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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Sales Detail
Population
Population growth drivers in Mount Louisa are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends
Mount Louisa's population is estimated at 9,822 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 595 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,227. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 9,643 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2025 and 80 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 985 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Mount Louisa has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. It should be noted that these state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data are applied where utilised. A significant population increase is forecast for the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Mount Louisa expected to grow by 2,560 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 24.2% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within Mount Louisa when compared nationally
AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Mount Louisa experienced around 46 dwelling approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 231 homes. So far in FY2025-26, 53 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 2.8 new residents per dwelling was recorded, with new homes built at an average construction cost value of $357,000. This financial year has seen $19.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development.
Compared to the Rest of Qld, Mount Louisa shows moderately higher construction activity, being 17.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. New development consists of 90.0% detached dwellings and 10.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With around 270 people per dwelling approval, Mount Louisa shows a developing market.
Population forecasts indicate Mount Louisa will gain 2,381 residents by 2041, potentially leading to increased competition among buyers and stronger price growth if current development rates do not keep pace with population growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Mount Louisa
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Mount Louisa has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally
Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, with key ones including Garbutt - Upper Ross Road (Riverway Drive) Stage 2 Duplication, Cosgrove Estate, Greater Ascot Estate, and Kirwan Health Campus Expansion. The following list details those likely to be most relevant:.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
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.
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.
North Queensland Simulation Park (NQ SPARK)
The North Queensland Simulation Park (NQ SPARK) is northern Australia's first collaborative defence industry hub, delivering world-class simulation training and research for the defence, science, health, emergency response and knowledge sectors. The not-for-profit precinct will house an Advanced Environmental Simulation Facility (AESF), a Clinical Simulation Centre, an agile Command and Control (C2) team performance research laboratory, and high-performance computing infrastructure. Stage 1 is funded by a 32.2 million dollar Federal Government grant under the Townsville City Deal, with a further 35 million dollars in private sector investment expected for the broader precinct. In 2025, NQ SPARK signed a lease with James Cook University for a permanent home on the ground floor of the Clinical Practice Building at JCU's Bebegu Yumba campus in Douglas, with fitout works now underway. The site sits within the tropical innovation precinct adjacent to Townsville University Hospital and Lavarack Army Barracks. An interim facility continues to operate at Vickers Road North, Condon, where simulation experiments and capability development are being conducted to inform the permanent build. The project is forecast to generate up to 800 jobs and inject more than 200 million dollars into the local economy.
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.
Douglas Water Treatment Plant Clarifiers Upgrade
The project involved the installation of two new clarifiers at the Douglas Water Treatment Plant to double the number of clarifiers, enhancing water treatment capacity during tropical weather events and providing additional water security for Townsvilles growing population. The new infrastructure treats 950 litres per second through Module 3 and 1100 litres per second through Module 4.
Greater Ascot Estate
Greater Ascot is a carefully crafted masterplanned community in Shaw, Townsville, designed for families seeking a lasting sanctuary. On completion, the estate will be home to over 2,000 families with access to a vibrant town centre featuring a full-line grocer and specialty retail, 98 hectares of green spaces and parklands, and 6.85km of pedestrian and bike paths. The community includes Saint Benedict's Catholic School (opened 2018) and Mary Help of Christians Catholic College (opened 2025), providing seamless education from primary through secondary years. Located just 10 minutes from James Cook University, Tech NQ and TAFE Queensland, and within easy reach of Townsville CBD, the estate offers a blend of quiet exclusivity and convenient access to employment and amenities. The development features traditional neighbourhood planning principles with parks, adventure playgrounds, district sports fields, and a planned commercial town centre that will evolve to meet the community's growing needs.
Garbutt - Upper Ross Road (Riverway Drive) Stage 2 Duplication
Stage 2 upgrades a 3.1 km section of Riverway Drive in Kelso, including duplication to four lanes for ~1.6 km between Allambie Lane and Hammond Way, median treatments and right turn improvements on the remaining section to Dunlop Street, plus new/upgrade signalised intersections, active transport links and bus stop upgrades. The project targets safety, network reliability and congestion relief for the Upper Ross growth area.
AEIOU Townsville Centre Reconstruction
$1 million state-of-the-art early intervention and childcare centre for 40 children with autism in Idalia. Replacement facility after original centre destroyed by fire in March 2024. Expected completion mid-2024.
Employment
AreaSearch assessment positions Mount Louisa ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance
Mount Louisa's workforce is skilled with essential services sectors well-represented. The unemployment rate as of December 2025 was 3.2%, lower than Regional Qld's 4.0%. Workforce participation was 67.1%, close to Regional Qld's 64.5%.
Only 5.7% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. The area specializes in public administration & safety with an employment share twice the regional level, but agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.5% versus Regional Qld's 4.5%. Over December 2024 to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.0%, and employment fell by 1.2%, leading to a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment.
In contrast, Regional Qld saw employment growth of 0.7% and labour force growth of 1.0%. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mount Louisa's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
Mount Louisa suburb's income level is below national average according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Mount Louisa's median income among taxpayers is $56,046 and average income stands at $65,820. Regional Qld figures are $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Mount Louisa's median income would be approximately $62,413 by March 2026, with average income estimated at around $73,297 during the same period. According to 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Mount Louisa cluster around the 71st percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate largest segment comprises 40.0% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (3,928 residents). Housing accounts for 13.8% of income. Residents rank within the 74th percentile for disposable income. Area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Mount Louisa is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Mount Louisa's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.4% houses and 3.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Louisa was at 21.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.7% and rented ones at 33.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,626, below Regional Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent figure was $350, compared to Regional Qld's $345. Nationally, Mount Louisa's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Mount Louisa features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households constitute 79.1% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 20.9%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households making up 3.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational attainment in Mount Louisa aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics
The area's university qualification rate was 20.4%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 15.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials were held by 41.1% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 31.1%. Educational participation was high, with 32.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.
This included 12.4% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 4.9% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Mount Louisa has 29 active public transport stops, served by 4 routes offering 305 weekly passenger trips. Residents are typically 324 meters from the nearest stop. Most commute outward daily. Car is the primary mode at 95%, with an average of 1.7 vehicles per dwelling. Only 5.7% work from home (2021 Census). Service frequency averages 43 trips per day, or about 10 weekly trips per stop.
Service frequency averages 43 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Mount Louisa is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts
Mount Louisa faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment.
Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts. Private health cover is higher than average at approximately 53% of the total population (~5,233 people). The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 8.4 and 8.4% of residents respectively. However, 69.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Health outcomes among the working-age population are typical. The area has 12.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,188 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Mount Louisa ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Mount Louisa, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity: 86.5% of residents were born in Australia, 90.9% were citizens, and 91.5% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 57.4%, compared to 52.2% regionally. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (27.8%), English (26.5%), and Irish (7.7%).
Notably, Italian (4.9%) and Australian Aboriginal (4.8%) populations were higher than regional averages of 2.4% and 3.9%, respectively; German representation was slightly lower at 4.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Mount Louisa hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide
The median age in Mount Louisa is 34 years, which is notably lower than Regional Queensland's average of 41 and also substantially under the Australian median of 38. Relative to Regional Queensland, Mount Louisa has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 16.1%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 7.5%. Between the 2016 Census and the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 increased from 14.6% to 16.1%, while those aged 15 to 24 rose from 13.2% to 14.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 declined from 16.1% to 14.1%. By 2041, Mount Louisa is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 25-34 group projected to grow by 43%, adding 682 people and reaching a total of 2,264 from 1,581. The 15-24 group displays more modest growth at 5%, adding only 71 residents.