Central Highlands - East
Statistical Area - sa2

Central Highlands - East has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Central Highlands - East's population was around 7,604 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 448 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,156. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 7,591 in June 2024 and additional 71 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level results in a density ratio of 0.40 persons per square kilometer. Central Highlands - East's growth rate of 6.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's 5.9%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 83.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023, based on 2021 data, are adopted. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort are applied where utilized. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth of Australian non-metropolitan areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 387 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 4.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Central Highlands - East according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Central Highlands - East has seen approximately eight dwelling approvals annually. The ABS provides this data on a financial year basis, totaling 40 approvals over the past five years from FY21 to FY25, with none recorded yet in FY26. On average, 3.1 people have moved to the area per dwelling built each year during these five years. This lag between supply and demand has led to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being constructed at an average cost of $501,000, aligning with regional trends.

Commercial development approvals amounting to $6.9 million have been recorded in the current financial year, indicating the area's residential character. Comparatively, Central Highlands - East exhibits 11.0% lower construction activity per person than the Rest of Qld and ranks at the 24th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively limited buyer choice and interest in existing homes. However, construction activity has recently intensified. This area's maturity and possible planning constraints contribute to its below-average national construction activity levels.

New developments in Central Highlands - East comprise predominantly detached houses (86.0%) with a minority of attached dwellings (14.0%), maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 690 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections anticipate an addition of 369 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-suited to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Central Highlands - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that may affect this region. Notable ones are: Bringing Blackwater Back into the Planning Scheme, Blackwater Multipurpose Health Service Renewal, Blackwater Solar Farm, and Dingo Solar Farm. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Central Highlands - East has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Central Highlands - East has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, particularly strong in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 8.9% last year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.5%.

As of June 2025, the area had 4,223 residents employed, but its unemployment rate at 5.0% was higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was higher too, at 64.5% compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Employment is concentrated in mining, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and accommodation & food services. Mining employment is notably high, at 9.4 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence, with only 5.0% employment compared to the regional average of 16.1%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.9 at the Census, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. In the past year, employment increased by 2.5%, while labour force grew by 4.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.0 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.8%, labour force grew by 2.0%, and unemployment rose by only 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% (losing 8,070 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Central Highlands - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.2% over five years and 10.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022 indicates that Central Highlands - East had a median income among taxpayers of $70,211 and an average of $80,453. Nationally, these figures are extremely high. In comparison, Rest of Qld's median was $50,780 with an average of $64,844. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $78,433 (median) and $89,874 (average). Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Central Highlands - East cluster around the 73rd percentile nationally. The largest segment comprises 32.4% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, with 2,463 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the region where this cohort likewise represents 31.7%. After housing costs, residents retain 93.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power.

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

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Central Highlands - East as 91.9% houses and 8.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 86.6% houses and 13.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Central Highlands - East was 16.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.4% and rented dwellings at 63.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,500 and the Australian average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $150, lower than Non-Metro Qld's $250 and the national figure of $375.

Central Highlands - East has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 71.1% of all households, including 30.4% couples with children, 23.9% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Qld.

Central Highlands - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.0%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 8.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 43.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 6.7% and certificates make up 36.3%.

Educational participation is notably high at 35.4%, including 16.8% in primary education, 10.1% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education. In Central Highlands - East, a robust network of 10 schools educates approximately 1,287 students. The region demonstrates varied educational conditions, with 7 primary and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents (16.9) fall below the regional average (33.0), indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Central Highlands - East's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Central Highlands - East, particularly among younger cohorts who exhibit very low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover rate is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (4547 people). The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.2 and 6.6% of residents respectively, while 74.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.5% across Rest of Qld. The area has 7.3% of residents aged 65 and over (551 people), which is lower than the 10.7% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Central Highlands-East shows lower cultural diversity, with 82.5% citizens, 91.1% born in Australia, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion at 53.8%, compared to 56.8% regionally. Top three ancestry groups are Australian (30.4%), English (24.3%), and Australian Aboriginal (17.0%), which is higher than the regional average of 6.6%.

Notable differences exist in Maori representation at 1.6% versus 1.4%, Samoan at 0.2% versus 0.2%, and German at 3.7% versus 4.7%.

Central Highlands - East hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

The median age of Central Highlands - East is 32 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41, and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Rest of Qld, Central Highlands - East has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (18.7%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (4.7%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the age group of 25 to 34 years has grown from 16.8% to 18.7% of the population. Conversely, the age group of 45 to 54 years has declined from 13.7% to 12.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that Central Highlands - East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age group shows the strongest projected growth at 21%, adding 296 residents to reach a total of 1,720. In contrast, both the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.