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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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Golden Beach (Qld) has an estimated 5,960 residents, up from 5,646 at the 2021 Census — a change of 314 people, or 5.6%. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 59.0% of that increase. That puts 2,121 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
As of Aug 2026, the suburb of Golden Beach (Qld) has an estimated population of around 5,960, according to AreaSearch evaluations of regional ABS demographic releases and 53 validated new addresses recorded since the Census. This total represents an expansion of 314 people (5.6%) compared to the 2021 Census tally of 5,646 people. The figure builds upon an estimated resident population of 5,814 determined from the ABS ERP release in June 2025 alongside post-Census address validation. With 2,121 persons per square kilometer, the locality exhibits a density ratio higher than the national benchmark evaluated by AreaSearch.
Interstate migration has served as the core demographic catalyst, generating approximately 59.0% of all recent population additions. Long-term demographic modelling for the suburb of Golden Beach (Qld) utilizes ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections published in 2024 (using 2022 as a baseline), supplemented beyond 2032 or where data is missing by Queensland State Government SA2 figures issued in 2023 (utilizing 2021 baseline data). Because state datasets omit age breakdowns, age-specific distributions are weighted against ABS Greater Capital Region projections issued in 2023 using 2022 data. Under these aggregated SA2-level forecasts, the suburb of Golden Beach (Qld) is positioned within the top quartile of countrywide non-metropolitan districts, anticipated to expand by 1,293 persons to 2041, which equates to an overall gain of 19.2% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
174 new dwellings have been approved in Golden Beach (Qld) over the past five years, an average of 34 a year. That is 5.5 approvals per 1,000 residents. Of the 31 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 77% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 20, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential construction figures from ABS building approvals compiled by AreaSearch reveal that Golden Beach logged an average of around 34 new dwelling approvals per year, amounting to approximately 174 homes across the previous 5 financial years. During FY-25 to date, 20 approvals have been documented. Between FY-21 and FY-25 over the past 5 financial years, only 0.6 people per year relocated to the suburb for every home completed, indicating that residential supply is tracking alongside or ahead of demand, widening buyer opportunities and accommodating potential growth. Developers are concentrating on high-end construction, with new residential builds registering an average expected construction cost of $885,000.
Meanwhile, non-residential building has been subdued, with commercial approvals generating just $208,000 this financial year. Building activity in Golden Beach is 60.0% below the regional per capita benchmark relative to Rest of Qld, an environment where restrained pipeline supply bolsters established property values and buyer competition. Standalone houses represent 77.0% of recent construction while medium and high-density builds make up 23.0%, preserving the neighbourhood's low-density fabric and appeal for spacious family living. Furthermore, builders are delivering detached houses at a higher proportion than the 57.0% recorded at Census, underscoring enduring appetite for standalone residences amid broader density shifts. A ratio of around 313 people per approval further underlines the low density character of Golden Beach. Projections from AreaSearch's latest quarterly figures anticipate that Golden Beach will add 1,147 residents through to 2041. Even though residential planning and building activity are currently progressing in line with expected requirements, buyers could experience heightened market competition as local population growth continues.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Golden Beach (Qld)
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 6 current infrastructure and development projects inside Golden Beach (Qld), worth an estimated $1.33 billion. A further 78 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $12.1 billion. 39 are already under construction and 29 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. 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
Strategic planning initiatives, public works, and major capital investments play a critical role in shaping local development and economic performance. AreaSearch has pinpointed a total of 27 projects expected to influence the locality, led by key developments such as Palm Lake Resort Pelican Waters, Aura Brook Parklands Development, Caloundra South Industrial Precinct, and Nirimba Sports Complex, with key initiatives outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Aura Business Park
Major commercial and industrial employment precinct within Stockland's Aura masterplanned community. The business park accommodates industrial, logistics, office, technology, research, light manufacturing and showroom uses. Development continues through staged land releases, with most industrial lots sold and developed while new innovation precincts and commercial stages remain under construction.
Aura Business Park (Caloundra South Industrial Precinct)
Major employment precinct within the Caloundra South (Aura) Priority Development Area. The business park is being delivered in stages by Stockland and includes industrial, logistics, showroom, office and commercial land to support regional employment growth. Current endorsed context plans cover multiple Aura Business Park precincts and the PDA Development Scheme was updated in February 2025.
Aura Brook Parklands Development
Environmental parkland development within the Aura masterplan, featuring restored wetlands, walking trails, and biodiversity conservation areas. Provides flood mitigation and recreational opportunities.
Nirimba Sports Complex
Planned sports and recreation facility in Nirimba to serve the northern areas of the Sunshine Coast. Will include various sporting facilities, community spaces, and recreational amenities.
Caloundra Centre Activation Project
Caloundra Centre Activation Project is the Sunshine Coast Council's long term initiative to deliver the 2017 Caloundra Centre Master Plan. The program revitalises the city heart through a connected creative and civic precinct linking The Events Centre, a new district library, a new regional gallery, a new town square and upgraded streetscapes through to Bulcock Beach. The transformed Library+ Caloundra opened in September 2025 in the former council administration building, designed by Wilson Architects. Hutchinson Builders was appointed in April 2026 to demolish the former building at 77 Bulcock Street as the first stage of the new town square.Detailed design of the 12.8 million dollar town square, led by consultant Urbis, is targeting construction start in mid 2026 and completion by mid 2027. The new Sunshine Coast Regional Gallery, with concept design by ARM Architecture, will replace the current 25 year old gallery and was the subject of a design competition launched in 2025. Outcomes include enhanced pedestrian links, expanded green space at Felicity Park and Bill Venardos Park, and revitalised public realm along Omrah and Otranto avenues.
Aura Community Centre
Planned multi-purpose community centre within the Stockland Aura masterplanned community providing flexible meeting spaces, community services, childcare facilities and activity spaces to support the growing population. The facility remains part of the long-term community infrastructure program for Aura.
Palm Lake Resort Pelican Waters
Palm Lake Resort Pelican Waters is a master-planned luxury over-50s lifestyle resort delivering over 150 architecturally designed homes inspired by Palm Springs aesthetics. The community incorporates The Springs Country Club, Sonora rooftop lounge, El Dorado sporting pavilion, and the Mirador wellness centre. Civil works and staged residential construction are actively progressing under developer Palm Lake Group.
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.
2,415 residents of Golden Beach (Qld) are employed, from a labour force of 2,479. Unemployment sits at 2.6%, with participation at 46.9%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 5,016, about 84% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market in Golden Beach is defined by a qualified workforce and strong essential service representation, recording a low jobless rate of 2.6% according to AreaSearch statistical aggregations. By March 2026, employed residents numbered 2,415, with unemployment sitting 1.3% below the Regional Qld figure of 3.9%. However, labour force participation remains subdued at 46.9% against 64.2% across Regional Qld. Census records also indicate that 14.9% of workers operated remotely from home, a metric that may reflect temporary Covid-19 restrictions. Resident employment is concentrated primarily across health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food.
The suburb demonstrates notable industry specialisation in construction, employing 1.4 times the regional proportion of workers. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 1.1% of local workers, well beneath the 4.5% observed across Regional Qld. Comparing resident counts with the local daytime workforce at the Census highlights that Golden Beach functions primarily as a dormitory residential community with limited internal employment generation. In the twelve months to March 2026, AreaSearch evaluation of SALM and ABS statistics shows that Golden Beach's labour supply shrank by 3.8% and total employment fell by 4.5%, lifting the jobless rate by 0.7 percentage points. Across Regional Qld over the same timeframe, employment climbed by 0.1%, the labour pool grew by 0.3%, and unemployment edged up by 0.1 percentage points. Looking forward, Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26 outline projected countrywide workforce expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. When mapped across the local industry distribution as an illustrative weighting exercise without localised population adjustments, employment for Golden Beach is modelled to grow by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Golden Beach (Qld) is $1,154 a week (about $60,000 a year), with median personal income at $658 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $43,422 a year against an average of $55,439. 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
Postcode ATO records aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 show that taxpayers in the suburb of Golden Beach recorded a median income of $43,422 and an average income of $55,439, falling below the Regional Qld benchmarks of $53,146 and $66,593 as well as national norms. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023 yields updated estimates of $48,355 for median income and $61,737 for average income as of March 2026. In the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings for Golden Beach placed between the 10th and 20th percentiles across Australia.
The $800 - 1,499 weekly bracket encompasses 27.5% of residents (1,639 individuals), whereas the metropolitan area is led by the $1,500 - 2,999 band at 31.7%. Residual income stands at 81.4%, situating local housing affordability stress at the 10th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Golden Beach (Qld) had 2,567 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 57% detached houses and 29% apartments. 19% are owned with a mortgage, 32% rented and 48% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $400 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,907 a month. Rent absorbs 34.7% of household income here and mortgage repayments 38.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the latest Census, Golden Beach's housing profile was made up of 56.6% standalone houses alongside 43.4% other dwelling types including townhouses and apartments, differing from Regional Qld where houses accounted for 76.4% and other dwellings made up 23.6%. Outright ownership reached 48.3%, significantly higher than the regional average, while 19.4% of properties carried a mortgage and 32.3% were rented. Housing costs were comparatively elevated: monthly median mortgage payments were $1,907 and weekly median rent stood at $400, outpacing Regional Qld figures of $1,655 and $345, as well as nationwide averages of $1,863 for mortgages and $375 for rent.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Golden Beach (Qld) counted 2,567 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 2,710 today, averaging 2.1 people each. 16% are couples with children, fewer than in 94% of areas nationally, against 34% couples without children. 35% 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 61.2% of all households in the community, broken down into couples without children at 34.4%, couples with children at 15.6%, and one-parent families at 10.4%. The remaining 38.8% consists of non-family arrangements, driven by single-person residences at 34.7% and group dwellings at 4.1%. At 2.1 people per home, the median household size is below the Regional Qld norm of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
19.8% of adults in Golden Beach (Qld) hold a university qualification, including 13.6% with a bachelor degree and 3.8% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 27.6% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 579 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,029 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 the area lags national standards, with university-level qualifications held by 19.8% of residents compared to the countrywide benchmark of 30.4%. Within higher education, bachelor degrees make up 13.6%, postgraduate credentials account for 3.8%, and graduate diplomas stand at 2.4%. Conversely, technical and vocational training is strongly represented, with 39.1% of individuals aged 15+ possessing vocational qualifications, comprising certificate courses at 27.6% and advanced diplomas at 11.5%. Current students make up 21.2% of the local population engaged in structured study. This cohort includes 7.4% attending primary school, 6.6% enrolled in secondary education, and 3.4% undertaking tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Golden Beach (Qld) means driving: households keep an average of 1.1 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
57.3% of residents in Golden Beach (Qld) report no long-term health condition. 8.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 49.2% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch health metrics show notable wellbeing challenges in Golden Beach across chronic illness prevalence and mortality rates, with conditions apparent among younger and older demographics alike. Private health insurance coverage is comparatively limited at approximately 49% of residents (~2,930 people), trailing both the Regional Qld proportion of 52.5% and the national standard of 55.7%. Arthritis affects 12.5 and mental health concerns impact 8.6% of local residents, standing as the two most frequently reported ailments, while 57.3% of the community reported no chronic health conditions, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld.
Chronic conditions are elevated among working-age residents as well as senior groups. Persons aged 65 and over account for 38.8% of the local populace (2,312 people), substantially exceeding the 20.3% share in Regional Qld and placing the area high in nationwide rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Golden Beach (Qld) is largely Australian-born, at 82.6% of residents, with 3.5% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (34.0%) and Australian (25.9%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity measures in Golden Beach sit below broader averages, with Australian-born residents comprising 82.6% of the population, Australian citizens making up 89.1%, and 96.5% speaking exclusively English at home. Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation, adhered to by 56.7% of locals compared with 52.2% throughout Regional Qld. Regarding ancestral heritage, the three most widespread backgrounds in Golden Beach are English at 34.0%, Australian at 25.9%, and Irish at 10.2%. Furthermore, several other ancestries demonstrate higher concentrations locally than across the wider region, including Scottish heritage at 9.6% in Golden Beach (against 7.8% regionally), German at 5.3% (against 4.7%), and New Zealand at 1.1% (against 0.9%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Golden Beach (Qld) is 55, older than 97% of areas nationally. 16.3% 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
Demographic data updated to August 2026 indicates that Golden Beach has a mature age structure, with retiree and elderly cohorts (65+) making up 38.8% of the community compared to 20.4% in Regional Qld, while children and young adults (0 - 24) represent 19.1% versus 29.6% regionally. The estimated median age as at August 2026 is 55, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 14 years above the Regional Qld median of 41 and above the national median of 38 at that Census. Senior residents have expanded from 35.9% at the Census to an estimated 38.8%, and projections to 2041 indicate they will see the greatest growth, increasing by 816 residents (35%) to 3,128, while younger age brackets are forecast to decline over that period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Golden Beach (Qld)
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 | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 6 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 Aug 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 — 53 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (5,646 at the 2021 Census → 5,960 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 (SAL31179). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.