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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
Bokarina lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends
Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Bokarina's population is estimated at around 2,739 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 804 people (41.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,935 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,651, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 521 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,574 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Bokarina's 41.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (8.8%), along with the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence where utilised, AreaSearch is applying proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national regional areas is forecast for the Bokarina statistical area (Lv2), with the area expected to expand by 561 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a reduction of 4.3% in total over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bokarina among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide
Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Bokarina averaged approximately 110 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 552 homes were approved, with an additional 16 approved so far in FY-26. This indicates that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth.
The average value of new dwellings constructed is $896,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In Bokarina, there have been $23.6 million in commercial approvals this financial year, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Bokarina has 273.0% more building activity per person, which is significantly above the national average, reflecting robust developer interest in the area. New development in Bokarina consists of 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% attached dwellings, marking a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 99.0% houses). This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options for downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The location has approximately 19 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market with population projections showing stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures and benefit potential buyers in the area.
With population projections showing stability or decline, Bokarina should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Bokarina has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects are St Clair, Sunshine Coast Health Precinct, Birtinya Social Housing Project, and Birtinya Town Centre. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
The Wave - Sunshine Coast Rail and Public Transport Project
The Wave is a transformative integrated transport project for the Sunshine Coast. It includes the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line (Stages 1 and 2), featuring a 19km dual-track heavy rail line from Beerwah to Caloundra with an extension to Birtinya. Stage 3 (Metro) provides a high-frequency Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service from Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport via the Maroochydore CBD. The project aims to reduce travel times to Brisbane by over 45 minutes, supporting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games legacy. Pre-delivery activities including geotechnical investigations and utility relocations are underway, with major construction procurement and detailed designs expected in 2026.
Sunshine Coast Health Precinct
The Sunshine Coast Health Precinct is a premier integrated health hub comprising the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH), Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital, and the Sunshine Coast Health Institute. The precinct is undergoing significant expansion, with SCUH increasing capacity to 738 beds by mid-2025. Key facilities include the Thompson Institute for mental health research, Vitality Village, and the newly completed Maroochy Private Hospital nearby, which serves as a clinical trials and surgical research ecosystem. The precinct focuses on tertiary-level healthcare, medical research, and workforce training in partnership with UniSC and Griffith University.
Sunshine Coast University Hospital
Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) is a tertiary teaching public hospital in Birtinya, Queensland. Completed in 2017 as a $1.8 billion Public-Private Partnership with the Exemplar Health consortium, it reached its full capacity of 738 beds in 2021. The facility provides comprehensive acute, surgical, maternity, and rehabilitation services. Recent 2025 updates include the introduction of a perinatal mental health hub with 8 dedicated beds and multimillion-dollar digital infrastructure upgrades. SCUH is a core component of the Sunshine Coast Health Precinct, fostering collaboration in medical research and education.
The Wave - Birtinya Station (Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line)
Birtinya Station is a key component of 'The Wave' (formerly the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail Line), a 37.8km dual-track heavy rail extension. As part of Stage 2, the station will serve as a major interchange for the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Kawana Health Precinct. The project includes approximately 7.7km of track from Caloundra to Birtinya, a 1.2km tunnel at Little Mountain, and a stabling yard. It aims to reduce travel times to Brisbane by over 45 minutes and support regional growth ahead of the 2032 Olympic Games.
Birtinya Town Centre
Birtinya Town Centre is a major regional activity centre spanning 18 hectares, designed as a transit-oriented mixed-use precinct. The project is being revitalized under a Temporary Local Planning Instrument (TLPI) to address the housing crisis and 2032 Olympic Games preparations. Updated plans include increasing maximum building heights to 15 storeys (with at least six buildings capped at 12 storeys) and delivering up to 2,600 dwellings, nearly doubling previous allocations. Key features include a 60 percent increase in public open space, a new 'green spine,' and a 130-metre pedestrian bridge across Lake Kawana connecting to East Bank. The precinct integrates retail, office space, high-density residential, and a potential 4-star hotel.
Oceanside Birtinya
A large-scale master-planned community by Stockland, encompassing residential land, house and land packages, and townhomes. The community is designed around the Sunshine Coast Health Precinct and features extensive parks, waterways, and connections to retail and dining.
16 Bright Place Affordable Housing
An eight-storey waterfront development designed by Ellivo Architects providing 90 affordable apartments (12 studios, 66 one-bedroom, and 12 two-bedroom units) for local essential workers in the Sunshine Coast health and retail precincts. Features naturally cross-ventilated units, communal spaces with lake views, solar array, 82 car parks, and designed to achieve 7+ star NatHERS rating with livable housing standards. The project was approved via Ministerial Infrastructure Designation in September 2024 but that approval was repealed in March 2025, requiring the project to now seek Sunshine Coast Council approval through the standard development application process.
Birtinya Social Housing Project
A five-storey social housing development delivering 63 units with a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom options, designed to be fully accessible for seniors and people with disabilities. Located on a 2622sqm block near the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, the complex features communal areas to build community and includes at least 61 car parking spaces. The basement structure is now in place with completion due mid-2026.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis reveals Bokarina significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide
Bokarina has an educated workforce with well-represented essential services sectors and a low unemployment rate of 2.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 1,129 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 1.7% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.
Workforce participation is high at 69.2%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.3% versus the regional average of 4.5%. There is a substantial local employment opportunity ratio of 0.9 workers per resident, as recorded in the Census.
Between September 2024 and September 2025, Bokarina's labour force decreased by 2.5%, with employment declining by 2.4%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, closely aligned with the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and a 13.7% increase over ten years. Applying these projections to Bokarina's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch
The suburb of Bokarina had one of the highest income levels in Australia according to AreaSearch data based on latest ATO figures for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $62,029 and average income stood at $89,224, compared to $53,146 and $66,593 respectively for the Rest of Qld. Based on a 9.91% growth in wages since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $68,176 (median) and $98,066 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Bokarina ranked highly nationally, between the 75th and 88th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income analysis showed that 28.6% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, consistent with broader metropolitan trends at 31.7%. Notably, 39.9% earned above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consumed 15.6% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 88th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Bokarina is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region
In Bokarina, as per the latest Census evaluation, 98.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 1.3% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This differs from Non-Metro Qld's dwelling structure which was 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bokarina stood at 30.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.1% and rented ones at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,400, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,950. The median weekly rent figure in Bokarina was $530 compared to Non-Metro Qld's $450. Nationally, Bokarina's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,400 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Bokarina features high concentrations of family households and group households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 82.3% of all households, including 40.7% couples with children, 31.7% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 17.7%, with lone person households at 13.9% and group households making up 3.8%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Bokarina shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators
Bokarina's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 31.7% hold university qualifications, compared to 20.6% in the rest of Queensland and 23.6% in the SA3 area. This educational advantage positions Bokarina favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%).
Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 36.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 12.7% and certificates for 23.6%. Educational participation is high, with 33.5% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.9% in primary education, 10.9% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis indicates ten active public transport stops in Bokarina, with a variety of bus services operating. These stops are served by three different routes, collectively facilitating 681 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically situated 225 meters from the nearest stop.
Service frequency averages 97 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 68 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Bokarina's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions
Analysis shows Bokarina's health metrics are strong across all ages. Young and elderly cohorts have low prevalence of common conditions. Private health cover is high at approximately 63% (1,713 people), compared to Rest of Qld's 53.9%.
Nationally, it's 55.7%. Mental health issues affect 8.0%, asthma impacts 6.1%, while 75.6% report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of Qld's 66.2%. Bokarina has 11.0% (301 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of Qld's 22.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, mirroring the general population's profile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Bokarina ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Bokarina's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population was predominantly citizens, with 87.4% holding citizenship. A majority were born in Australia, standing at 82.0%.
English was the primary language spoken at home by 94.3% of residents. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 43.0% of Bokarina's population. Notably, Judaism was not represented in Bokarina's population, unlike the Rest of Qld where it constituted 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups based on parental country of birth were English (33.7%), Australian (27.9%), and Irish (8.6%). Some ethnic groups showed notable variations: Hungarian residents made up 0.4% in Bokarina compared to 0.2% regionally, New Zealanders comprised 1.0% versus the regional 1.1%, and South Africans constituted 0.8% against the regional 0.6%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Bokarina's population is slightly younger than the national pattern
Bokarina's median age is 37 years, which is significantly below the Rest of Qld average of 41 and essentially aligned with the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of Qld average, the 5 - 14 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.8% locally, while the 75 - 84 year-olds are under-represented at 2.7%. Following the Census conducted on August 3, 2021, the population of Bokarina showed a growth in the 15 to 24 age group from 10.6% to 12.7%, while the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 16.8% to 15.8%. Demographic modeling indicates that Bokarina's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 10%, adding 29 residents to reach a total of 331. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and the 35 to 44 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.