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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
An assessment of population growth drivers in Dicky Beach reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
The estimated population of the suburb of Dicky Beach is around 1,898 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease from the previous census in 2021, where the population was reported to be 1,921 people. The latest estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,842 persons per square kilometer, which is higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Dicky Beach.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings using ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Based on projected demographic shifts, the suburb of Dicky Beach is expected to grow by around 205 persons to reach a population of approximately 2,103 by 2041, reflecting an increase of about 10.5% over the 16-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Dicky Beach is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch
Dicky Beach had five dwelling approvals over the years 2016 to 2020 inclusive. This low development level is typical of rural areas with modest housing needs and limited construction activity due to local demand and infrastructure capacity. Yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects, as seen in Dicky Beach's minimal approval numbers.
Compared to Rest of Qld and national averages, Dicky Beach shows significantly less construction activity. All new constructions since 2016 have been standalone homes, with a focus on family homes suited for those seeking rural lifestyle and space. Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests at Census (66.0%). The location had approximately 958 people per dwelling approval as of recent data.
According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Dicky Beach is projected to add 200 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Dicky Beach
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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
Dicky Beach has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Two projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area: Caloundra Transport Hub and Caloundra to Currimundi Active Transport Corridor. Other notable projects include Lagune Moffat Beach and Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade, with details below focusing on those most relevant.
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Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
The Wave - Sunshine Coast Rail and Public Transport Project
The Wave is an integrated transport initiative for the Sunshine Coast. Stage 1 involves a 19km dual-track heavy rail line from Beerwah to Caloundra. Stage 2 extends this rail 7km to Birtinya, including a 1km tunnel. Stage 3 (Metro) delivers a 12km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network connecting Birtinya to the Sunshine Coast Airport via Maroochydore CBD. The project aims to reduce travel times to Brisbane by 45 minutes and support the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Sunshine Coast Health Precinct
The Sunshine Coast Health Precinct at Birtinya is one of Australia's largest health and medical hubs, anchored by the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH), the Sunshine Coast University Private Hospital (operated by Ramsay Health Care), and the Sunshine Coast Health Institute. SCUH opened in March 2017 with 450 beds and had expanded to 728 inpatient beds by mid-2025, with a planned final capacity of 738 beds. The precinct serves a catchment of around 450,000 residents across the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions and supports tertiary services including a comprehensive cancer centre, regional trauma service, the Thompson Institute for mental health research, the Adem Crosby Centre, and the Kamala mental health unit. Adjacent facilities include the Vitality Village integrated community health building (opened mid-2021) and the 17-hectare Health Hub greenfield precinct, which is being progressively developed with up to 32,000 square metres of medical, research, allied health and consulting space. Clinical training and research are delivered in partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast, Griffith University and TAFE Queensland. The neighbouring Birtinya Town Centre masterplan (Stockland) continues to add retail, residential and commercial floorspace surrounding the precinct, with a refreshed Temporary Local Planning Instrument approved by the State in September 2025 to lift residential density.
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.
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.
Bruce Highway Upgrade - Caloundra Road to Sunshine Motorway (CR2SM)
A $932 million upgrade of a 7 km section of the Bruce Highway between Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway. Delivered six lanes at 110 km/h, major interchange upgrades including Australia's first Diverging Diamond Interchange at Caloundra Road, a new two-way Frizzo Connection Road service road, improved flood immunity, Intelligent Transport Systems, over 9 km of active transport paths and crossings, and new service roads. Practical completion to traffic occurred in July 2021, with all construction works finalised by August 2022.
Brightwater Estate
A completed masterplanned community by Stockland located in Mountain Creek on the Sunshine Coast. The estate features approximately 1,500 residential lots centred around a 12-hectare man-made lake, incorporating the Brightwater State School, a retail marketplace, and extensive community parklands. The project was awarded the Best Masterplanned Development in Queensland in 2016 upon its practical completion.
Caloundra Transport Corridor Upgrade (CTCU)
A 1.6 km road upgrade and new extension delivered in two sections to improve access into Caloundra CBD. Section 1 (Omrah Ave to Arthur St) by Sunshine Coast Council will duplicate lanes and upgrade key intersections with new active transport paths. Section 2 (Third Ave extension to Nicklin Way) by Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads delivers a new 4-way signalised intersection at Nicklin Way, four lanes to Arthur St, compliant crossings, an underpass at West Terrace and separated bike/pedestrian paths. Final design has been confirmed; environmental referral under the EPBC Act is progressing and public notification is scheduled in mid-2025. Construction is signalled to commence from 2025 subject to approvals and procurement.
Caloundra TAFE Centre of Excellence
A new TAFE Centre of Excellence dedicated to construction and allied trades, located in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. The centre aims to address labour skills shortages and deliver a skilled workforce for infrastructure projects. It will feature industry-leading training facilities in carpentry, plumbing, fabrication, electrotechnology, and engineering, including large flexible workshops, advanced learning areas, student spaces, and industry collaboration spaces.
Employment
AreaSearch assessment indicates Dicky Beach faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets
Dicky Beach has an educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 5.3% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in December 2025. There are 801 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Regional Qld's rate of 4%. Workforce participation lags at 50.5%, compared to Regional Qld's 64.5%.
According to Census responses, 17.8% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.1% versus Regional Qld's average of 4.5%.
Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the count of working population against resident population. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 5.2%, while employment declined by 5.1%, with unemployment remaining largely unchanged. This contrasts Regional Qld's employment growth of 0.7% and labour force expansion of 1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dicky Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch
The suburb of Dicky Beach has a lower income level than the national average according to the latest Australian Taxation Office data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Dicky Beach is $43,818 and the average income stands at $55,944. These figures compare to those of Regional Qld which are $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Dicky Beach would be approximately $48,796 (median) and $62,299 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Dicky Beach all fall between the 21st and 21st percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the largest segment comprises 25.4% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (482 residents), which aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 31.7%. Dicky Beach has a diverse economic landscape with both lower-income residents (33.7%) and affluent households (21.3%) well-represented. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 21st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Dicky Beach displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Dwelling structure in Dicky Beach, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 65.8% houses and 34.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dicky Beach was at 44.8%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (24.0%) or rented (31.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,863, higher than Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Dicky Beach's mortgage repayments were similar to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Dicky Beach features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 65.3% of all households, consisting of 20.7% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.7%, with lone person households at 32.3% and group households making up 2.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational attainment in Dicky Beach aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics
The area's university qualification rate of 29.6%, as of the latest data, exceeds both the Rest of Qld average of 20.6% and the SA3 area average of 23.6%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.7% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%. Vocational credentials are held by 35.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 23.0%.
Educational participation is high, with 26.0% currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.5% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Public transport analysis indicates ten active stops operating within Dicky Beach. These stops are served by three individual bus routes, collectively offering 688 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 162 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 90%, with an average vehicle ownership of 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 17.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.
Service frequency averages 98 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 68 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Dicky Beach is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts
Dicky Beach faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~937 people), compared to 52.5% in Regional Qld and the national average of 55.7%.
The most common medical conditions are arthritis, impacting 11.5% of residents, and mental health issues, affecting 8.6%. However, 62.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in Regional Qld. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 31.7% of residents aged 65 and over (601 people), higher than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Dicky Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Dicky Beach, surveyed in June 2016, had a culturally diverse population that was below average. Only 88.1% were Australian citizens, with 81.0% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 51.1%.
This is slightly lower than the Regional Qld average of 52.2%. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.9%), Australian (25.9%), and Irish (10.3%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was higher in Dicky Beach at 10.0% compared to 7.8% regionally, German ancestry was also slightly higher at 5.4% versus 4.7%, and New Zealand ancestry was lower at 0.8% compared to 0.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Dicky Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide
Dicky Beach's median age is 53 years, which is significantly higher than the Regional Queensland average of 41 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Regional Queensland average, the 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.8% locally, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 7.6%. This concentration in the 55-64 age group is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 5.9% to 7.6%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 10.0% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.0% to 11.4%. By 2041, Dicky Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 60%, reaching 170 people from an initial count of 106. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 65% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.