Golden Beach - Pelican Waters

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, the population of Golden Beach - Pelican Waters is around 14,228 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,193 people (9.2%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,035 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,987 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 495 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,361 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Golden Beach - Pelican Waters's 9.2% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of Qld (9.1%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 59.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence, where utilised, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth for Australian non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the area expected to expand by 2,677 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 17.1% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Golden Beach - Pelican Waters among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters has recorded around 136 residential properties granted approval each year, totalling 684 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 66 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 1.7 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand seem well-matched, fostering stable market dynamics, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $648,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $1.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Compared to the rest of Qld, Golden Beach - Pelican Waters has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, while it ranks within the 87th percentile of areas assessed nationally. New building activity consists of 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% medium and high-density housing, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. The location has approximately 99 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Looking ahead, Golden Beach - Pelican Waters is expected to grow by 2,436 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 44 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Aura Home + Life, Palm Lake Resort Pelican Waters, Aura Parklands & Lagoon, and Pelican Waters Infrastructure Upgrade B, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Golden Beach - Pelican Waters presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.1%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters features a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of only 3.1%. As of December 2025, 5,899 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.0% below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation lags significantly (49.1% compared to Regional Qld's 65.4%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 19.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a limited presence with 0.8% employment compared to 4.5% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.1% alongside a 3.4% employment decline, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Golden Beach - Pelican Waters. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Golden Beach - Pelican Waters's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Golden Beach - Pelican Waters SA2's median income among taxpayers is $46,132, with an average of $58,248. This is lower than average on a national basis, and compares to Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $50,704 (median) and $64,020 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Golden Beach - Pelican Waters all fall between the 21st and 23rd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 26.8% of the population (3,813 individuals) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income range, diverging from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 31.7%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 23rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Golden Beach - Pelican Waters, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 72.8% houses and 27.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Golden Beach - Pelican Waters was well beyond that of Regional Qld, at 53.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (24.9%) or rented (22.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional Qld average at $2,123, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $440, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Golden Beach - Pelican Waters's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 73.4% of all households, comprising 22.0% couples with children, 42.2% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.6%, with lone person households at 23.9% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.3 people is smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Educational qualifications in Golden Beach - Pelican Waters trail regional benchmarks, with 20.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 14.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (13.0%) and certificates (26.7%).

A substantial 22.3% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.7% in secondary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 37 active transport stops operating within Golden Beach - Pelican Waters, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 1 individual route, collectively providing 169 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 391 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Some 19.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates relatively positive outcomes for Golden Beach - Pelican Waters residents. AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and health conditions shows results broadly in line with national benchmarks, with the prevalence of common health conditions remaining low across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~6,857 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.2% and 7.3% of residents, respectively, while 61.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 36.1% of residents aged 65 and over (5,130 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 77.9% of its population born in Australia, 88.9% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Golden Beach - Pelican Waters is Christianity, which makes up 59.2% of the population. This compares to 52.2% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Golden Beach - Pelican Waters are English, comprising 34.7% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 29.6%, Australian, comprising 25.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is notably overrepresented at 9.4% of Golden Beach - Pelican Waters (vs 7.8% regionally), German at 4.9% (vs 4.7%) and Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.5%).

Golden Beach - Pelican Waters ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 55, Golden Beach - Pelican Waters is considerably higher than the Regional Qld figure of 41 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Relative to Regional Qld, Golden Beach - Pelican Waters has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (18.2%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (6.3%). This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 11.7% to 13.7% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 8.4% to 9.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.9% to 11.6% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 9.9% to 8.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in the age structure of Golden Beach - Pelican Waters. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 114% (677 people), reaching 1,272 from 594. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 66% of projected growth. Conversely, the 15 to 24 group will contract by 109 residents.