Ooralea - Bakers Creek

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Ooralea - Bakers Creek's population is around 6,692 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 751 people (12.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,941 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,514 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 166 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 137 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Ooralea - Bakers Creek's 12.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (7.1%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 59.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including overseas migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) for each age cohort. Regarding demographic trends, 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 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 29.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Ooralea - Bakers Creek has recorded around 39 residential properties granted approval each year, totalling 197 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 4.6 people per year moving to the area for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand significantly exceeds new supply, which usually results in price growth and increased buyer competition, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $280,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $83.3 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum.

Compared to the Rest of Qld, Ooralea - Bakers Creek shows 81.0% higher new home approvals (per person), creating greater choice for buyers, though building activity has slowed in recent years. Further, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 419 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Future projections show Ooralea - Bakers Creek adding 1,951 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may experience heightened competition as the population grows.

Ooralea - Bakers Creek 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, 22 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Mackay Technology Park, The Gardens at Ooralea, Ooralea Local Plan, and Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Complex (Mackay ARC), 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.

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

Ooralea - Bakers Creek features a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of just 1.9%, and 4.6% estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,802 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.2% below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (73.0% compared to Regional Qld's 65.4%). Based on Census responses, a low 3.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in mining, with an employment share of 3.7 times the regional level. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.3% of local workers, below Regional Qld's 4.5%. With 2.0 workers for every resident, as at the Census, the area functions as an employment hub, hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.6% and the labour force increased by 5.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Qld, where employment rose by 0.7%, the labour force grew by 1.0%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Ooralea - Bakers Creek. 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 Ooralea - Bakers Creek's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Ooralea - Bakers Creek SA2's income level is among the highest in Australia according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Ooralea - Bakers Creek SA2's median income among taxpayers is $68,877 and the average income stands at $85,185, which compares to figures for Regional Qld's of $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $75,703 (median) and $93,627 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Ooralea - Bakers Creek cluster around the 74th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows 37.0% of the population (2,476 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring the region where 31.7% occupy this bracket. The substantial proportion of high earners (30.3% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Ooralea - Bakers Creek. Housing accounts for 13.6% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 78th percentile for disposable income and 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

Dwelling structure within Ooralea - Bakers Creek, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 90.9% houses and 9.1% 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 Ooralea - Bakers Creek was lagging that of Regional Qld, at 29.7%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (43.8%) or rented (26.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Regional Qld average at $1,820, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $410, compared to Regional Qld's $1,655 and $345. Nationally, Ooralea - Bakers Creek's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 75.7% of all households, comprising 36.2% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 20.7% and group households comprising 3.6% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (17.2%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (34.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 11 active transport stops operating within Ooralea - Bakers Creek, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 2 individual routes, collectively providing 155 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically located 526 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 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 3.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 22 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Ooralea - Bakers Creek is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Ooralea - Bakers Creek faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (4,122 people). This compares to 52.5% across Regional Qld. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.8% and 6.8% of residents, respectively, while 72.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (995 people), which is lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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 was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 86.0% of its population being citizens, 84.3% born in Australia, and 88.1% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Ooralea - Bakers Creek is Christianity, which makes up 60.3% of people in the area. This compares to 52.2% across Regional Qld.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Ooralea - Bakers Creek are Australian, comprising 29.7% of the population, English, comprising 26.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 7.3% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maltese is notably overrepresented at 3.1% of Ooralea - Bakers Creek (vs 0.4% regionally), Filipino at 3.8% (vs 0.9%) and Maori at 0.7% (vs 0.8%).

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

With a median age of 36, Ooralea - Bakers Creek is considerably lower than the Regional Qld figure of 41 and similarly marginally lower than Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Regional Qld average, the 25 - 34 cohort is notably over-represented (15.6% locally), while 65 - 74 year-olds are under-represented (8.1%). In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 12.2% to 13.3% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 13.4% to 11.9%. Demographic modeling suggests Ooralea - Bakers Creek's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, growing by 402 people (39%) from 1,041 to 1,444. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 7% (52 people).