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 3521 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 93 people (2.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3428 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3499 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Bourke-Brewarrina's growth of 2.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.6%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 68.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to this methodology, population is projected to decline by 985 persons by 2041, with an anticipated growth in specific age cohorts led by the 85 and over age group, projected to grow 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 had minimal residential development activity from 2015 to 2019, with only three dwelling approvals annually, totalling 17 in total. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are specific and driven locally rather than by broader market demand. Note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns, Bourke-Brewarrina shows significantly less construction activity. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from the current pattern of 94.0% houses. This change suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With a stable or declining population expected in the future, Bourke-Brewarrina may see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

With 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project likely affecting this region: NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program, Macquarie-Castlereagh Alluvium Water Resource Plan, Newell Highway Upgrade, and Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan are key initiatives, with the following projects expected to have the most relevance.

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

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

Bourke-Brewarrina has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 9.2%. As of September 2025, 1,445 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.3% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation stands at 57.4%, lower than Rest of NSW's 61.5%. A moderate 13.7% of residents work from home, with potential Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. Dominant employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area has a particularly high concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 3.7 times the regional average.

Manufacturing employs only 1.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.1%, employment declined by 5.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts 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 employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The latest postcode level ATO data from AreaSearch for financial year 2023 shows that Bourke - Brewarrina SA2 has an income below the national average. The median income is $49,707 and the average income is $56,296. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Bourke - Brewarrina SA2 would be approximately $54,111 (median) and $61,284 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 42nd percentile ($770 weekly), while household income sits at the 24th percentile. Distribution data shows that 27.8% of locals (978 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. 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 evaluation, 94.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 6.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This differs from Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bourke - Brewarrina stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged properties at 20.4% and rented ones at 46.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $867, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in the area was recorded as $160, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Bourke - Brewarrina's median mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $867 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 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 comprise 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 aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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 prevalent at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 34.4% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 24.1%. Educational participation is high, with 36.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 16.5% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Bourke - Brewarrina reveals that there are 110 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops consist of a mix of train and bus services. There are 17 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 165 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in the area 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 dominant mode of transport for commuting is car at 76%, with 19% walking.

The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.3, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 13.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one 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

Bourke - Brewarrina faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very low, at approximately 48% of the total population (around 1,672 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.6% and 6.7% of residents respectively. However, 70.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions than average. The area has 17.0% of residents aged 65 and over (599 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present additional 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population was predominantly Australian citizens, with 79.9% being citizens and 94.3% born in Australia. English was the primary language spoken at home by 95.1%.

Christianity was the main religion, comprising 65.5%, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, Australian Aboriginal was the largest group at 27.9%, significantly higher than the regional average of 4.6%. Australian and English followed with 26.2% and 23.7% respectively, the latter being notably lower than the regional average of 30.5%. Irish ethnicity was notably overrepresented in Bourke-Brewarrina at 7.7%, compared to 8.8% regionally.

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 slightly younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 13.8% of the population, higher than Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort represents 9.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has increased from 10.8% to 12.8%, and the 75-84 cohort has risen from 4.2% to 5.9%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.7% to 8.4%, and the 5-14 age group has fallen from 14.4% to 12.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Bourke-Brewarrina, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 95% (from 63 to 130 people). The combined 65+ age groups will account for all of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 45-54 and 0-4 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.