Craignish - Dundowran Beach

Craignish - Dundowran Beach lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Craignish-Dundowran Beach's population is around 6,209 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 5,574 people, a rise of 635 (11.4%) since then. The change is inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 6,169 in June 2024 and an additional 54 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 174 persons per square kilometer. Craignish-Dundowran Beach's growth rate exceeded non-metro areas (8.8%) and the national average, marking it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 83.4% 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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023, based on 2021 data, are used. These state projections do not provide age category splits; thus AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Demographic trends project an above median population growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas by 2041, with Craignish-Dundowran Beach expected to expand by 1,479 persons, reflecting a gain of 23.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Craignish - Dundowran Beach among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Craignish-Dundowran Beach has seen approximately 35 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 178 homes. As of FY26, 46 approvals have been recorded. On average, 4.9 new residents arrive per dwelling constructed each year between FY21 and FY25. This outpaces supply, potentially increasing prices and competition among buyers.

The average construction cost of new properties is $341,000, aligning with regional patterns. In FY26, there have been $2.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Craignish-Dundowran Beach has 52.0% less development activity per person. This constrained new construction can reinforce demand and pricing for existing homes.

Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 184 people per approval, Craignish-Dundowran Beach reflects a developing area. By 2041, it is projected to grow by 1,439 residents (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, but buyers may face heightened competition as the population grows.

Craignish - Dundowran Beach has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Four projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road upgrade (started 2017), Pialba-Burrum Heads Road intersection upgrade (commenced Jan 2018), BayWest City Centre development (announced Apr 2019), Dundowran Industrial Park expansion (approved Feb 2020), and Torbanlea-Pialba Road upgrade (planned for 2021).

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Employment conditions in Craignish - Dundowran Beach demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Craignish-Dundowran Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 2.9% as of September 2025, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 9.7%. There were 3,112 residents employed while the workforce participation rate was 53.4%, compared to the Rest of Qld's rate of 59.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Health care & social assistance has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 1.5% of employment compared to the regional average of 4.5%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 9.7% while the labour force grew by 10.3%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.7%, with a labour force growth of 2.1% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. At the state level, as of 25-Nov-25, Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Craignish-Dundowran Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Craignish - Dundowran Beach SA2 had median income of $51,828 and average income of $65,161. This is comparable to Rest of Qld's median income of $50,780 and average income of $64,844. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $59,079 and average income $74,277, based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 39th percentile ($1,563 weekly) and personal income at the 21st percentile. Income brackets indicate that 31.0% of the population (1,924 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to surrounding regions where this cohort represents 31.7%. After housing costs, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Craignish - Dundowran Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Craignish - Dundowran Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 99.0% houses and 1.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 83.9% houses and 16.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Craignish - Dundowran Beach was 46.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (44.1%) or rented (9.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, compared to Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,430. Median weekly rent figure was recorded at $375, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $335. Nationally, Craignish - Dundowran Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were comparable to the national figure of $375.

Craignish - Dundowran Beach features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 84.9% of all households, including 31.8% couples with children, 43.6% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 15.1%, with lone person households at 12.0% and group households making up 2.8%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

Educational attainment in Craignish - Dundowran Beach aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 18.7%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 44.1% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 32.3%. Educational participation is high, with 26.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.7% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 1.8% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Craignish-Dundowran Beach has 20 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. Two routes serve these stops, offering a combined total of 35 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents located an average of 455 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are five trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Craignish-Dundowran Beach faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Approximately 52% of its total population (~3,253 people) has private health cover, compared to the Rest of Queensland's average of 47.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.5%) and mental health issues (8.9%), with 64.1% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 56.7% in the Rest of Queensland. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 24.6% (1,526 people), compared to the Rest of Queensland's 31%.

Craignish - Dundowran Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Craignish-Dundowran Beach, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index below average. 81.7% of its residents were born in Australia, with 90.6% being citizens and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 53.6% of the population, slightly higher than the Rest of Queensland's 52.7%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.3%), Australian (27.1%), and Scottish (8.6%). Notably, German (5.2%) and Dutch (1.6%) ancestry were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 5.3% and 1.3%, respectively. South African ancestry was also slightly higher at 0.5%.

Craignish - Dundowran Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Craignish - Dundowran Beach has a median age of 48, which is higher than Rest of Qld's figure of 41 and significantly above the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group makes up 15.5% of its population, compared to Rest of Qld's figure, while the 25-34 cohort stands at 7.2%, less prevalent than in Rest of Qld. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.8% to 10.2%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.9% to 13.6% and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 13.7% to 12.5%. By 2041, Craignish - Dundowran Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 65 to 74 group will grow by 31%, adding 302 people and reaching a total of 1,264 from the previous figure of 961. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 3%, with an increase of 17 people.