Bourke - Brewarrina

Bourke - Brewarrina has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bourke - Brewarrina's population is around 3,521 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 93 people (2.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,428 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,499 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Bourke - Brewarrina's 2.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (2.6%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, which contributed approximately 68.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to decline by 985 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to grow by 68 people. See the age section for more details.

The level of residential development activity in Bourke - Brewarrina is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Bourke - Brewarrina has minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually (totalling 17 across the past five years). These low development levels reflect the rural nature of the area, where development is typically driven by specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. Note: given the small number of approvals, individual development projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Bourke - Brewarrina shows significantly less construction activity than the Rest of NSW. This activity level is similarly below national patterns. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 94.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

With the population expected to remain stable or decline, Bourke - Brewarrina should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Bourke - Brewarrina has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 1 single project has been identified by AreaSearch that is likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program, Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium Water Resource Plan, Newell Highway Upgrade, and Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment conditions in Bourke - Brewarrina face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Bourke - Brewarrina features a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. As of December 2025, 1,465 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 3.8% above Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (57.3% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 13.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 3.7 times the regional average. In contrast, manufacturing employs just 1.0% of the local workforce, below Regional NSW's 5.8%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 5.0% while employment declined by 3.4%, causing unemployment to fall by 1.5 percentage points. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded an employment decline of 1.2%, a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Bourke - Brewarrina. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Bourke - Brewarrina's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Bourke - Brewarrina SA2 is below the national average, with the median assessed at $49,707 while the average income stands at $56,296. This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $54,111 (median) and $61,284 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 42nd percentile ($770 weekly), while household income sits at the 24th percentile. Distribution data shows the predominant cohort spans 27.8% of locals (978 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 91.6% retained, though disposable income sits below average at the 35th percentile.

Bourke - Brewarrina is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Bourke - Brewarrina, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 94.0% houses and 6.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Bourke - Brewarrina lagged that of Regional NSW, at 33.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (20.4%) or rented (46.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional NSW average at $867, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $160, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Bourke - Brewarrina's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bourke - Brewarrina features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 64.3% of all households, comprising 23.9% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.7%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people matches the Regional NSW average.

Bourke - Brewarrina faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (19.7%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (24.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.5% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Public transport analysis reveals 110 active transport stops operating within Bourke - Brewarrina, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 17 individual routes, collectively providing 165 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 6653 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 76%, with 19% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. Some 13.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Bourke - Brewarrina is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Bourke-Brewarrina, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~1,672 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and arthritis, impacting 8.6% and 6.7% of residents, respectively, while 70.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 17.0% of residents aged 65 and over (599 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Bourke - Brewarrina is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Bourke-Brewarrina was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 79.9% of its population being citizens, 94.3% born in Australia, and 95.1% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Bourke-Brewarrina is Christianity, which makes up 65.5% of people in Bourke-Brewarrina, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bourke-Brewarrina are Australian Aboriginal, comprising 27.9% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 4.6%, Australian, comprising 26.2% of the population, and English, comprising 23.7% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 30.5%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Irish is notably overrepresented at 7.7% of Bourke-Brewarrina (vs 8.8% regionally).

Bourke - Brewarrina's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The 36-year median age in Bourke - Brewarrina is significantly below Regional NSW's average of 43 and similarly lower than Australia's 38 years. The 25 - 34 age group shows strong representation at 13.8% compared to Regional NSW, whereas the 65 - 74 cohort is less prevalent at 9.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 10.8% to 12.8% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 4.2% to 5.9%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 8.4% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 14.4% to 12.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Bourke - Brewarrina. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 95% (63 people), reaching 130 from 66. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.