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 May 2026, the population of the suburb of Ooralea is estimated at around 3,862 people. This figure reflects an increase of 171 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,691. AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population as of June 2025 was 3,849, with two additional validated new addresses contributing to the overall growth since the Census date. The current population density is approximately 702 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages observed across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Ooralea has exhibited a compound annual growth rate of 1.3%, outperforming its SA3 area. Interstate migration accounted for roughly 59.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

For projection purposes, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. 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, with proportional growth weightings applied to age cohorts as per ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using a base year of 2022. Nationally, non-metropolitan areas are projected to experience above-median population growth, with the suburb expected to increase by 694 persons to reach approximately 4,556 inhabitants by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 17.6% over the 16-year 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 around 8 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 43 homes were approved, with another 3 so far in FY-26.

This averages to approximately 6 people moving to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating supply lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average value of $478,000, moderately above regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. Compared to Rest of Qld, Ooralea records about 63% of the building activity per person, placing it among the 28th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This is reflective of the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

All new construction has been detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 588 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Ooralea will gain 681 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Ooralea has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the local area significantly. These key projects include Mackay Technology Park, The Gardens at Ooralea, Ooralea Local Plan, and Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Complex (Mackay ARC). Details about these projects can be found below.

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 manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.5% in the year ending December 2025. Employment growth over this period was estimated at 3.0%.

As of December 2025, 2,159 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.6%, below Regional Qld's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation in Ooralea was 70.2%, higher than Regional Qld's 64.5%. According to Census responses, only 3.9% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade, with mining particularly notable at 3.8 times the regional average.

However, construction employment was lower at 6.0%, compared to Regional Qld's 10.1%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison of working population vs resident population. In the year ending December 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force grew by 3.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. By contrast, Regional Qld had employment growth of 0.7%, labour force growth of 1.0%, and an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ooralea's employment mix suggests local employment could grow by 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Ooralea's median income among taxpayers is $69,100. The average income in the suburb is $86,401. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to Regional Qld's median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Ooralea would be approximately $76,950 (median) and $96,216 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Ooralea rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 80th percentiles. Income distribution shows 36.6% of the population (1,413 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region at 31.7%. Notably, 33.2% earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating prosperity and robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Ooralea is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census showed that in Ooralea, 92.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 7.5% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This compares to Regional Qld's figures of 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ooralea stood at 31.6%, lower than Regional Qld's figure. Mortgaged dwellings made up 42.2%, with rented dwellings accounting for 26.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, higher than the Regional Qld average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Ooralea was $440, compared to Regional Qld's $375. Nationally, Ooralea's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $440 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 22.3%, with lone person households at 17.3% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Regional Queensland average of 2.5.

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 the Australian 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 among residents aged 15+, with 41.0% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (33.7%). Educational participation is high, with 31.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.8% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 6.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ooralea has seven active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with one route providing all services. This results in 130 weekly passenger trips across the area. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 389 meters from their nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Ooralea's primarily residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 95%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 3.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 18 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Ooralea is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Ooralea exhibits superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups display low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (2,372 people), compared to 52.5% across Regional Qld and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 6.8 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 74.8% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Working-age residents show low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 15.8% of residents aged 65 and over (610 people), lower than the 20.4% in Regional Qld. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Ooralea was found to have a cultural diversity below average, with 88.1% of its population being citizens, 85.7% born in Australia, and 88.9% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Ooralea is Christianity, comprising 61.0% of the population, compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (28.9%), English (26.6%), and Irish (7.9%).

There are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maltese is overrepresented at 3.1% (vs regional 0.4%), Filipino at 2.2% (vs regional 0.9%), and Maori at 0.8% (vs regional 0.8%).

Ooralea's population is younger than the national pattern

The median age in Ooralea is 35 years, which is lower than Regional Queensland's average of 41 years and the national average of 38 years. The 35-44 age cohort comprises 16.5% of Ooralea's population, compared to Regional Queensland's average, indicating an over-representation of this group locally. Conversely, the 55-64 age group makes up only 9.8% of Ooralea's population, showing under-representation in comparison. Post-2021 Census data reveals that the 75-84 age group has increased from 3.7% to 5.1% of the total population, while the 5-14 age cohort has decreased from 13.6% to 12.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic shifts in Ooralea, with the 35-44 age group projected to grow by 24%, reaching 793 people from its current total of 637. Meanwhile, both the 55-64 and 65-74 age groups are expected to see a reduction in numbers.