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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Baringa lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends
As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Baringa is around 5,780. This represents an increase of 1,176 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,604. The growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,329 in June 2025, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,164 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Baringa's growth rate of 25.5% since the 2021 census exceeds both the Rest of Qld (9.2%) and the national average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future population trends predict exceptional growth for Baringa, placing it in the top 10 percent of Australia's non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, the area is expected to expand by 3,439 persons, reflecting a gain of 51.7% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Baringa was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Baringa shows around 84 residential properties approved per year. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 422 homes were approved, with an additional 88 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built attracted an average of 6.5 people per year over these years, indicating high demand exceeding new supply.
New homes are being constructed at an average value of $389,000. This financial year has seen $3.1 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Baringa has slightly more development, with 20.0% above the regional average per person over the past 5 years. This level is substantially higher than the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the location.
Recent construction comprises 84.0% standalone homes and 16.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Baringa's suburban nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 60 people per approval, Baringa reflects a developing area with population forecasts indicating an addition of 2,988 residents by 2041. Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Baringa
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Baringa has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Aura Business Park, Aura Hotel, New Bells Creek Zone Substation, and Thrive Nirimba. The following details the most relevant projects.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Aura (Caloundra South) Infrastructure
Australia's largest master-planned community under single ownership, developing 2,360 hectares to accommodate 20,000 dwellings for 50,000 residents. Key 2026 updates include the start of construction on the Aura Town Centre (Stage 1) featuring Woolworths and Aldi, and the 5.3-hectare Aura Parklands and Lagoon. Significant infrastructure works are active, including the Aura Wastewater Project and enabling works for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line (The Wave). The community spans suburbs including Baringa, Nirimba, Banya, and the newly launched Gagalba.
Bells Creek (Aura) Railway Station
A new heavy rail station located in the Aura master-planned community (Bells Creek) as part of The Wave (Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line). The station is being delivered as part of Stage 1 (Beerwah to Caloundra). It will feature dual side platforms, integrated active transport paths, and a park-and-ride facility to connect the Sunshine Coast with Brisbane. Detailed design is expected to be released in mid-2026.
Aura Parklands & Lagoon
Aura Parklands is a 5.3-hectare landmark leisure destination under construction within the future Aura City Centre on the Sunshine Coast. The centrepiece is a 2,100 square metre lifeguarded swimming lagoon (close to the size of two Olympic pools) with graded accessible edges and stepped entries, supported by interactive water play areas, BBQ and picnic zones, event lawns including a ripple lawn event space, and a network of walking paths set within preserved Wallum forest. Construction commenced in June 2025 following a sod-turning ceremony attended by Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli, with completion targeted for the end of 2026. The parklands form part of a broader 11.3-hectare recreational precinct still in planning and will integrate directly with the future Aura Retail Town Centre to the south. Once operational, the lagoon and water play facilities will be handed over to Sunshine Coast Council, which will appoint an operator to manage lifeguard services, security and daily operations. The project is delivered under the Caloundra South Infrastructure Agreement.
Aura Hotel
Aura Hotel is a 45 million dollar large-scale entertainment and hospitality development by the Comiskey Group. Located in the Aura City Centre, it features a 2,500-capacity live music venue equipped with world-class audio-visual systems, a band room, and a mezzanine level. The Mediterranean-inspired venue spans three levels and includes six bars, internal and alfresco dining, gaming facilities, and multiple function spaces. It is positioned adjacent to a 5-hectare parkland and swimming lagoon, aiming to be a premier regional destination for international and local musical talent.
Aura Home + Life
Aura Home + Life is an $80 million, 20,000 sqm large-format home and lifestyle retail precinct in the Aura master-planned community. Developed by Capital Property Group, the centre is under construction and reported as 85 percent leased, with confirmed national tenants including Spotlight, Anaconda, Harris Scarfe, Rebel, The Good Guys, Pillow Talk, Supercheap Auto, Beacon and Petstock. The project includes more than 12 large-format tenancies, food and beverage offerings and around 400 car parks, with opening targeted for September 2026.
Aura Business Park
Aura Business Park is a major industrial and commercial precinct within the Aura masterplanned community, designed to become a significant employment hub on the Sunshine Coast. The $215 million development comprises over 300 industrial lots accommodating light industry, manufacturing, warehousing, storage, bulky goods showrooms, commercial office space, research and development, and indoor sports and recreation facilities. Located adjacent to Bells Creek Arterial Road with direct connections to the Bruce Highway, the business park is expected to generate approximately 3,000 new jobs. With over 130 lots already sold and developed as of 2025, the park is rapidly establishing itself as the premier business location on the Sunshine Coast, featuring high-speed NBN connectivity and proximity to educational facilities, parks, and the future Aura Town Centre. The latest 2025 land release includes final remaining lots ranging from 1,550 to 3,902 square meters.
Bells Creek Shopping Centre
Regional shopping centre development to serve the growing Aura community with retail, dining, and entertainment facilities.
Stockland Baringa
Stockland Baringa is a neighbourhood town centre located in the heart of Aura masterplanned community on the Sunshine Coast. The centre features a full-line Supa IGA supermarket (2,000 sqm), 20 specialty retailers, commercial offices, a state-of-the-art medical centre, gym, swim school, and family-friendly tavern. The development includes over 300 car spaces and achieved a 5 Star Green Star As Built rating with a 370 KW rooftop solar system. The centre opened in September 2019 with a $5 million extension completed in early 2021, adding medical facilities and a swim school.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Baringa performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia
Baringa's workforce comprises skilled individuals, with essential services sectors well-represented. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 1.6%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. By this date, 2,372 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4% lower than Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%.
Workforce participation in Baringa is similar to Regional Qld's figure of 64.5%. Census responses indicate that a moderate 13.7% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.
Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence in Baringa with only 0.3% employment compared to Regional Qld's 4.5%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 13.0%, accompanied by a 12.8% decrease in employment, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Qld recorded employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Baringa. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Baringa's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
The suburb of Baringa has a median income among taxpayers of $61,966 and an average income of $79,114 according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This compares to figures for Regional Qld's median income of $53,146 and average income of $66,593 respectively. By March 2026, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% suggest the median income will be approximately $69,005 and the average income will be around $88,101. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Baringa cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that 46.8% of individuals (2,705 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, which is similar to regional levels where 31.7% occupy this bracket. In Baringa, high housing costs consume 20.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 62nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Baringa is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Baringa's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.2% houses and 16.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Baringa was at 11.3%, with the rest either mortgaged (45.8%) or rented (43.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Baringa was $485, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Baringa's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Baringa features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 83.9% of all households, including 43.6% couples with children, 24.8% couples without children, and 14.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 16.1%, with lone person households at 12.3% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Baringa exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
Baringa Trail residents aged 15+ have educational qualifications that trail Australian benchmarks. 23.7% hold university degrees, compared to Australia's 30.4%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common (16.8%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%).
Vocational credentials are prominent, with 45.3% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.8%) and certificates (31.5%). Educational participation is high, with 34.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (13.9%), secondary education (7.7%), and tertiary education (5.0%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Baringa has 12 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by two routes offering a total of 301 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 193 meters from their homes to the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most Baringa residents commute outward, predominantly using cars (94%). On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 13.7% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.
All routes combined offer an average of 43 daily trips, equating to about 25 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Baringa's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts
Baringa's health data shows positive results, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health issues affect both young and old residents similarly.
Private health cover is high at 59% (3,384 people), compared to Regional Qld's 52.5%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 8.8% and 7.9% respectively. 75.9% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Regional Qld's 67.6%. Under-65s have better-than-average health outcomes. The area has 3.8% (219 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Regional Qld's 20.4%. Seniors' health outcomes are above average, ranking higher nationally than the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Baringa was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Baringa has a higher than average cultural diversity, with 13.8% speaking a language other than English at home and 27.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Baringa, comprising 38.5%. However, there's an overrepresentation of Other religions, at 1.3%, compared to Regional Qld's 0.8%.
The top three ancestry groups are English (30.4%), Australian (26.8%), and Other (8.2%). Notably, New Zealanders make up 1.6% in Baringa, higher than the regional average of 0.9%, with Maori at 1.4% (vs 0.8%) and South Australian at 0.8% (vs 0.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Baringa hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide
Baringa's median age is 30 years, which is considerably lower than Regional Queensland's average of 41 and Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Regional Queensland, Baringa has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.5%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (2.8%). This concentration of residents aged 35-44 is significantly higher than the national average of 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and now, residents have aged on average by 1.2 years, with the median age rising from 29 to 30. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 has increased from 6.6% to 11.0%, while those aged 35-44 rose from 18.1% to 19.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has declined from 21.7% to 17.8%, and those aged 15-24 have dropped from 10.9% to 9.6%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Baringa, with the strongest projected growth occurring in the 35-44 age group (59%), adding 661 residents to reach a total of 1,789. Meanwhile, the 85+ age group is forecasted to remain unchanged at 0 residents.