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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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Glenella has an estimated 4,617 residents, up from 4,545 at the 2021 Census — a change of 72 people, or 1.6%. That puts 415 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 AreaSearch's evaluation of broader regional ABS demographic releases and post-Census address verification, the suburb of Glenella is home to an estimated 4,617 residents as of Aug 2026. This represents a gain of 72 people (1.6%) over the 4,545 people recorded in the 2021 Census. Such calculations stem from an estimated resident population of 4,570 determined by AreaSearch via the June 2025 ABS ERP figures, alongside 3 validated new addresses registered following the Census. The suburb's density stands at 414 persons per square kilometer, offering generous open space and capacity for prospective development.
While natural increase and interstate migration both positively supported local growth, overseas migration served as the primary contributor, accounting for roughly 39.0% of recent population additions. For each SA2 boundary, AreaSearch incorporates 2024-released ABS/Geoscience Australia projections using 2022 as their starting baseline. Wherever SA2s lack this coverage or extend beyond 2032, 2023 Queensland State Government projections based on 2021 numbers are utilised instead. Because state forecasts exclude age-specific distributions, AreaSearch applies cohort weightings aligned with the ABS Greater Capital Region 2023 release (derived from 2022 data). Demographic projections anticipate the suburb of Glenella will experience growth exceeding the median for national regional territories, expanding by 803 persons by 2041 across aggregated SA2 modeling, which translates to a total increase of 16.4% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential building activity in Glenella remains scarce, averaging fewer than 1 dwelling approvals each year (amounting to 1 over the preceding five years). These modest construction volumes are standard for rural settings where housing demand is limited and activity is constrained by infrastructure capacity. Because approval counts are so small, solitary development applications can create sizable shifts in relative metrics and annual growth figures. Construction activity in Glenella trails the Rest of Qld substantially, while also sitting beneath national benchmarks. Recent additions have consisted exclusively of detached houses, catering directly to families pursuing rural lifestyle acreage.
Reflecting this subdued planning climate, the community registers an estimated 3059 people per dwelling approval.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Glenella
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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 7 current infrastructure and development projects inside Glenella, worth an estimated $442 million. A further 42 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $2.6 billion. 20 are already under construction and 20 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics 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
Regional prosperity is strongly shaped by capital works, planning schemes, and local infrastructure improvements. AreaSearch has pinpointed 12 key initiatives anticipated to influence the area, notably the Mackay Port Access Bruce Highway to Mackay Slade Point Road Stage 1, Magpies Sporting Club Redevelopment, Mackay Educational Precinct, and Mackay Ring Road - Stage Two.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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
Magpies Sporting Club Redevelopment
Three-stage redevelopment of Magpies Sporting Club including a new eastern reception with porte cochere, expanded cafe and Players Lounge, refurbished restaurant, larger childrens play area, rebuilt administration facilities, and a significantly expanded sports bar with outdoor deck, landscaping and accessibility improvements. The new 100-plus space car park has opened and main building construction is progressing with Woollam Constructions. Recent project updates report structural works advancing and staged internal renovations continuing toward completion in 2027.
Residential Subdivision at 20-32 Cinnamon Drive
Approved multi-lot residential subdivision delivering 54 residential lots across multiple stages off Cinnamon Drive in Glenella. The development involves civil earthworks, internal road network creation, and municipal utility connections to expand low-density suburban housing adjoining existing residential areas.
Residential Subdivision at Lot 900 Lindwall Street
The project comprises a 30-lot low-density residential subdivision including 30 urban residential lots, 1 drainage reserve lot, and associated civil infrastructure and road network connections. Approved by Mackay Regional Council under a development change application, the development is being delivered across multiple construction stages by Admiral Residential Property Projects Pty Ltd.
Mackay Ring Road - Stage Two
Mackay Ring Road Stage Two (Mackay Port Access) plans an 8.2-kilometre corridor connecting the Bruce Highway at Glenella to Harbour Road near the Port of Mackay. The scope includes duplicating sections of the Bruce Highway, an overpass across the Goonyella rail line, and key junction upgrades. Detailed planning, preservation of the transport corridor, and business case activities are managed by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
Mackay Port Access Bruce Highway to Mackay Slade Point Road Stage 1
A proposed 9.5km, 2-lane arterial access road extending from the Bruce Highway at Glenella to Mackay-Slade Point Road (Harbour Road). Parallel to the Erakala-Mackay Harbour rail line, the route will provide a direct heavy vehicle freight link from the Port of Mackay to the Mackay Ring Road and the Bowen Basin coal fields, while bypassing urban congestion in North Mackay. Planning assessments include an interchange at Bald Hill, connections at Schapers Road, Valley Street, and Mackay-Slade Point Road, underpasses at local intersections, and bridges over Jane and Goosepond Creeks.
Glenella Connection Road water main augmentation
Augmentation of the water main along Glenella Connection Road.
Mackay Educational Precinct
Consolidated education hub in Mackay bringing together state education services with TAFE and university pathways. The initiative focuses on industry-aligned training and higher education in mining, agriculture and marine sciences, delivered through precinct-style collaboration between Queensland Department of Education, TAFE Queensland and CQUniversity.
Glenfields Park Refurbishment
Refurbishment of Glenfields Park including new concrete edging around the playground, fresh sand, a new seat, earthworks, improved drainage and new turf. Works commenced in April/May 2025 and the park reopened in late June 2025.
2,663 residents of Glenella are employed, from a labour force of 2,697. Unemployment sits at 1.3%, with participation at 72.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.1% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,613, about 78% 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 highly capable local labour pool defines Glenella, highlighted by an unemployment rate sitting at merely 1.3%, substantial representation across industrial and manufacturing trades, and 4.2% estimated annual job growth according to AreaSearch's statistical aggregations. By March 2026, employed locals numbered 2,663, while the jobless rate was 2.7% under Regional Qld's 3.9%. Furthermore, labour market engagement proved exceptionally robust, reaching 72.3% in contrast to 64.2% across Regional Qld. Census records show just 6.0% working from home, though Covid-19 restrictions at the time warrant consideration. Locals work predominantly across retail trade, mining, and health care & social assistance.
Mining shows immense concentration, generating an employment proportion 3.3 times that of the broader region. By contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 1.3% locally against a 4.5% regional standard. A comparison between Census resident counts and local workplace numbers suggests that immediate internal employment options are restricted. AreaSearch evaluations of broader ABS and SALM metrics show that over the 12-month span, a 4.2% rise in employment alongside a 4.8% expansion in the labour pool lifted local unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Regional Qld saw a 0.1% increase in employment, a 0.3% rise in the labour force, and a 0.1 percentage points uptick in unemployment. Further context regarding prospective staffing needs in Glenella is provided by Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts from Mar-26 across five- and ten-year horizons. Across the nation, total employment is expected to lift by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with distinct differences across sectors. Applying these industry growth rates to the local occupational breakdown indicates Glenella's workforce could expand by 6.1% over five years and 13.1% over ten years (a basic weighted projection for modeling purposes that does not integrate local population trends).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Glenella is $2,535 a week (about $132,000 a year), with median personal income at $981 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $62,449 a year against an average of $78,127. 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
ATO postcode statistics for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch indicate Glenella taxpayers earned a median income of $62,449 alongside an average of $78,127, ranking very high nationally compared to Regional Qld benchmarks of $53,146 and $66,593. Incorporating the 11.36% Wage Price Index rise recorded since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 reach roughly $69,543 for median earnings and $87,002 on average. In the 2021 Census, individual, family, and household incomes placed between the 77th and 91st percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 31.8% of residents (1,468 individuals) receiving between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, matching regional trends where 31.7% fall into this bracket.
Additionally, 41.5% bring in over $3,000 weekly, underpinning local commercial vitality. Residents preserve 88.2% of income after servicing housing costs, establishing strong disposable funds, while the SEIFA income metric ranks the area in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Glenella had 1,468 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 95% detached houses and 2% apartments. 46% are owned with a mortgage, 21% rented and 33% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $450 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,904 a month. Rent absorbs 17.8% of household income here and mortgage repayments 17.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the most recent Census, separate houses formed 95.4% of Glenella's housing stock, while other dwellings (comprising apartments, semi-detached, and 'other' residences) made up 4.7%, in stark contrast to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Outright home ownership stood at 32.5%, matching Regional Qld, while 46.3% of homes carried a mortgage and 21.2% were rented. Typical monthly mortgage payments reached $1,904, well above the Regional Qld average of $1,655, while weekly median rent sat at $450 against $345 regionally. Glenella's housing costs also surpass Australian benchmarks, where average mortgage commitments sit at $1,863 and typical rents are $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Glenella counted 1,468 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.9 people each. 43% are couples with children, more than in 86% of areas nationally, against 31% couples without children. 13% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families constitute the vast majority of local households at 84.3%, consisting of couples with children (43.4%), couples without children (30.6%), and single parent families (9.3%). Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 15.7%, comprising lone person households (13.2%) and group households (2.5%). Average household occupancy sits at 2.9 people, exceeding the 2.5 average observed across Regional Qld.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
21.6% of adults in Glenella hold a university qualification, including 15.7% with a bachelor degree and 3.9% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 29.6% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 225 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 971 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
Tertiary attainment in Glenella sits below national figures, as 21.6% of residents aged 15+ hold a university qualification compared to 30.4% across Australia, indicating opportunities for further upskilling. By degree type, Bachelor degrees comprise 15.7%, followed by 3.9% holding postgraduate qualifications and 2.0% with graduate diplomas. Vocational and technical expertise is widespread, with 39.2% of locals aged 15+ possessing trade credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (29.6%). Engagement in formal study is strong, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in education. Among them, secondary school attendees account for 11.6%, primary students make up 10.9%, and 3.2% are enrolled in tertiary programs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Glenella means driving: households keep an average of 1.9 vehicles, and scheduled services reach only a handful of stops. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transit infrastructure in Glenella includes 7 operational stops served by buses across 1 routes, delivering 59 weekly passenger trips. Local transit connectivity is strong, with typical walking distances of 376 meters to reach a stop. Given its suburban residential profile, residents mostly travel elsewhere for work, with private motor vehicles representing 95% of trips. Dwellings maintain an above-average rate of 1.9 vehicles, while working from home accounted for 6.0% of workers in the 2021 Census (which may have been influenced by COVID-19). Transit services operate at an average rate of 8 trips per day over the full network, providing approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
72.2% of residents in Glenella report no long-term health condition. 4.9% need daily assistance with core activities, and 58.2% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.4 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators for Glenella residents appear favourable, with AreaSearch evaluations of mortality and health profiles aligning with national standards across age brackets. Private health insurance coverage is particularly elevated, held by approximately 58% of the community (~2,685 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld. Asthma and arthritis represent the primary health conditions locally, diagnosed in 6.9 and 6.6% of residents respectively, while 72.2% reported being free of any chronic medical condition compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Health metrics for the under-65 cohort remain above average. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 14.4% of the population (664 people), lower than the 20.3% seen across Regional Qld, with overall national rankings tracking closely with broader standards.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Glenella is largely Australian-born, at 81.7% of residents, with 11.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (27.2%) and Australian (26.3%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Glenella demonstrates cultural characteristics broadly consistent with regional averages, featuring an Australian-born share of 81.7%, a citizenship rate of 87.9%, and 88.9% of households speaking only English. Christianity is the predominant faith, practiced by 61.5% of residents compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Looking at parental heritage, the most common backgrounds reported in Glenella are English (27.2%), Australian (26.3%), and Scottish (7.8%). Certain ancestries exhibit distinctive local variations, notably Maltese at 2.8% (versus 0.4% regionally), South Australian at 1.3% (versus 0.5%), and German at 4.9% (versus 4.7%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Glenella is 39. 24.3% 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, the suburb of Glenella blends a prominent young demographic with middle-aged parents. Based on figures current to August 2026, children and young adults (0 - 24) account for 34.0% of the population compared to 29.6% across Regional Qld, while seniors (65+) represent 14.4% against 20.4% regionally. The estimated median age remains at 39, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 2 years below the Regional Qld median of 41 from that same Census. Since the Census, the most notable shift occurred in retiree and elderly cohorts, rising from 12.8% to an estimated 14.4%.
Projections to 2041 indicate young to middle aged adults (25 - 44) will see the highest numerical increase, adding 269 residents (24%) to reach 1,386, whereas senior cohorts are anticipated to record the fastest relative growth, lifting 33% to 885 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Glenella
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, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Sep 2026 last month all 7 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 Sep 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 — 3 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (4,545 at the 2021 Census → 4,617 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 (SAL31159). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.