Bourke - Brewarrina
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Bourke-Brewarrina's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 3,557. This figure represents an increase of 129 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,428. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates and new addresses. The population density ratio is around 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Bourke-Brewarrina's growth of 3.8% since 2021 surpassed the SA3 area (2.6%) and the SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 68.3% to recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022, using 2021 as the base year, are employed. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Bourke-Brewarrina's population is projected to decrease by 985 persons. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 68 people.

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 had minimal residential development activity, with an average of three dwelling approvals per year over the five years from 2016 to 2020 inclusive (a total of seventeen approvals). This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing development is typically driven by specific local needs rather than broader market demand. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Bourke-Brewarrina shows significantly less construction activity compared to the Rest of NSW. The development pattern in the area is also well below national averages. Recent construction comprises 67.0% standalone homes and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns which were currently at 94.0% houses. This change suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Given stable or declining population forecasts for the area, Bourke-Brewarrina may experience less housing pressure in the future, potentially creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a single project that could potentially impact this area: NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program, Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium Water Resource Plan, Newell Highway Upgrade, Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Bourke - Brewarrina has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 9.5% in June 2025, which is 5.9% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation was somewhat below standard at 52.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area has a notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 3.7 times the regional average. Manufacturing employs just 1% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 1.8% while employment declined by 5.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 3.3 percentage points. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bourke - Brewarrina's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 indicates that Bourke - Brewarrina has an income below the national average. The median income is $51,600 and the average income stands at $60,473. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year ending June 2022 to March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $57,070 (median) and $66,883 (average). According to the Census conducted in August 2021, personal income ranks at the 43rd percentile with $770 weekly, while household income sits at the 25th percentile. Income distribution shows that 27.8% of locals (988 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 91.6% retained, but disposable income is 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

In Bourke - Brewarrina, as per the latest Census, 94.0% of dwellings were houses, with 6.0% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bourke - Brewarrina stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.4% and rented ones at 46.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $867, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,000. The median weekly rent in the area was $160, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $180. Nationally, Bourke - Brewarrina's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $867 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $160 compared to the national figure of $375.

Bourke - Brewarrina features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.3% of all households, consisting of 23.9% couples with children, 22.8% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.7%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 34.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (24.1%). Educational participation is high at 36.7%, comprising primary education (16.5%), secondary education (9.2%), and tertiary education (2.8%).

Twelve schools serve 640 students in the area, which includes eight primary schools, one secondary school, and three K-12 schools. Educational conditions vary across Bourke - Brewarrina.

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

Transport analysis indicates 106 operational stops within Bourke - Brewarrina region. These include a mix of train and bus services. A total of 15 routes service these stops, collectively offering 105 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is limited, with residents located an average of 6653 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 15 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bourke - Brewarrina is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Bourke-Brewarrina faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across younger and older age groups. Approximately 50% (~1,778 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma (8.6%) and arthritis (6.7%). Around 70.1% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 65.9% in Rest of NSW. There are 16.5% (586 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 20.2% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors align with the general population's health profile.

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 had a cultural diversity index of 69.1%, lower than the regional average, with 79.9% being Australian citizens and 94.3% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 95.1%. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 65.5%, compared to 67.2% regionally.

Ancestry showed higher than average Aboriginal (27.9%) and lower Australian (26.2%) and English (23.7%) representation. Irish ancestry was notably overrepresented at 7.7%.

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

The median age in Bourke - Brewarrina is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 0-4 age group comprises 7.9% of the population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 10.8% to 12.4%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 4.2% to 5.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 12.7% to 9.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Bourke - Brewarrina. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 91%, reaching 130 people from 67. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 45-54 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.