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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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Heatley has an estimated 4,042 residents, up from 3,907 at the 2021 Census — a change of 135 people, or 3.5%. That puts 1,991 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 Heatley has an estimated resident count of around 4,042, determined by AreaSearch through recent post-Census validated address numbers and broader ABS updates. Compared to the 2021 Census figure of 3,907 people, this represents an addition of 135 people (3.5%). The calculation draws upon an estimated 4,023 residents assessed from the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside subsequent address verification. With a population density of 1,991 persons per square kilometer, the suburb exceeds the national benchmark across locations evaluated by AreaSearch. Natural increase served as the primary growth engine, accounting for approximately 52.0% of all recent demographic expansion.
Demographic modeling for the suburb of Heatley incorporates 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections with a 2022 baseline, supplemented by 2023 Queensland State Government SA2 series (utilising 2021 data) for horizons past 2032 or missing areas. Because state projections lack age-specific cohorts, proportional adjustments are applied based on the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region data (2022 baseline). Under this framework, the suburb of Heatley is projected to experience a demographic contraction of 168 persons by 2041. Despite the overarching drop, individual age brackets are expected to rise, most noticeably among persons aged 85 and over, with a projected addition of 90 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential building approvals in Heatley remain minimal, with an average rate of 1 approvals per year and 6 approvals over five years in total. Such restrained building numbers align with rural settings where construction remains constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Because absolute volume is so low, annual rates of change and proportional comparisons remain prone to substantial volatility from individual building projects. Building activity in Heatley tracks substantially below that recorded across Rest of Qld and remains well under nationwide benchmarks. Recent residential building output has consisted entirely of standalone homes, aligning with rural lifestyle preferences for open space.
While 84.0% at Census represented separate houses, current building activity shows builders dedicating an even larger share to detached properties to meet ongoing household demand. Given that demographic projections point toward a plateauing or contracting population, prospective homebuyers in Heatley may benefit from softer demand pressure in the housing market.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Heatley
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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 35 current infrastructure and development projects close to Heatley, worth an estimated $10.6 billion. 15 are already under construction and 7 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local capital expenditure and regional planning projects play a critical role in shaping community development. AreaSearch has highlighted 4 key initiatives anticipated to influence the district, most notably the Garbutt - Upper Ross Road (Riverway Drive) Stage 2 Duplication, the Townsville University Hospital Expansion, the Kirwan Police Complex, and the Kirwan Health Campus Expansion.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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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
Garbutt - Upper Ross Road (Riverway Drive) Stage 2 Duplication
Stage 2 upgrades a 3.1 km section of Riverway Drive in Kelso, Townsville, including widening a 1.6 km section between Allambie Lane and Hammond Way to four lanes, plus median treatments and right turn improvements on the remaining 1.5 km to Dunlop Street. The project also delivers new and upgraded signalised intersections at Rosewood/Buunong Avenue, Yut Fay Avenue and Ponti Road, along with active transport links and bus stop upgrades. Construction started on 30 September 2024 and is expected to finish by mid-2027, weather and construction conditions permitting.The project supports more than 140 local jobs and serves around 17,000 motorists daily, targeting safety, network reliability and congestion relief for the Upper Ross growth area.
Kirwan Health Campus Expansion
A 45.2 million dollar expansion and redevelopment of the Kirwan Health Campus. The project includes a new two-story facility and refurbishment of existing buildings to expand outpatient pre-natal and post-natal care (midwifery) and oral health services. It also involves upgrading the existing car park and installing technology for TeleHealth services.
Kirwan Health Campus Expansion
A 45.2 million dollar expansion of the Kirwan Health Campus involving the construction of a new two-storey Green Star-rated building and refurbishment of existing facilities. The project doubles the capacity for oral health services and significantly expands pre-natal and post-natal midwifery clinics. Key features include a new chiller plant, a 120-bay car park, and upgraded TeleHealth infrastructure to support clinical services for the growing North Queensland population.
Townsville University Hospital Expansion
A major staged expansion of Townsville University Hospital under the Queensland Government's Hospital Rescue Plan, delivering at least 165 new overnight beds, additional operating theatres, an expanded Emergency Department, and a rooftop integrated helipad. Stage 1A features a new two-storey building on the Eastern Campus and a North Block refurbishment, with Stage 1 fast-tracked for completion by 2028. Early works, including a multi-storey carpark delivered by Hutchinson Builders, are progressing alongside campus upgrades.
Army Aviation Program of Works - RAAF Base Townsville
A AUD 700 million Defence infrastructure upgrade at RAAF Base Townsville and the Townsville Field Training Area to support the Australian Army AH-64E Apache fleet and expanded aviation operations. Works include new and refurbished aircraft hangars, command and working accommodation, training facilities, simulator facilities, maintenance and refuelling infrastructure, explosive ordnance areas, airfield upgrades and multi-storey car parking. The program supports relocation of 1st Aviation Regiment from Darwin and 16th Aviation Brigade Headquarters from Brisbane. Construction is underway, CPB Contractors is the managing contractor, and works are expected to be completed by 2028.
Willowbank Estate
Residential land estate by Parkside Land on Willowbank Drive at the top end of Kirwan, adjacent to the Tropics Golf Club and Willows golf course precinct, within the City of Townsville. The estate integrates over 50 hectares of formal and informal parkland with an extensive network of bike, walking, and bushland hiking trails, plus cricket fields, a basketball court, and children's playgrounds. A new limited land release is being brought to market, with the developer's official estate page confirming a premium elevated position offering mountain views.Expressions of interest are open for the new stage after the estate's earlier release sold out.
Cranbrook Social Housing Development
A proposed social housing complex in Cranbrook, Townsville, aimed at providing affordable accommodation with around 40 units to support low-income residents. Community feedback is being sought, and local residents have expressed concerns about the development.
Willows Shopping Centre Redevelopment
Major redevelopment and expansion of Willows Shopping Centre including new fresh food precinct and introduction of ALDI, TK Maxx, and Planet Fitness. Centre sold for $212 million in 2024 featuring 44,507sqm GLA on 15.39-hectare site.
1,604 residents of Heatley are employed, from a labour force of 1,799. Unemployment sits at 10.8%, with participation at 54.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.2% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 3,451, about 85% 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
Heatley features an even distribution across white-collar and blue-collar roles alongside notable essential services employment, with the local unemployment rate standing at 10.8% according to statistical area aggregations. As of March 2026, employed residents total 1,604, while joblessness exceeds the 3.9% recorded across Regional Qld by 6.9%, pointing to substantial capacity for improvement. Furthermore, the local participation rate of 54.1% sits noticeably beneath the 64.2% found across Regional Qld. Census records also indicate that 5.2% of workers operated from home, though pandemic-related lockdown measures should be kept in mind. A substantial portion of working residents are employed across health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.
Public administration & safety stands out as an area of notable local concentration, capturing 1.6 times the regional employment proportion. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for no employment locally, contrasted with 4.5% regionally. Comparing resident workers against local job counts indicates that the suburb functions largely as a dormitory residential area with limited local commercial positions. According to AreaSearch analysis combining Salm and Abs data from larger statistical regions, the labor force shrank by 1.9% while employment fell by 3.4% during the year ending March 2026, which pushed the unemployment rate up by 1.4 percentage points. Meanwhile, regional Queensland saw employment rise by 0.1% and the labor force grow by 0.3%, accompanied by a 0.1 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Mar-26 provide additional context regarding future job demand in Heatley. These forecasts span five and ten year horizons and have been overlaid with local employment data to project growth trends. National employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though sectoral growth varies considerably. When these industry-specific forecasts are applied to Heatley's employment composition, local employment is expected to grow by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years. This calculation uses a simple weighting method for demonstration only and does not incorporate localized population projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Heatley is $1,266 a week (about $66,000 a year), with median personal income at $662 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $44,190 a year against an average of $52,235. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO postcode records for financial year 2023, taxpayers in Heatley earned a median income of $44,190 and an average income of $52,235. These figures sit below nationwide averages and compare to Regional Qld benchmarks of $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average). Factoring in Wage Price Index movement of 11.36% since financial year 2023 yields updated estimates of approximately $49,210 for median earnings and $58,169 on average as of March 2026. In the 2021 Census, local household, family, and individual earnings all placed between the 18th and 21st percentiles across the country.
The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket accounts for 31.8% of residents (1,285 individuals), closely matching the regional share of 31.7%. Mortgage and rental obligations create notable financial strain, leaving households with 84.3% of income remaining, placing the locality at the 19th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Heatley had 1,516 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 84% detached houses and 0% apartments. 34% are owned with a mortgage, 35% rented and 31% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $280 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 22.1% of household income here and mortgage repayments 23.7%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the most recent Census, separate houses made up 84.0% of dwellings in Heatley, while apartments, semi-detached properties, and other structures accounted for 16.0%, contrasting with 76.4% separate houses and 23.6% other dwellings across Regional Qld. Outright homeownership was slightly lower than the broader region at 31.3%, while 33.8% of homes were held under a mortgage and 34.9% were occupied by renters. Typical monthly mortgage payments were recorded at $1,300, and weekly median rent stood at $280, both noticeably below the Regional Qld figures of $1,655 and $345. On a nationwide scale, local mortgage servicing costs and rental rates track significantly beneath Australian averages of $1,863 and $375 respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Heatley counted 1,516 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.4 people each. 21% are couples with children, fewer than in 84% of areas nationally, against 24% couples without children. 32% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family households represent 65.0% of local living arrangements, consisting of couples with children (20.9%), couples without children (23.9%), and single-parent households (17.6%). The remaining 35.0% comprises non-family residences, where single-person households account for 31.8% and group households represent 3.6%. The typical household size is 2.4 people, slightly beneath the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
13.5% of adults in Heatley hold a university qualification, including 10.3% with a bachelor degree and 1.5% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 94% of areas nationally. A further 29.9% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 1,170 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 851 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
Educational outcomes in the area highlight significant room for development, as university qualification rates stand at 13.5%, well below the 30.4% recorded across Australia. Across tertiary credentials, bachelor degrees represent 10.3%, graduate diplomas account for 1.7%, and postgraduate degrees make up 1.5%. In contrast, vocational qualifications are prominent, with 38.5% of persons aged 15+ possessing vocational credentials, including 8.6% with advanced diplomas and 29.9% holding certificates. A significant 29.4% of the local population is actively engaged in studies. This encompasses 10.8% attending primary school, 9.3% in secondary school, and 4.0% undertaking tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Heatley reaches 17 stops on 3 routes, timetabled for about 300 services a week. The typical home sits about 210 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.2 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Heatley contains 17 active transit stops accommodating local bus connections. Across these locations, 3 separate routes operate to deliver 300 weekly scheduled services. Stop accessibility is favorable, with local residents situated an average distance of 210 meters from the nearest pickup point. Given the residential makeup of the area, daily travel predominantly involves outward commuting, with private cars serving as the primary transport mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership stands at an average of 1.2 per household, below the regional standard, while 5.2% of workers reported working from home during the 2021 Census under potential pandemic influences.
Transit schedules across all local lines provide an average of 42 trips per day, corresponding to approximately 17 weekly trips at each designated stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
59.7% of residents in Heatley report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 95% of areas nationally. 9.3% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 7.6 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 reveal pronounced challenges in Heatley regarding chronic illness and mortality patterns across various demographic segments, while private health insurance coverage is notably restrained at approximately 48% of the population (~1,936 people). This lags the 52.5% coverage across Regional Qld and the 55.7% national benchmark. Arthritis and mental health conditions rank as the most prevalent health issues, affecting 10.4 and 10.0% of the community respectively. Meanwhile, 59.7% of residents reported having no long-term medical conditions, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Chronic condition rates are elevated among the working-age population.
Furthermore, seniors aged 65 and over make up 20.6% of residents (832 people), with health measures in this cohort aligning broadly with general population ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Heatley is largely Australian-born, at 86.3% of residents, with 9.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (26.8%) and English (25.7%). 8.1% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Heatley displays relatively modest cultural diversity metrics, with Australian-born residents accounting for 86.3% of the community, Australian citizens comprising 86.3%, and 90.3% of households speaking exclusively English at home. Christianity constitutes the predominant religious affiliation, encompassing 55.7% of residents compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Looking at ancestral origins based on parental country of birth, the three most widespread backgrounds are Australian (26.8%), English (25.7%), and Other (9.0%). Certain cultural groups show distinct local concentrations, including Australian Aboriginal representation at 8.1% of Heatley (compared to 3.9% regionally), Filipino ancestry at 2.0% (vs 0.9%), and Spanish background at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Heatley is 40. 27.1% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The demographic profile in the suburb of Heatley tracks closely with Regional Qld, with differences across the four major age cohorts maxing out at 2.5 percentage points. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 40, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 1 year below the Regional Qld median of 41 at that time. Persons aged 25 - 44 expanded from 24.5% at the Census to an estimated 26.4% and are projected to lead future growth with an addition of 48 (4%) to reach 1,115 by 2041. Conversely, contractions are expected among younger cohorts as well as mature adults and early retirees.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Heatley
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 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 last month 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 last month 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 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 4 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago 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. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,907 at the 2021 Census → 4,042 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 (SAL31312). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.