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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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Blackwater has an estimated 5,060 residents, up from 4,702 at the 2021 Census — a change of 358 people, or 7.6%. Growth has averaged 0.7% a year over five years. Natural increase accounts for 84.0% of that increase. Fewer than ten people live on each square kilometre, across a boundary that takes in surrounding rural land. 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 evaluations of ABS demographic releases for the wider region, combined with address records verified by AreaSearch post-Census, the suburb of Blackwater has an estimated residency of 5,060 individuals as of May 2026. This represents a rise of 358 residents (7.6%) from the 2021 Census, which documented 4,702 individuals. The estimation is drawn from a resident count of 5,054, calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS June 2025 ERP update alongside 40 newly confirmed addresses registered since the Census. With this population level, the density stands at 7.7 persons per square kilometer, indicating a spacious residential environment.
The 7.6% expansion rate in the suburb of Blackwater since the 2021 census outpaced the SA3 region's 6.3% growth and also exceeded the SA4 territory, positioning the locality as a leader in regional growth. The upward trend was driven mostly by natural increase, which accounted for approximately 84.0% of the demographic expansion in recent times. Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline are applied by AreaSearch for each SA2 division. In instances where SA2 regions lack this coverage, or for periods past 2032, projections from the Queensland State Government released in 2023 utilizing 2021 data are substituted. Since these state-level figures do not detail age groups, AreaSearch distributes growth across age brackets using ratios from the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections based on 2022 numbers. Anticipating these demographic adjustments, growth is expected to align with the lowest national regional quartile, with the suburb of Blackwater projected to add 174 residents by 2041 under combined SA2 data, representing an overall expansion of 3.3% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Property development in this area is highly constrained, with an average of 3 permits granted annually, totaling 18 approvals over a five-year timeframe. Such minimal construction activity reflects the rural character of the locality, where building projects generally respond to specific local residential needs rather than wider market incentives. Because the volume of approved projects is so small, annual percentage shifts and relative growth rates can show substantial volatility depending on single developments. Residential building approvals in this area are significantly lower than those recorded in the Rest of Qld.
These levels also fall short of national figures. Additionally, residential construction has consisted entirely of detached single-family dwellings, preserving the rural environment and emphasizing low density. An estimated ratio of 774 residents for every single housing approval underlines the quiet, low-scale nature of local building activity. Long-term forecasts indicate that the local population will grow by 168 residents by 2041, starting from the most recent quarterly estimate by AreaSearch. Although construction projects are progressing in line with these demographic expectations, prospective property buyers may face increased competition as the residency increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Blackwater
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 2 current infrastructure and development projects inside Blackwater. A further 40 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $4.25 billion. 14 are already under construction and 10 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans transport & logistics, health & medical and sports & recreation. 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
Local infrastructure updates, development plans, and major public projects are primary drivers of regional growth. AreaSearch has identified a total of 3 major projects that are expected to influence the local area. The key developments include Bringing Blackwater Back into the Planning Scheme, the Blackwater Multipurpose Health Service Renewal, the Blackwater Solar Farm, and the Blackwater South Coking Coal Project, with the listed items expected to have the most significant local impacts.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Bringing Blackwater Back into the Planning Scheme
Project to revoke the Blackwater and Blackwater East Priority Development Areas (declared 2010 and 2013) and bring them back into the Central Highlands Regional Council Planning Scheme, enabling consistent development assessment and greater community influence over future zoning. The Minister for Economic Development Queensland approved the Planning Instrument Change for progression in September 2025. Formal public consultation ran from 23 February to 10 April 2026, including drop-in sessions in Blackwater, Emerald and online. Council is now reviewing submissions and preparing a Public Response Report, due to be presented to the General Council Meeting on 22 July 2026, ahead of expected adoption of the amendment in late 2026.
Blackwater Multipurpose Health Service Renewal
Replacement of the existing healthcare facility with a new modular design.
Capricorn Highway Widening (Winton Creek to Agricultural College)
Safety upgrade to widen and rehabilitate about 2.5-2.6 km of the Capricorn Highway east of Emerald between Winton Creek and the Emerald Agricultural College. Scope included pavement widening and strengthening, wide centre line treatment, drainage works, sealing and line marking to improve safety and heavy vehicle operations. Funding reported at about $5m across the Australian and Queensland Governments, with delivery by Queensland TMR via contractor Decmil. Indicative completion: 2022.
Codenwarra Road Mixed-Use Development Site
Approved major shopping centre and mixed-use development situated opposite Central Highlands Marketplace on an 11.45 hectare site. To be developed by Development Directive Pty Ltd, the proposed centre will feature a supermarket, 8 individual retail outlets, and 268 car parking spaces. The Central Highlands Regional Council approved a rebate for a change in land use in April 2026 to facilitate the development.
Nogoa Rise Estate Residential Development
Multi-stage residential estate development by Central Highlands Regional Council featuring fully serviced residential lots in Emerald's sought-after Nogoa Rise area. The development has expanded to Stages 5 and 6, offering quality residential opportunities in the growing Central Highlands region.
Emerald Hospital Emergency Department Upgrade
A complete refurbishment and upgrade of the Emergency Department at Emerald Hospital that officially opened in April 2024. The upgrade improves patient flow and provides better access to care closer to home. Features include improved privacy, additional clinical consultation spaces, resuscitation bays, better treatment spaces for mental health crisis patients, and a safer treatment environment.
Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens Redevelopment
A 7 million AUD redevelopment of the 42-hectare Emerald Regional Botanic Gardens. The project features the construction of a new permanent, flood-resilient footbridge over the Nogoa River and extensive pathway upgrades to improve safety, connectivity, and accessibility for the community.
Gregory-Capricorn Highway Intersection Upgrade
Intersection upgrade at the junction of Gregory and Capricorn Highways in Emerald, involving widening approaches, installing traffic signals, and improving turning lanes. The upgrade enhances safety and reduces congestion at this critical junction serving both local and through traffic. The project also included pedestrian infrastructure improvements.
2,989 residents of Blackwater are employed, from a labour force of 3,176. Unemployment sits at 5.9%, with participation at 81.8%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 4.2% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,670, about 73% 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
The local workforce exhibits an even distribution between professional and industrial roles, with a prominent presence in production and manufacturing, alongside an unemployment rate of 5.9% according to AreaSearch statistical aggregations. In March 2026, there were 2,989 employed residents, with the jobless rate tracking 2.0% higher than the Regional Qld benchmark of 3.9%, while labor force participation was exceptionally high at 81.8% compared to the regional rate of 64.3%. Census statistics indicate that a minimal 3.5% of the working population operated from their homes, although this figure may reflect the influence of pandemic-era restrictions.
The primary sectors employing local residents are resource extraction, hospitality, and education. Resource extraction shows an extreme level of local concentration, with its share of employment reaching 12.5 times the regional proportion. Conversely, the healthcare and social assistance sector occupies only 3.7% of the local workforce, which is lower than the 16.1% average for Regional Qld. A comparison between the census-recorded working populace and the resident workforce suggests that local job opportunities are relatively scarce within the immediate area. Based on AreaSearch calculations of SALM and ABS statistics aggregated from surrounding regions, the labor force contracted by 4.9% during the 12 months ending March 2026, while total employment fell by 2.3%, leading to a 2.5 percentage point drop in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Regional Qld experienced an employment increase of 0.1% and a labor force expansion of 0.3%, with its unemployment rate rising by 0.1 percentage points. National employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia issued in May-25 offer additional context on future labor needs in the area. These five and ten-year forecasts have been correlated with local employment structures to project potential patterns. Globally, national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly across industries. Adjusting these sector-specific forecasts to the local occupational distribution indicates that employment in the area is projected to rise by 4.2% over five years and 10.4% over ten years, though this represents a basic weighted projection that does not account for local population changes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Blackwater is $2,358 a week (about $123,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,268 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $91,875 a year against an average of $105,278. 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
According to compiled ATO figures at the postcode level for the 2023 financial year, taxpayers in the locality recorded a median income of $91,875 and an average income of $105,278. These sums are remarkably high on a national scale, comparing to regional averages of $53,146 and $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since the 2023 financial year, current estimated values would reach approximately $102,312 for the median and $117,238 for the average as of March 2026. The 2021 Census confirms that household, family, and individual incomes are highly ranked, placing between the 86th and 93rd percentiles across Australia.
Income distribution statistics show that the weekly earnings bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 accounts for 36.3% of the local population, or 1,836 people, mirroring regional trends where 31.7% fall into the same bracket. A significant proportion of high-income earners, with 37.7% receiving over $3,000 weekly, points to robust financial resources in the community. After accounting for housing costs, households retain 91.4% of their earnings, indicating strong discretionary spending capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Blackwater had 1,492 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 93% detached houses and 5% apartments. 24% are owned with a mortgage, 65% rented and 11% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $220 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,083 a month. Rent absorbs 9.3% of household income here and mortgage repayments 10.6%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing stock, as recorded in the latest Census, was composed of 92.7% separate houses and 7.3% alternative dwellings such as townhouses, apartments, or other structures, compared to 76.4% separate houses and 23.6% alternative dwellings throughout Regional Qld. Home ownership rates lagged the wider region at 11.1%, with the remaining properties occupied by residents with a mortgage (23.7%) or tenants (65.3%). The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,083 was considerably lower than the Regional Qld average, while the median weekly rent stood at $220, compared to regional figures of $1,655 and $345.
On a national level, local mortgage commitments are much lower than the Australian median of $1,863, and rent expenses are also well below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Blackwater counted 1,492 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 1,606 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 33% are couples with children, against 25% couples without children. 26% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.7 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 70.9% of all local households, consisting of couples with children at 32.8%, couples without children at 24.5%, and single parents at 12.1%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 29.1%, with single-person households representing 25.9% and group households making up 3.2%. The median household size of 2.6 residents is slightly larger than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
12.4% of adults in Blackwater hold a university qualification, including 9.6% with a bachelor degree and 1.5% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 89% of areas nationally. A further 41.3% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 914 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 861 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
The local area presents low rates of higher education, with university graduation levels at 12.4%, well below the national rate of 30.4%. This highlights a gap and a potential target for educational investment. Bachelor degrees account for the largest share at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 1.5% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Vocational and technical expertise is highly prevalent, with 48.4% of residents aged 15 and older holding trade qualifications, split between advanced diplomas at 7.1% and certificates at 41.3%. Enrolment in education is remarkably strong, with 39.0% of the population currently participating in academic programs.
This cohort is divided into 16.9% attending primary schools, 11.6% in secondary schools, and 3.7% enrolled in higher education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Blackwater means driving: households keep an average of 1.6 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
75.1% of residents in Blackwater report no long-term health condition. 2.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 68.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.9 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
The community faces notable public health concerns, based on AreaSearch assessments of mortality patterns and the prevalence of long-term illnesses across both younger and older generations. Conversely, the uptake of private health insurance is exceptionally high, covering approximately 69% of the local population, or 3,486 individuals. This is significantly higher than the Regional Qld average of 52.5% and the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent health issues recorded in the region were asthma and mental health concerns, affecting 8.9% and 7.9% of residents. Meanwhile, 75.1% of the population reported no chronic health conditions, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld.
General health status among working-age residents is standard. Residents aged 65 and older represent 5.7% of the local population, or 288 individuals, which is much lower than the regional proportion of 20.4%. Senior citizens in the area exhibit particularly strong health profiles, ranking higher than the national averages for their cohort.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Blackwater is largely Australian-born, at 88.0% of residents, with 5.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (33.4%) and English (26.9%). 7.2% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The population shows lower levels of cultural diversity than average, with citizens representing 77.9% of the population, 88.0% of residents born in Australia, and 95.0% using only English at home. The predominant religious affiliation is Christianity, representing 47.0% of the community, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Regarding family background, the three most common ancestries are Australian at 33.4% of the population, which is higher than the regional rate of 26.5%, English at 26.9%, and Irish at 7.3%. There are also notable differences in other groups, with Maori residents comprising 2.3% of the community compared to 0.8% in the wider region, Australian Aboriginal residents at 7.2% compared to 3.9% regionally, and German ancestry at 4.0% compared to 4.7% regionally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Blackwater is 31, younger than 93% of areas nationally. 33.1% 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
The median age of 31 years makes this population noticeably younger than the Regional Qld median of 41 and the national average of 38. The 25 to 34 age bracket is highly represented at 19.7%, whereas the 65 to 74 group is small at 4.1%. This concentration of 25 to 34 year olds is higher than the national average of 14.6%. Since 2021, the 25 to 34 demographic has expanded from 18.0% to 19.7% of the population, while the 45 to 54 group has contracted from 13.6% to 12.1%. Long-term forecasts for 2041 suggest shifting demographics, with the 25 to 34 cohort projected to grow by 158 residents, or 16%, moving from 996 to 1,155 individuals.
Conversely, the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 age groups are expected to decline.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Blackwater
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 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) | May 2026 3 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 May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| 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 Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2026 last month 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 Jul 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 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) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 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 — 40 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (4,702 at the 2021 Census → 5,060 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 May 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 (SAL30281). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.