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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Banana has an estimated 9,316 residents, up from 8,817 at the 2021 Census — a change of 499 people, or 5.7%. Growth has averaged 1.2% a year over five years. Natural increase accounts for 42.1% of that increase. Fewer than ten people live on each square kilometre, across a boundary that takes in surrounding rural land. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Demographic analysis by AreaSearch estimates that Banana has a population of approximately 9,316 as of Aug 2026. Compared to the 2021 Census tally of 8,817 people, this represents an addition of 499 people (5.7%). This calculation combines the ABS estimated resident population figure of 9,297 as of June 2025 with 18 validated new addresses recorded after the Census date. With a density ratio of 0.30 persons per square kilometer, residents enjoy a generous amount of personal space. The region's 5.7% rate of expansion since the 2021 census outpaced the wider SA3 area (4.5%), positioning Banana ahead in regional growth.
Internal natural growth served as the chief contributor to this expansion, accounting for roughly 42.1% of recent net additions, alongside positive contributions from both overseas migration and interstate migration. Projections for each SA2 area utilise ABS/Geoscience Australia models released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, while Queensland State Government SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data cover periods post-2032 and locations missing from the federal series. Because state estimates lack breakdowns by age bracket, AreaSearch applies proportional distribution weightings derived from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) across individual age cohorts. Under this methodology, overall numbers are anticipated to decrease by 464 persons by 2041. In contrast to the general downward trajectory, certain brackets will expand, headed by the 25 to 34 age group with a projected increase of 181 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
62 new dwellings have been approved in Banana over the past five years, an average of 12 a year. That is 1.4 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential planning activity in Banana averages approximately 12 approved homes each year, totaling 62 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). With an influx averaging 8.9 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), local housing demand outstrips additions, generally generating pricing pressure and heightened buyer competition. New builds carry an average expected construction cost of $446,000, which sits under regional benchmarks and provides relatively affordable development options. Furthermore, commercial approvals totaled $9.1 million this financial year, underscoring the largely residential emphasis of the local area.
Compared with Rest of Qld, Banana registers slightly higher building activity, exceeding the regional per-capita baseline by 18.0% over the 5 year period, which maintains varied choices for purchasers while underwriting existing real estate values. At the same time, this volume remains below the national standard, indicative of a mature market with prospective planning constraints. Recent construction is concentrated heavily in single-family housing, with 92.0% detached dwellings and 8.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving a low-density rural character suited to households requiring space. The ratio of 613 people in the area per dwelling approval highlights a calm, low-volume development pace. Given expectations of a stable or shrinking populace, diminished pressure on local housing stock may foster advantageous conditions for buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Banana
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 13 current infrastructure and development projects inside Banana, worth an estimated $8.08 billion. A further 54 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $63.4 billion. 17 are already under construction and 20 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans energy, transport & logistics and residential development. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Strategic planning, regional development initiatives, and infrastructure investments play a central role in guiding local growth. AreaSearch has identified 36 projects with potential local impacts, highlighted by the Theodore Water Treatment Plant Upgrade, Banana Range Wind Farm, Theodore Wind Farm, and Multiple Dwelling Development.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Toowoomba to Gladstone Inland Rail Extension
A proposed freight rail extension from the Inland Rail terminus at Toowoomba to the Port of Gladstone, spanning approximately 500km via Miles, Banana and Moura through Central Queensland. The project is being jointly led by the Australian and Queensland governments. Technical work for the Preliminary Evaluation phase of the business case was completed in 2023 under the Queensland Government Project Assessment Framework, and both governments are currently considering those findings to determine next steps. The Australian Government has committed $10 million to the business case, with TMR providing an in-kind contribution.The extension aims to build resilience in the national freight network, support thermal coal, hydrogen, alumina and emerging resource industries, and complement the primary Melbourne-to-Brisbane Inland Rail route.
Theodore Water Treatment Plant Upgrade
Stage one of the upgrade to the Theodore Water Treatment Plant.
Banana Range Wind Farm
The Banana Range Wind Farm is a 452 MW renewable energy project featuring 75 turbines across two stages in Central Queensland's Renewable Energy Zone. The project includes a large-scale battery storage system and a 44km 275kV transmission line connecting to the Calvale Substation. It is expected to power 270,000 homes annually and support approximately 150-350 construction jobs.
Theodore Wind Farm
RWE Renewables Australia, through Theodore Energy Development Pty Ltd, is developing the Theodore Wind Farm about 22 km east of Theodore and 50 km south-west of Biloela in Banana Shire, Queensland. The project has Queensland state development approval for up to 170 wind turbines, a 240 MW battery energy storage system, ancillary infrastructure and a potential solar component within the broader investigation area. It is proposed to deliver about 1.1 GW of generation capacity, supply electricity for around 500,000 Queensland homes, support up to 500 peak construction jobs and provide a long-term community benefit fund.As of May 2026, the project remains in the Federal EPBC assessment process, with the draft Public Environment Report comment period closing on 6 May 2026. Initial operations are targeted from 2027, with full operation expected in 2029.
Callide Solar Power Station
Edify Energy is developing the Callide Solar Power Station north-east of Biloela within the Callide Renewable Energy Zone. The project is planned for up to 240 MWp of solar PV and a 200 MW / 800 MWh battery energy storage system, with development approvals in place. Edify states the project is in development phase, with construction now anticipated around Q2 2027 and a 30 month construction period. The project is expected to support about 250 construction jobs and around 10 operational jobs.
Baralaba Solar Farm
Baralaba Solar Farm is an approved but long-dormant utility-scale solar photovoltaic project proposed by FRV Australia (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures) on cleared grazing land roughly 4 kilometres from the township of Baralaba in Queensland's Banana Shire. FRV lodged a Material Change of Use application with Banana Shire Council in December 2014 and Council issued its decision notice approving the development on 28 October 2015. The project is sized at approximately 115 MWp (about 92 MW AC) across a site of up to 520 hectares, using single-axis tracking modules that follow the sun from east to west.Its key advantage is location: the site adjoins an existing substation, giving direct access to the national electricity grid without lengthy new transmission. At the time of approval FRV estimated up to 200 jobs during an 18-month construction program originally flagged for 2017. That construction never commenced. FRV continues to list Baralaba in its Australian portfolio as "Under Development", but the project does not appear in Banana Shire Council's Renewable Energy Projects Pipeline as updated in November 2025, and it has been absent from FRV's recent Australian financing, construction and acquisition announcements, which have focused on Walla Walla, Terang, Gnarwarre, Axedale and Dalby. On that evidence the project is best treated as approved but shelved, with no confirmed construction start, no announced offtake agreement and no published financial close. Banana Shire is meanwhile hosting a very large pipeline of newer renewable projects, including the Moura Solar Farm, Smoky Creek and Callide solar power stations and several wind farms, which may affect grid capacity and the commercial case for reviving Baralaba.
Surat Basin Rail
A proposed 214-kilometre open-access freight rail linking the Western Railway near Wandoan to the Moura Railway near Banana. Designed to move commodities to the Port of Gladstone, the corridor remains protected within the Surat Basin Infrastructure Corridor State Development Area.
Boundary Hill Waste Facility
Development of a new waste management facility at Boundary Hill.
5,352 residents of Banana are employed, from a labour force of 5,481. Unemployment sits at 2.4%, with participation at 73.7%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 4.4% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Banana sustains a balanced local labour market across white and blue collar occupations, underpinned by strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors and a low unemployment rate of 2.4%. As of March 2026, 5,352 residents are actively employed, the jobless rate sits 1.6% below the 3.9% recorded in Regional Qld, and the participation rate of 73.7% significantly surpasses the Regional Qld figure of 64.2%. In Census records, 23.7% of working locals indicated they worked from home, a figure influenced by Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Major employers of local residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining, and health care & social assistance.
The local workforce shows notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, where its proportion of employment is 7.0 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance accounts for a smaller share at 7.2%, below the regional benchmark of 16.1%. The Census metric of 0.7 workers for each resident points to strong local job opportunities relative to standard benchmarks. Analysis of ABS and SALM records by AreaSearch indicates that in the year to March 2026, the local workforce shrank by 5.0% while employment fell by 4.4%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. Across Regional Qld over the same period, employment edged up 0.1%, the workforce expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose 0.1 percentage points. Long-term outlooks from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 provide context regarding future labour demand. Nationally, employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying by sector. Mapping these industry projections to Banana's specific sector distribution indicates potential employment growth of 4.4% over five years and 10.5% over ten years, representing an illustrative weighting calculation that does not incorporate local demographic forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Banana is $1,675 a week (about $87,000 a year), with median personal income at $835 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $54,806 a year against an average of $67,857. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode statistics compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 indicate that the Banana SA2 recorded a median taxpayer income of $54,806 and an average of $67,857, mirroring national figures and exceeding Regional Qld metrics of $53,146 and $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, estimated earnings as of March 2026 reach approximately $61,032 for the median and $75,566 for the average. In the 2021 Census, individual, family, and household earnings aligned closely with the 50th percentile across Australia. Roughly 33.5% of residents (3,120 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, closely tracking the 31.7% observed regionally.
After accounting for housing expenditure, households retain 91.7% of their income, underpinning solid purchasing capacity, while the area is positioned in the 4th decile on the SEIFA income index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Banana had 3,015 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 97% detached houses and 1% apartments. 28% are owned with a mortgage, 28% rented and 44% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $200 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 11.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 17.9%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the latest Census, housing stock in Banana was overwhelmingly composed of separate dwellings, with 96.6% houses and 3.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional Qld where the split was 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Outright homeownership was prominent at 44.2%, well above regional standards, while remaining properties were evenly divided between being mortgaged (27.9%) and rented (27.9%). Local housing costs are comparatively affordable: the median monthly mortgage payment stood at $1,300 versus $1,655 in Regional Qld and $1,863 nationally, while the median weekly rent was $200 compared to $345 across Regional Qld and $375 across Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Banana counted 3,015 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 3,186 today, averaging 2.5 people each. 31% are couples with children, against 32% couples without children. 27% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.1 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute the vast majority of local living arrangements at 71.7% of all households, consisting of 32.4% couples without children, 31.3% couples with children, and 7.0% single parent families. Non-family residences make up the remaining 28.3%, comprising 26.5% lone person households and 1.9% group households. The median household size of 2.5 people matches the Regional Qld average exactly.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
13.6% of adults in Banana hold a university qualification, including 11.2% with a bachelor degree and 1.2% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 89% of areas nationally. A further 31.9% hold a vocational qualification. 12 schools serve the area, with 1,180 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 948 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Higher educational attainment presents an area for development, as the proportion of residents holding university qualifications sits at 13.6%, markedly below the Australian benchmark of 30.4%. Among tertiary credentials, Bachelor degrees account for 11.2%, postgraduate qualifications represent 1.2%, and graduate diplomas make up 1.2%. Technical and vocational training is substantially more widespread, with 39.1% of individuals aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including 31.9% with certificates and 7.2% with advanced diplomas. Formal study engagement is substantial throughout the population, with 31.1% of residents currently enrolled in an educational course. Broken down by level, 15.3% attend primary education, 9.4% are in secondary education, and 1.8% are enrolled in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Banana means driving: households keep an average of 2.0 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
70.0% of residents in Banana report no long-term health condition. 4.0% need daily assistance with core activities, and 52.6% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.2 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators across Banana remain positive, with AreaSearch analysis of health conditions and mortality rates aligning with national standards. Common ailments remain low across both younger and older cohorts, while private health insurance adoption is slightly above average for an SA2 area at approximately 53% of the total population (~4,900 people). The most prevalent diagnosed conditions among residents are arthritis, affecting 8.4%, and asthma, affecting 8.1%, while 70.0% reported no long-term medical conditions, outperforming the Regional Qld level of 67.6%. General health outcomes among working-age individuals are consistent with broader averages.
Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 19.4% of the population (1,802 people) and demonstrate above-average health results that track general population benchmarks nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Banana is largely Australian-born, at 94.8% of residents, with 1.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (37.0%) and English (30.3%). 3.7% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Banana is below national benchmarks, with 94.8% of residents born in Australia, 86.4% holding Australian citizenship, and 98.2% speaking only English at home. Christianity represents the predominant religious affiliation, accounting for 66.6% of the population compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. The primary reported ancestries among residents are Australian at 37.0%, well above the 26.5% regional standard, followed by English at 30.3% and Scottish at 7.8%. Other ancestral groups show distinctive local representation, with German ancestry notably higher at 6.7% compared to 4.7% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal ancestry accounts for 3.7% compared to 3.9% across the broader region.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Banana is 40. 22.9% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age distribution of Banana closely tracks Regional Qld, with the largest variance between the two across the four major life stages measuring only 1.7 percentage points. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 40, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 1 year below the Regional Qld median of 41 at that time. By cohort, middle aged and young retiree cohorts (45 - 64) reduced their share from 26.5% at the Census to an estimated 24.7%. By 2041, retiree and elderly cohorts (65+) are projected to experience the strongest numerical expansion, rising by 106 (6%) to 1,909, whereas middle aged and young retiree cohorts, along with children and young adults, are anticipated to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Banana
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jun 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 13 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Jul 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 18 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (8,817 at the 2021 Census → 9,316 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (308041528). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.