Ooralea

Ooralea lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Ooralea is around 3,936. This reflects a growth of 245 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,691. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 3,849 in June 2024, based on ABS ERP data and validated new addresses. This results in a density ratio of approximately 715 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Ooralea has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 2.8%. Interstate migration contributed around 59% to recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, based on 2022 data. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 are used, with proportional growth weightings applied where necessary. By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 1,323 persons, reflecting a total increase of 36.8% over the period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Ooralea recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Ooralea averaged approximately 8 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 41 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of 14.1 people moving to the area annually for each dwelling built over these years.

Consequently, supply is significantly lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average value of $478,000, aligning with regional patterns. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $33.3 million have been registered, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to the rest of Queensland, Ooralea has roughly two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person.

Nationally, it places in the 33rd percentile of areas assessed, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This lower rate reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. All new construction in the area since FY-21 has been detached houses, maintaining Ooralea's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 501 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts suggest Ooralea will gain approximately 1,447 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Ooralea has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to affect the region. Key projects are Mackay Technology Park, The Gardens at Ooralea, Ooralea Local Plan, and Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Complex (Mackay ARC). Below is a list of those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Ooralea performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Ooralea has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.0%, as of June 2025.

Over the past year, employment increased by 0.2% while labour force decreased by 0.4%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. This compares to Rest of Qld where employment grew by 1.8% and unemployment rose by 0.2%. Leading industries for Ooralea residents are health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Mining has particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 3.8 times the regional average.

Construction has limited presence with 6.0% employment compared to 10.1% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 5.9% increase over five years and 12.8% over ten years for Ooralea, based on industry-specific projections applied to its current employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Ooralea's median income among taxpayers was $69,100 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $86,401 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of Qld which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $78,767 (median) and $98,488 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Ooralea ranked between the 78th and 80th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 36.6% of the population, equivalent to 1,440 individuals, fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range. This figure is consistent with broader trends across the region where 31.7% of individuals earned within the same category. Notably, a significant 33.2% of Ooralea's residents earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity that contributes to robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retained 87.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Ooralea is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Ooralea, as per the latest Census evaluation, 92.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 7.5% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Non-Metro Qld's composition of 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ooralea stood at 31.6%, mirroring Non-Metro Qld's rate, with the rest being mortgaged (42.2%) or rented (26.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, exceeding Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Ooralea was $440, higher than Non-Metro Qld's $340 but lower than the national average of $375 for rents and $1,863 for mortgage repayments.

Ooralea features high concentrations of group households and family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 77.7% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 29.6% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 17.3% and group households at 4.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.6.

Ooralea shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's university qualification rate is 19.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 7.3% and certificates at 33.7%. Educational participation is high, with 31.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 11.8% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 6.2% in tertiary education.

Schools may be located outside the immediate catchment area, requiring families to access them in neighboring regions.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Ooralea has six active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route in total, offering 130 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents living an average of 389 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 18 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ooralea's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though slightly higher across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Ooralea. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, although it is slightly higher among older, at-risk cohorts. Approximately 61% of the total population (2,418 people) has private health cover, which is higher than the Rest of Qld's 57.0% and the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. A total of 74.8% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.7% across Rest of Qld. Ooralea has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (586 people), which is lower than the 16.2% in Rest of Qld. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Ooralea ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ooralea, found in a study to have below average cultural diversity, had 88.1% of its population as citizens, with 85.7% born in Australia and 88.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Ooralea, comprising 61.0% of people, compared to 56.8% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (28.9%), English (26.6%), and Irish (7.9%).

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 3.1% in Ooralea versus 2.4% regionally, Filipinos at 2.2% versus 1.5%, and Maori at 0.8% versus 0.6%.

Ooralea's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Ooralea is 35, which is lower than the Rest of Qld average of 41 and under the national average of 38. The 35-44 cohort makes up 16.5% of Ooralea's population, compared to the Rest of Qld average, indicating over-representation. Meanwhile, the 65-74 age group is under-represented at 8.3%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 85+ age group grew from 1.1% to 2.0%, while the 5-14 cohort declined from 13.6% to 12.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Ooralea. The 25-34 group is set to grow by 49%, adding 284 people and reaching a total of 859 from the current 574. The 5-14 age group will grow more modestly, by 7%, with an increase of 37 residents.