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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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Mossman has an estimated 2,093 residents, up from 1,935 at the 2021 Census — a change of 158 people, or 8.2%. Growth has averaged 1.3% a year over five years. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 55.0% of that increase. That puts 174 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
Recent ABS population data evaluations for the surrounding region combined with AreaSearch's verification of new addresses indicate that the suburb of Mossman has a population of approximately 2,093 as of May 2026. This representing a growth of 158 residents (8.2%) from the 2021 Census record of 1,935 people. This estimate builds upon the resident count of 2,087 calculated by AreaSearch using the June 2025 ABS ERP release and 69 newly validated addresses recorded after the census. Given this population, the locality features a density of 173 persons per square kilometer, which indicates ample space per resident and capacity for prospective development.
The suburb of Mossman experienced an 8.2% expansion rate that outpaced both the SA3 area (6.7%) and the broader SA4 region, positioning it as a leading growth zone in the area. Net interstate migration was the primary driver of this demographic change, accounting for roughly 55.00000000000001% of the overall population gains, with overseas migration and natural growth also contributing positively. Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia released in 2024 with a 2022 baseline are utilized for each SA2 area, while the Queensland State Government's 2023 release using 2021 data is substituted for any uncovered zones or intervals after 2032. Because the state-level projections omit age breakdowns, AreaSearch scales age cohort growth weights using the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections based on 2022 data. Future trends point to population growth exceeding the national regional median, with aggregated SA2-level estimates forecasting that the suburb of Mossman will expand by 288 persons to 2041, representing a total increase of 13.5% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
36 new dwellings have been approved in Mossman over the past five years, an average of 7 a year. That is 3.7 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 10, running ahead of 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
AreaSearch evaluations of building approvals from regional data indicate that Mossman averages roughly 7 new residential approvals yearly, accumulating 36 approved dwellings over the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 10 approvals during the current FY-26 period. Because the average influx was 3.7 people per year for every home built between FY-21 and FY-25, demand continues to outstrip construction, which commonly leads to rising prices and heightened buyer competition, even as newly constructed dwellings average an affordable $312,000 value to offer budget-friendly options. Additionally, commercial approvals worth $5.1 million have been logged in the current financial year, highlighting the area's dominant residential profile.
Compared with the Rest of Qld, per-capita residential construction in Mossman is 13.0% lower, placing the area in the 29th percentile of national locations, which suggests restricted choices for buyers and elevates interest in existing properties. The new housing supply consists entirely of standalone houses, reinforcing the historic low-density profile of the neighborhood and its alignment with buyers wanting spacious family residences. Developers are focusing on traditional houses at a higher rate than the baseline proportion seen at the Census (83.0%), showing a clear preference for family-oriented homes despite ongoing density pressures. An average of 593 people for each dwelling approval highlights a low-volume residential development sector. Mossman is projected to add 282 new residents by 2041 based on the most recent quarterly projections from AreaSearch. If the current pace of construction persists, the supply of new housing may fail to keep up with this growth, potentially intensifying buyer rivalry and pushing property prices upward.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Mossman
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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 one current infrastructure or development project inside Mossman, worth an estimated $16 million. A further 56 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $4.06 billion. 18 are already under construction and 15 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, tourism and environmental & disaster management. 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 infrastructure projects, major works, and municipal planning strategies significantly influence regional growth. AreaSearch has identified 3 active developments expected to impact the region. Important undertakings include the Mossman River Intake (Alternate Water Intake Project), the Principal Cycle Network linking Mossman to Newell Beach, the Principal Cycle Network project connecting Cooya Beach to Mossman (stage 3) & Cooya Beach Road (stage 2), as well as the Draft Far North Queensland Regional Plan 2025, with details provided for the most relevant projects below.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Mossman River Intake (Alternate Water Intake Project)
Development of a second water intake on the Mossman River, approximately 5 km downstream of the Mossman Gorge Visitors Centre, to improve water security and resilience for the Mossman-Port Douglas catchment. The intake will use a submerged gallery system to extract raw water and pump it to the existing Mossman Water Treatment Plant, supplementing the Rex Creek intake which currently serves around 7,000 people across Port Douglas, Craiglie and Mossman. The project is co-funded through the National Water Grid Fund's WISER initiative, with the Australian and Queensland governments contributing $10 million of the $16.4 million construction cost.Development approval was granted in October 2023, preliminary design and all approvals are complete, and a pre-RFT briefing was held in July 2025. Council intends to issue a Request for Tender in August 2025, award the design and construction contract in January 2026, and complete construction by June 2027.
Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina Redevelopment
Proposed mixed-use renewal of the Port Douglas marina into a modern waterfront precinct, including a 5-star hotel, new superyacht berths, dining and retail, and a limited number of residences. Earlier development applications were withdrawn and the asset was marketed for sale; the marina continues operating while long-term redevelopment options are reviewed.
Port Douglas Skatepark Replacement
Replacement of the existing Port Douglas Skatepark with a new design developed in consultation with the community. The project has completed the design phase and is awaiting successful government grants for the construction stage. The next expected grant application is due in early 2025.
KAYA VILLAS
Four luxury freehold villas (each four bedrooms with private pool) on individual titles with no body corporate fees, located on Warner Street in central Port Douglas. DA approved with construction underway; one villa previously marketed as remaining for sale. Target completion indicated for late 2025.
Port Douglas Splash Park
Bespoke splash park with a rainforest meets reef nature theme, zero depth, designed for families and visitors.
49 Macrossan Street (Mixed-Use Development Site)
DA-approved site for a premium mixed-use (residential and commercial) development on Port Douglas' main street.
The Davidson by Gurner (Port Douglas Resort)
$250 million luxury wellness resort with 112 hotel rooms and 44 ultra-luxury townhomes, amenities inspired by European beach clubs, and includes six 'underwater' aquarium rooms. A $250-million resort featuring 112 hotel rooms, 44 luxury townhomes, and six underwater aquarium rooms.
Port Douglas Public Boat Ramp Upgrade
Resurfacing project with new pre-cast planks and grouted rock shoulders to improve safety, access, and usability for recreational and commercial users.
880 residents of Mossman are employed, from a labour force of 969. Unemployment sits at 9.1%, with participation at 56.1%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.6% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,641, 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
Mossman possesses a diverse workforce distributed between blue and white collar roles, with the lifestyle and retail sectors showing strong representation, alongside a 9.1% unemployment rate calculated from aggregated statistical data. In March 2026, employed residents numbered 880, though the unemployment rate remains 5.2% higher than the Regional Qld benchmark of 3.9%, showing potential for labor market improvements, while the participation rate of 56.1% falls short of the 64.3% recorded for Regional Qld. Census data indicates that a minor 6.7% of the workforce operated from home, though local lockdown restrictions during the pandemic period should be taken into consideration.
Local employment is largely centered in retail trade, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services. Retail trade shows a strong local concentration, with employment density measuring 1.4 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance accounts for only 11.8% of local jobs compared to 16.1% across the region. A comparison between census-recorded local jobs and the total employed resident base points to restricted local employment options. Evaluations of SALM and ABS statistics across wider regions reveal that during the year leading to March 2026, the local workforce contracted by 1.4% while overall employment fell by 5.3%, pushing the unemployment rate up by 3.6 percentage points. Over the same interval in Regional Qld, employment edged up by 0.1%, the workforce expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points. National forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide a benchmark for future demand in Mossman. When these five and ten-year national outlooks are aligned with local industry profiles, they suggest Mossman's employment could grow by 5.6% in five years and 12.1% in ten years, though this is a simple weighted projection that excludes local population adjustments, even as the national average is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Mossman is $1,197 a week (about $62,000 a year), with median personal income at $625 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $41,672 a year against an average of $49,539. 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
For the 2023 financial year, ATO taxpayer statistics aggregated by AreaSearch reveal that the median income in Mossman is $41,672, with an average income of $49,539. These figures fall below the national average and compare to Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Accounting for a Wage Price Index rise of 11.36% since the 2023 financial year, current figures would be approximately $46,406 for the median and $55,167 for the average as of March 2026. The 2021 Census shows that family, household, and personal incomes in the locality fall between the 13th and 15th percentiles nationally.
The largest income bracket contains 30.0% of the population earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week (627 residents), similar to the surrounding region where 31.7% fall into this range. Discretionary income remaining after housing costs stands at 85.0%, though this ranks in the 15th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Mossman had 708 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 83% detached houses and 10% apartments. 26% are owned with a mortgage, 41% rented and 33% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $250 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 20.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 25.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Residential structures in Mossman at the time of the latest Census consisted of 82.7% separate houses and 17.2% alternative housing options like semi-detached units, apartments, or other dwellings, compared to Regional Qld's mix of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other properties. Home ownership matched the Regional Qld rate of 33.2%, while the remaining properties were split between mortgaged homes (25.7%) and rentals (41.1%). The median mortgage payment of $1,300 was below the Regional Qld median, and the median weekly rent was $250, compared to regional benchmarks of $1,655 and $345 respectively.
On a national level, monthly mortgage payments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents remain beneath the countrywide figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Mossman counted 708 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 766 today, averaging 2.4 people each. 24% are couples with children, against 25% couples without children. 32% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.0 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the majority of households at 65.5%, which includes couples with children at 23.6%, childless couples at 25.3%, and single-parent households at 14.7%. Non-family households account for 34.5% of the total, with lone person households representing 31.5% and group living situations at 3.3%. The median household occupancy of 2.4 residents is slightly below the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
13.3% of adults in Mossman hold a university qualification, including 9.3% with a bachelor degree and 2.1% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 84% of areas nationally. A further 37.3% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 996 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 929 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 attainment levels show room for advancement, with university qualification rates at 13.3% sitting below the national rate of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common tertiary qualification at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate degrees (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational and technical training is well-represented, with 45.4% of residents aged 15+ holding qualifications, including 8.1% with advanced diplomas and 37.3% holding certificates. Studies show active engagement in schooling, with 31.7% of the local population enrolled in an educational program. This student group includes 14.1% in primary schools, 10.9% in high schools, and 1.4% attending university or other higher education institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Mossman means driving: households keep an average of 1.2 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
67.8% of residents in Mossman report no long-term health condition. 6.7% need daily assistance with core activities, and 46.8% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 7.5 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
An assessment of local mortality figures and long-term health issues indicates notable challenges, with chronic conditions present in both young and old cohorts, while private health insurance coverage is low at about 47% of the population (~980 people). This rate is lower than the 52.5% coverage across Regional Qld and the national average of 55.7%. Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent diagnosed conditions, affecting 7.3 and 7.0% of the population respectively, though 67.8% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, which is close to the Regional Qld rate of 67.6%.
Working-age individuals experience chronic illnesses at rates above the regional average. Residents aged 65 and over make up 25.2% of the local population (527 people), compared to 20.4% in Regional Qld, and this senior cohort exhibits above-average health outcomes that rank higher than the local general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Mossman is largely Australian-born, at 85.7% of residents, with 9.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (24.6%) and English (24.6%). 13.7% 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
Cultural diversity is below average, with citizens representing 85.9% of the population, 85.7% born in Australia, and 90.6% using only English at home. Christianity is the dominant religious affiliation, representing 49.1% of the population, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Regarding ancestral backgrounds, the three largest ancestral lineages are Australian at 24.6%, English at 24.6% (which is below the regional average of 29.6%), and Australian Aboriginal at 13.7% (which is above the regional average of 3.9%). Other differences include New Zealand ancestry representing 1.2% of the local population (vs 0.9% regionally), Welsh heritage at 0.7% (vs 0.5%), and Italian heritage at 5.1% (vs 2.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Mossman is 44. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 21.2% 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 median age of 44 years is slightly higher than the Regional Qld average of 41 and older than the national median of 38 years. The population is characterized by a high proportion of 65 - 74 year-olds (13.4%), while the 25 - 34 age bracket is smaller (8.6%) than the regional average. Since 2021, the 15 to 24 age bracket grew from 10.8% to 12.6%, and the 65 to 74 group rose from 11.9% to 13.4%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 15.9% to 13.4%, and the 25 - 34 group dropped from 10.1% to 8.6%.
Projections for 2041 show significant changes ahead, with the 85+ cohort expected to grow by 77% (adding 68 residents to reach 156) and seniors aged 65+ accounting for 63% of the growth. Conversely, contractions are projected for the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age groups.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Mossman
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 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) | May 2026 3 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 May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 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 Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | May 2026 3 months ago all 1 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 5 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) | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 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 — 69 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (1,935 at the 2021 Census → 2,093 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 May 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 (SAL31929). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.