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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
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Bellara has an estimated 3,631 residents, up from 3,278 at the 2021 Census — a change of 353 people, or 10.8%. Growth has averaged 1.8% a year over five years. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 79.0% of that increase. That puts 1,713 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to population updates from the ABS for the broader region alongside address validations performed by AreaSearch following the Census, the suburb of Bellara has an estimated 3,631 residents as of Aug 2026. Compared to the 3,278 people recorded at the 2021 Census, this indicates an expansion of 353 people (10.8%). This net shift is derived from the 3,631 resident figure calculated by AreaSearch after reviewing address validations since the Census date and the ABS June 2025 ERP release. Bellara registers a population density of 1,712 persons per square kilometer, which stands higher than the typical benchmark across nationwide locations assessed by AreaSearch.
With an increase of 10.8% since the 2021 census, the suburb of Bellara outpaced both the national standard and the surrounding SA3 area (8.3%), establishing itself as a regional pacesetter in population expansion. Inbound interstate migration served as the foremost contributor to local expansion, accounting for roughly 79.0% of recent population additions. Projections for the SA2 territory are drawn from the 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia dataset utilising 2022 as its baseline. For any territory lacking coverage or for timeframes extending post-2032, figures reference the Queensland State Government SA2 series published in 2023 based on 2021 numbers. Because state-level outputs omit age-specific breakdowns, AreaSearch applies age-cohort distribution weightings based on the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023 from 2022 data). Looking at anticipated demographic shifts, the suburb of Bellara is expected to experience population expansion just beneath the national median, gaining 381 persons by 2041 under aggregated SA2 models, which represents an overall 16-year increase of 10.5%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
108 new dwellings have been approved in Bellara over the past five years, an average of 21 a year. That is 6.6 approvals per 1,000 residents. Of the 24 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 96% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 7, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
An evaluation of ABS building approval records mapped across statistical areas by AreaSearch reveals that Bellara averaged roughly 21 residential approvals annually, yielding around 108 residential units over the preceding 5 financial years. Within FY-25 to date, 7 building approvals have been logged. Backed by solid demand that sustains local values, approximately 2.8 additional occupants were recorded per approved dwelling across the past 5 financial years (from FY-21 through FY-25). New residential construction features an average cost of $687,000, underscoring a builder preference toward higher-end, upmarket developments. Per resident, building activity in Bellara exceeds Greater Brisbane by 61.0%, expanding opportunities for purchasers despite a recent moderation in construction volume.
Newly approved building work is overwhelmingly composed of standalone houses at 96.0%, with medium and high-density housing representing 4.0%, reinforcing the locality's low-density fabric and appeal to households seeking standalone space. Detached properties account for a larger share of current construction than historical baseline levels (68.0% at Census), illustrating durable interest in traditional homes even amid broader urban infill. The area averages roughly 482 people per dwelling approval, indicative of a mature community. Moving forward, population forecasts indicate that Bellara will add 381 people between the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate and 2041. Under existing building trajectories, the incoming supply of dwellings is well positioned to satisfy resident demand, fostering positive buyer conditions and potentially enabling higher growth than currently forecasted.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Bellara
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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.
AreaSearch tracks 94 current infrastructure and development projects close to Bellara, worth an estimated $16.2 billion. 25 are already under construction and 43 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and retail. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Community outcomes and development trajectory are heavily shaped by strategic infrastructure works and local planning schemes. AreaSearch has identified 2 major undertakings anticipated to influence the locality. Notable projects highlighted in the region include Bribie Island Central, Solana Bribie Island Lifestyle Resort, Bribie Pines Island Village, and Moreton Bay Rail Link Stage 2, with key developments detailed below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Sunderland Drive Residential Estate (Pacific Harbour)
Premium waterfront and canal-front land release within the larger Pacific Harbour masterplanned community on Bribie Island, QLD. Offers large residential lots with direct water access and golf course frontage.
Pacific Harbour Bribie Island
Masterplanned waterfront residential community on Bribie Island delivering around 2,000 house and land lots across canal, golf and lakeside precincts, anchored by the Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club. The Golf Course Precinct is now 95% sold out with only a handful of lots remaining, while the Palm Cove canal precinct continues to offer registered waterfront lots from $1.2M. Community build-out is expected to be complete by December 2026.
Bribie Island Retirement Community
New 5 storey retirement living community by Sundale comprising 84 independent living units with coastal views, shared lounges, landscaped gardens and onsite community facilities designed for seniors.
Bribie Island Central
Bribie Island Central is an established Woolworths and Target anchored convenience shopping centre in Bongaree, with about 32 specialty stores and centre services for the Bribie Island community. No official evidence was found confirming a current Coles-anchored redevelopment at the Banksia Beach address in the original record.
Bongaree Village Shopping Centre Expansion
Council-led upgrade and expansion of the Bongaree Village Shopping Precinct on Bribie Island, delivering additional small format retail tenancies, upgraded streetscape and public realm, improved pedestrian links and foreshore connections, and reconfigured parking as part of the Bongaree Village master plan and wider investment in the City of Moreton Bay coastal villages.
Solana Bribie Island Lifestyle Resort
Large-scale over-50s land lease community with 320 independent living units, a Livewell Centre featuring a clubhouse, indoor and outdoor pools, bowling green, and other resort facilities. The resort is fully tenanted and homes are sold out, with resales only.
Solana Bribie Island Lifestyle Resort
Completed over 50s lifestyle resort on Bribie Island comprising around 200 single level homes and a central Livewell Centre with indoor and outdoor pools, bowling green, tennis court, gym, cinema and community hall, located a short walk from Bribie Island Shopping Centre and the local transport hub. New home builds are sold out and the community now operates as an established resort with resales only. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
The Residences at Pacific Harbour
Luxury low-rise apartment development featuring 3-bedroom residences with golf course and water views.
1,243 residents of Bellara are employed, from a labour force of 1,323. Unemployment sits at 6.0%, with participation at 39.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.5% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,037, about 84% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
A cross-section of professional and vocational roles characterizes Bellara's labour pool across various sectors, showing an unemployment rate of 6.0% and an estimated annual job growth rate of 3.4%, according to statistical aggregations by AreaSearch. In March 2026, 1,243 locals were actively employed, while unemployment tracked 1.7% higher than the Greater Brisbane rate of 4.3%. Meanwhile, workforce participation sat well below the metropolitan benchmark (39.3% versus 70.1% for Greater Brisbane). Census figures showed that only 11.3% of workers operated from home, though historical pandemic restrictions may have influenced these responses.
Employment among local residents is concentrated mainly within health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction shows an especially elevated local presence, with its representation reaching 1.4 times the regional proportion. Conversely, professional & technical occupations are underrepresented, making up only 3.9% of the local workforce compared to 8.9% throughout Greater Brisbane. Given the disparity between Census resident counts and local workplace numbers, this residential community appears to provide relatively few internal job openings. According to AreaSearch’s evaluation of SALM and ABS figures compiled from larger statistical regions, the period ending March 2026 saw employment climb by 3.4% and the labour force grow by 4.3%, which pushed the unemployment rate up by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane experienced employment growth of 3.2%, a labour force increase of 3.4%, and a rise in unemployment of just 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia’s national employment outlooks starting from Mar-26 provide additional context for anticipated job demand in Bellara. These forecasts span five and ten year horizons and have been overlaid with local employment data to project growth trends. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, expansion varies considerably across different industries. When these sector-specific estimates are applied to Bellara’s current employment composition, local job numbers are expected to rise by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this simple weighting exercise is intended only for illustration and does not factor in localized population changes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Bellara is $884 a week (about $46,000 a year), with median personal income at $507 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $38,820 a year against an average of $53,055. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Aggregated postcode figures from the ATO for financial year 2023 show that taxpayers in the suburb of Bellara recorded a median earnings level of $38,820 alongside an average of $53,055, trailing the national benchmark and falling behind Greater Brisbane benchmarks of $58,236 and $72,799 respectively. Accounting for an 11.36% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 suggest local earnings stand near $43,230 for the median and $59,082 for the average. Census statistics position household, family, and individual incomes across Bellara within the 1st to 4th percentiles nationally.
Personal weekly income is heavily concentrated in the $400 - 799 tier, encompassing 36.2% of locals (1,314 people), contrasting with the wider metropolitan hub where the $1,500 - 2,999 category leads with 33.3%. Overall, 45.0% of individuals earn under $800 weekly, highlighting notable financial strain, while housing affordability burdens leave just 80.4% of earnings after housing costs, sitting in the 3rd percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Bellara had 1,571 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 68% detached houses and 18% apartments. 21% are owned with a mortgage, 33% rented and 46% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $320 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,394 a month. Rent absorbs 36.2% of household income here and mortgage repayments 36.4%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to recent Census findings, Bellara's housing stock was partitioned into 67.5% standalone houses and 32.4% alternative dwellings such as apartments, semi-detached properties, and other formats, whereas Brisbane metro registered 73.5% houses and 26.5% other dwellings. Outright property ownership in Bellara reached 45.9%, considerably higher than the Brisbane metro rate, while the remainder comprised mortgaged properties (20.8%) and rental housing (33.3%). Typical housing costs were notably moderate, with local monthly mortgage payments averaging $1,394 and weekly rents at $320, compared against Brisbane metro averages of $1,863 and $380 respectively. Nationally, local mortgage commitments fall well below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents remain substantially under the nationwide mark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Bellara counted 1,571 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 1,740 today, averaging 2.0 people each. 12% are couples with children, fewer than in 96% of areas nationally, against 31% couples without children. 39% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.0 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the majority of living arrangements at 56.8% of all households, consisting of 30.9% couples without children, 12.8% single parent families, and 11.8% couples with children. Non-family dwellings make up 43.2%, consisting of lone person residences at 38.9% and group arrangements at 4.3%. The typical household size sits at 2.0 people, which is smaller than the 2.6 person average across Greater Brisbane.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
11.2% of adults in Bellara hold a university qualification, including 8.6% with a bachelor degree and 1.6% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 31.4% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Tertiary attainment presents a clear developmental challenge locally, as only 11.2% of residents hold university qualifications compared to 30.5% throughout Greater Brisbane. By credential level, bachelor degrees lead at 8.6%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 1.6% and graduate diplomas at 1.0%. In contrast, technical and vocational qualifications are widely held, with 42.2% of community members aged 15+ possessing vocational credentials, divided between certificates (31.4%) and advanced diplomas (10.8%). Active participation in formal education covers 19.3% of local residents. Within this cohort, secondary schooling accounts for 6.8%, primary education represents 6.7%, and tertiary studies involve 1.6% of the population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Bellara means driving: households keep an average of 1.0 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
50.1% of residents in Bellara report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 92% of areas nationally. 11.8% need daily assistance with core activities, and 48.2% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Significant public health challenges exist in Bellara according to AreaSearch analyses of chronic disease rates and mortality, with diverse medical issues impacting younger as well as older demographics. Furthermore, private health insurance coverage is notably restrained, held by roughly 48% of the community (~1,751 people), trailing behind Greater Brisbane's 55.8% and the nationwide figure of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent ailments in the community, diagnosed in 15.4% and 10.5% of locals respectively, while 50.1% reported no chronic medical issues compared to 69.2% across Greater Brisbane.
Elevated rates of chronic illness affect working-age adults, while residents aged 65 and over comprise 47.5% of the population (1,724 people), well above the 15.0% proportion seen in Greater Brisbane. Senior health outcomes present specific hurdles, with overall health percentiles tracking closely with broader area metrics.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Bellara is largely Australian-born, at 79.0% of residents, with 3.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (35.2%) and Australian (25.2%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Measures of cultural diversity in Bellara sit below broader population norms, with Australian-born individuals making up 79.0% of the community, 88.4% holding citizenship, and 96.5% speaking exclusively English at home. In terms of religious affiliation, Christianity is dominant, accounting for 55.6% of residents in comparison to 47.8% recorded throughout Greater Brisbane. Regarding reported parental heritage, the three most common ancestries in Bellara are English at 35.2% (exceeding the 26.8% regional figure), Australian at 25.2%, and Scottish at 9.9%. Other specific ancestral groups exhibit minor variations from regional benchmarks, including New Zealand heritage at 1.3% (against 1.0% regionally), Welsh ancestry at 0.8% (against 0.5%), and French background at 0.6% (against 0.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Bellara is 60, older than 98% of areas nationally. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 12.3% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Demographically, Bellara has an older age distribution relative to the broader region. Based on figures current to August 2026, seniors and retirees aged 65+ comprise 47.5% of the local population, compared to 15.0% across Greater Brisbane, whereas adults aged 25 - 44 represent 11.8% locally versus 30.6% regionally. The estimated median age stood at 60 as at August 2026, rising from 59 at the 2021 Census, which exceeded the Greater Brisbane Census median of 36 by 24 years and surpassed the nationwide Census benchmark of 38. Since that Census, the proportion of residents aged 65+ has increased from 39.6% to an estimated 47.5%.
By 2041, senior cohorts are projected to expand by an additional 688 residents (40%) to reach 2,413, while younger demographics, children, and young adults are expected to decline.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Bellara
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,278 at the 2021 Census → 3,631 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL30213). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.