to take into account nearby competition and demand drivers that would influence a centre's performance.

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