Ooralea - Bakers Creek
Statistical Area - sa2

Ooralea - Bakers Creek lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

AreaSearch's analysis indicates Ooralea - Bakers Creek's population was around 6,686 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 745 people (12.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,941 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,514 in June 2024 and an additional 165 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 137 persons per square kilometer. Ooralea - Bakers Creek's growth rate exceeded the SA3 area (6.6%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 59.4% 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 years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. A significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to expand by 2,129 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 29.3% over the 17 years based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Ooralea - Bakers Creek among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Ooralea-Bakers Creek recorded approximately 39 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that between financial years FY21 to FY25, there were a total of 197 approvals, with an additional 5 in FY26 so far. Each year, around 4.6 new residents are associated with each home built over the past five financial years. This supply lagging demand indicates heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New homes' average construction cost is $478,000, aligning with broader regional development trends. In FY26, $83.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Ooralea-Bakers Creek shows 81.0% higher new home approvals per capita. Recent development has comprised entirely detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

As of now, there are approximately 419 people estimated per dwelling approval in the area. Future projections suggest Ooralea-Bakers Creek will add around 1,957 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with population growth projections, though heightened competition may be experienced as the population increases.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects likely influencing the region. Notable projects include QUT Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant Expansion, Mackay Technology Park, Resources Centre of Excellence - Stage 2 Future Industries Hub, and The Gardens at Ooralea. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Ooralea - Bakers Creek performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Ooralea-Bakers Creek has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 1.3%.

Over the past year, employment has been relatively stable. There are 3,651 residents employed, with an unemployment rate that is 2.6% lower than the Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 66.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade.

Mining is particularly strong, with an employment share 3.7 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.3% of local workers, below Rest of Qld's 4.5%. There are 2.0 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.3% while labour force decreased by 0.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment rise by 1.8%, labour force grow by 2.0%, and unemployment increase by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.23% with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ooralea-Bakers Creek suggests local growth of approximately 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

Ooralea - Bakers Creek had one of Australia's highest incomes based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2022. Its median income was $65,632 and average income was $82,064, compared to Rest of Qld's $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. As of March 2025, estimates suggest median income would be approximately $73,318 and average income around $91,674, factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.71% since June 2022. Census data shows incomes cluster around the 74th percentile nationally. Incomes range from $1,500 to $2,999 for 37.0% (2,473 individuals), mirroring the regional trend of 31.7%. High earners constitute 30.3%, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing takes up 13.6% of income, with residents ranking at the 78th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Ooralea-Bakers Creek, as per the latest Census data, 90.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 9.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro Qld's figures of 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ooralea-Bakers Creek was at 29.7%, similar to Non-Metro Qld, with mortgaged properties at 43.8% and rented ones at 26.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,820, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Ooralea-Bakers Creek was $410 compared to Non-Metro Qld's $340. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 while rents were higher at $375.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 75.7% of all households, including 36.2% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 20.7% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas comprise 7.5% and certificates make up 34.8%.

Educational participation is high at 32.0%, including 12.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education. Dundula State School serves the area with an enrollment of 120 students, focusing on primary education only. Ooralea - Bakers Creek has varied educational conditions, with limited local school capacity (1.8 places per 100 residents vs 17.1 regionally), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Ooralea-Bakers Creek has ten active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two different routes that together facilitate 155 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is moderate, with residents on average being located 526 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are approximately 22 trips across all routes, which translates to about 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Ooralea - Bakers Creek is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Ooralea - Bakers Creek shows better-than-average health outcomes, with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population. Among older and at-risk cohorts, prevalence is closer to national averages. Approximately 61% of the total population (4065 people) has private health cover, compared to 57.0% in Rest of Qld and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.8% and 6.8% respectively. 72.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 69.7% across Rest of Qld. 14.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (958 people), lower than the 16.2% in Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being above average.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ooralea-Bakers Creek showed lower cultural diversity, with 86.0% citizens, 84.3% born in Australia, and 88.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 60.3%, compared to 56.8% regionally. The top ancestry groups were Australian (29.7%), English (26.3%), and Irish (7.3%).

Notably, Maltese (3.1%) Filipino (3.8%), and Maori (0.7%) had higher representations than the regional averages of 2.4%, 1.5%, and 0.6% respectively.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Ooralea - Bakers Creek has a median age of 36, which is lower than the Rest of Qld figure of 41 and Australia's median age of 38. The 35-44 age group is over-represented locally at 15.8%, compared to the Rest of Qld average. Conversely, the 65-74 age group is under-represented at 8.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.2% to 13.1%, while the 45-54 cohort has declined from 11.9% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Ooralea - Bakers Creek's age profile. The 25-34 age group is projected to expand by 425 people (42%), from 1,018 to 1,444. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 2%, an increase of 14 people.