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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Population
Rockhampton Surrounds - East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
Rockhampton Surrounds - East's population is approximately 3,779 as of May 2026. This represents an increase of 272 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,507. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,754 in June 2025 and an additional 121 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 5.6 persons per square kilometer. Rockhampton Surrounds - East's population grew by 7.8% between the 2021 Census and May 2026, outpacing both the SA3 area (7.0%) and the SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 86.6% of overall population gains during recent periods in Rockhampton Surrounds - East.
AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 using 2022 data as the base year. Future demographic trends project an above median population growth for national regional areas like Rockhampton Surrounds - East, with an expected expansion of 530 persons to reach a total population of approximately 4,309 by 2041, reflecting a 13.4% increase over the 16-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Rockhampton Surrounds - East when compared nationally
Rockhampton Surrounds - East has received approximately 21 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 105 homes. As of FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. The area has seen an average of 1.9 people move in per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $337,000.
In FY-26, there have been $279,000 in commercial approvals. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Rockhampton Surrounds - East has shown a 52.0% increase in new home approvals per person. All recent development has consisted of detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density nature and appealing to space-seeking buyers. The population is estimated at around 168 people per approval.
By 2041, Rockhampton Surrounds - East is projected to gain an additional 505 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially facilitating growth beyond current forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rockhampton Surrounds - East
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Rockhampton Surrounds - East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely influencing the area. Notable projects include Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road, Yeppoon Road Upgrade, Crestwood Estate, Lifestyles By The Beach Over 50s Village, Zilzie, and Oak Tree Retirement Village Norman Gardens. The following list details those most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Rockhampton Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
The Rockhampton Hospital Emergency Department expansion was completed in July 2025, significantly increasing clinical capacity. The project delivered nine new acute treatment spaces, including seven beds and two recliner chairs, alongside a dedicated consultation and treatment room. By relocating the Orthopaedic Clinic to a new purpose-built facility on Canning Street, the hospital created a specialized 'Fast Track' area with 12 additional treatment spaces designed for non-complex cases like minor injuries and respiratory infections. This upgrade improves patient flow, reduces ambulance ramping, and supports more complex case management across Central Queensland.
Limestone Creek Trunk Sewerage Network (Stage 1)
Planning and detailed design for Stage 1 of a new trunk sewerage network to service Limestone Creek growth areas. The work is funded for design under the Queensland Residential Activation Fund to make the project construction ready and support up to 3,600 future homes in the Rockhampton region.
Oak Tree Retirement Village Norman Gardens
Boutique retirement village with 50 independent living villas offering 2 and 3 bedroom designs. Features include a large Village Centre, outdoor swimming pool, and bowling green. Located adjacent to Mount Archer National Park in the Crestwood Estate, providing peaceful surroundings with convenient access to Rockhampton city centre and medical facilities.
Bruce Highway (Rockhampton-St Lawrence) - bridges safety upgrades and targeted safety works
Under the Bruce Highway Upgrade Program, TMR has completed bridge safety upgrades at Twelve Mile Creek and John Murphy Bridge north of Rockhampton (construction completed Jan 2025). Further targeted safety works on the Rockhampton-St Lawrence corridor are progressing through planning and preconstruction as part of the Bruce Highway Targeted Safety Program.
Rockhampton Ring Road
A transformative 17.4 km section of the Bruce Highway bypassing Rockhampton. The project features 18 bridges, including a major 435m four-lane crossing over the Fitzroy River with pedestrian and cycling facilities. It connects the Capricorn Highway to the Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road, providing flood immunity to Q100 standards. The project aims to remove heavy vehicles from the CBD, bypass 19 traffic lights, and improve access to the Rockhampton Airport and Hospital precincts.
Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road, Yeppoon Road Upgrade
Upgrade of approximately 5.6 km on Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road between Ironpot and Hedlow Creek, including duplication to four lanes, intersection upgrades, rationalisation of private accesses, realignment of Old Byfield Road to Artillery Road, new U-turn facilities with protected right turns, and safe roadway design to improve safety, traffic flow and resilience.
Lifestyles By The Beach Over 50s Village, Zilzie
A DA approved masterplanned over 50s land lease community on about 27.8 hectares at 78 Svendsen Road, Zilzie, around 23 km south of Yeppoon. The project, branded Lifestyles By The Beach and now in the Palm Lake Group pipeline, will deliver about 319 single level homes plus resort style facilities including a community and wellness centre, cinema, pool, gym, games room, tennis courts, bowling green and RV parking. The village is aimed at active retirees seeking coastal lifestyle living on Queenslands Capricorn Coast.
Seaspray Estate, Zilzie
Seaspray Estate is an established master planned coastal residential community at Cocoanut Point in Zilzie on the Capricorn Coast. The original land estate comprised about 52 residential allotments and several balance development sites, which were marketed and sold via Ray White Special Projects in 2014. The broader Seaspray community now includes Seaspray Resort and the Seaspray Health and Fitness Centre with pools, gyms, tennis and pickleball courts, pharmacy, health services, beauty and wellness operators and a cafe bar, providing local residents with resort style facilities within walking distance of homes. Most subdivision works are complete and remaining vacant lots are sold and developed individually by various builders and owners.
Employment
The employment environment in Rockhampton Surrounds - East shows above-average strength when compared nationally
Rockhampton Surrounds - East has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 2.6%. As of December 2025, 1,962 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4%, below Regional Qld's 4.0%.
Workforce participation is similar to Regional Qld at 64.5%. Census data shows 11.3% work from home. Key industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and mining. Mining employs 3.0 times the regional level.
Health care & social assistance employs 12.0%, below Regional Qld's 16.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities. Over December 2024 to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.3% and employment declined by 2.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment rise by 0.7%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rockhampton Surrounds - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.2% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis
AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Rockhampton Surrounds - East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $57,010 and an average of $69,084. These figures are slightly above the national averages of $53,146 and $66,593 for Regional Qld respectively. As of March 2026, estimated incomes based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% would be approximately $63,486 (median) and $76,932 (average). Census data indicates Rockhampton Surrounds - East has modest household, family, and personal incomes, ranking between the 32nd and 40th percentiles. The $1,500-$2,999 earnings band captures 31.4% of the community (1,186 individuals), consistent with broader regional trends at 31.7%. Housing costs allow for retention of 87.3%, but disposable income is below average at the 45th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Rockhampton Surrounds - East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Rockhampton Surrounds - East had 98.8% houses and 1.2% other dwellings at the latest Census, compared to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockhampton Surrounds - East was 46.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.3% and rented ones at 8.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. Median weekly rent in the area was $280, lower than Regional Qld's figure of $345. Nationally, Rockhampton Surrounds - East's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $375 compared to the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Rockhampton Surrounds - East features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households comprise 77.8% of all households, including 32.1% couples with children, 36.6% couples without children, and 7.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 22.2%, with lone person households at 19.9% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Rockhampton Surrounds - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally
The area's university qualification rate is 13.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 7.6% while certificates make up 34.9%.
Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
No public transport data available for this catchment area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Rockhampton Surrounds - East is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts
Rockhampton Surrounds faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.
Common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 53% (~2,014 people) have private health cover, slightly above the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 10.9% of residents) and asthma (7.2%). About 66.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. Working-age residents show a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 22.7% of residents aged 65 and over (858 people), which is higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. National rankings for this age group are also higher than the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The latest Census data sees Rockhampton Surrounds - East placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Rockhampton Surrounds - East had a cultural diversity index below average, with 89.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 91.2% born in Australia, and 97.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Rockhampton Surrounds - East, comprising 56.5% of people, compared to the regional average of 52.2%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (30.4%), and Irish (8.4%).
Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 5.2%, South Australian at 0.6%, and Dutch at 1.5% compared to regional averages of 4.7%, 0.5%, and 1.1% respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Rockhampton Surrounds - East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide
Rockhampton Surrounds - East has a median age of 45, which is higher than Regional Qld's figure of 41 and the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are notably prominent at 14.3%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 9.5% compared to Regional Qld. Between the 2021 Census and now, the median age has decreased by 1.1 years from 46 to 45, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include the 75 to 84 age group growing from 5.7% to 7.0%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increasing from 10.4% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 17.6% to 14.3%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.3% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Rockhampton Surrounds - East's age profile. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 48%, adding 126 residents to reach 393. In contrast, the 15 to 24 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.