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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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Sarina has an estimated 5,909 residents, up from 5,619 at the 2021 Census — a change of 290 people, or 5.2%. Growth has averaged 0.9% a year over five years. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 54.0% of that increase. Density is about 24 people per 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
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of regional ABS updates alongside 51 validated new addresses recorded following the Census date, the suburb of Sarina has reached an estimated population of 5,909 as of Aug 2026. This indicates an expansion of 290 people (5.2%) compared to the 5,619 people enumerated in the 2021 Census. These estimates build upon an ERP benchmark of 5,887 calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS release from June 2025. With a population density of 23 persons per square kilometer, the suburb provides considerable space for its residents. Growth of 5.2% since census sits within 1.8 percentage points of the broader SA3 area (7.0%), reflecting solid demographic performance.
Inward interstate migration served as the primary contributor, accounting for roughly 54.0% of recent population gains, complemented by positive additions from natural growth and overseas migration. Projections for the suburb of Sarina utilize 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 figures taking 2022 as their starting point. Where coverage gaps occur or for horizons following post-2032, AreaSearch integrates Queensland State Government SA2 forecasts published in 2023 from 2021 data. Because those state models omit age breakdowns, age cohort shares are adjusted via proportional weightings from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 (utilizing 2022 figures). Over the 16 years running to 2041, combined SA2 projections anticipate an increase of 681 persons (an overall rise of 11.2%), placing the pace of long-term demographic expansion marginally below the nationwide regional median.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
78 new dwellings have been approved in Sarina over the past five years, an average of 15 a year. That is 2.7 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 13, broadly in line with 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
Building approval figures compiled by AreaSearch from ABS statistics indicate an average approval pace of roughly 15 new homes annually in Sarina, tallying 78 homes across the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), with 13 approved during FY-25 to date. With population gains averaging 3 new residents arriving per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, residential construction has fallen well short of demand, fueling heightened buyer competition and upward pricing pressure. Newly approved dwellings carry an average construction value of $459,000, aligning with broader regional patterns. Meanwhile, commercial construction activity remains steady, supported by $23.6 million in commercial development approvals logged during the current financial year.
Per capita residential construction in Sarina runs at roughly 75% of the rate recorded across Rest of Qld, placing the locality in the 25th percentile across Australia. This suppressed pipeline restricts purchasing options and channels buyer interest toward established stock, while tracking below the national benchmark due to local planning constraints and the mature urban fabric. Additions to supply have consisted exclusively of detached houses, preserving the locality's low-density layout and emphasis on spacious family residences. A ratio of 586 people per approved dwelling highlights the subdued scale of local building activity. According to the latest quarterly forecasts from AreaSearch, Sarina is projected to add 659 residents leading up to 2041. Should dwelling completions persist at current levels, the volume of new housing will fail to match demographic growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and reinforcing upward pressure on home values.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Sarina
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 9 current infrastructure and development projects inside Sarina, worth an estimated $277 million. A further 45 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $3.32 billion. 18 are already under construction and 21 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and sports & recreation. 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
Capital investments, town planning decisions, and major civil works are vital drivers of local area performance. AreaSearch has identified 9 key infrastructure projects expected to influence the locality. Significant developments include Ozcare Sarina Aged Care Expansion, Pacific Parks Estate, Central Village Sarina, and Anzac Street Sarina Railway Crossing, with key undertakings highlighted below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Ozcare Sarina Aged Care Expansion
A 23.5 million dollar extension to the existing Ozcare Sarina aged care facility, formerly known as Sarina Aged Care before its operations transferred to Ozcare in 2023. The project adds 20 new beds including a secure special care unit for residents living with dementia, eight on-site staff accommodation units to help address regional workforce housing pressures, internal upgrades to the administration building, and an expansion of the visitor and staff car park by eight spaces.The Mackay Regional Council issued an operational works permit for earthworks in 2025 with construction now underway. The expansion responds to growing demand for dementia-specific aged care in the Sarina and wider Mackay region, where over 2,000 residents are estimated to be living with dementia.
Pacific Parks Estate
Master planned residential community on 23.12 hectares with approved Material Change of Use and Reconfiguration of Lot for up to 226 residential lots. Currently listed for sale as a shovel ready opportunity, with Stage 4 holding Operational Works approval for 86 lots.
Sarina Water Main Upgrade Detailed Design
Detailed design for upgrading critical water trunk main infrastructure in Sarina to unlock capacity for future residential growth. The project is supported by $312,000 in funding under the Queensland Government Residential Activation Fund in partnership with Mackay Regional Council. The detailed engineering design ensures infrastructure readiness to support new residential lots across the Sarina growth corridor.
Anzac Street Sarina Railway Crossing
Railway crossing improvement project on Anzac Street to enhance safety and traffic flow. Part of regional transport infrastructure upgrades.
Central Village Sarina
Mixed-use medium to high density residential development site of approximately 17,000 sqm, with concept plans for around 168 apartments. The site's Emerging Communities Zoning also permits commercial and hotel development (STCA). Located approximately 800m from the Sarina town centre and close to the Port of Hay Point. The site is being offered for sale by offers to purchase and has not yet been acquired by a developer.
Sarina New Depot Development
Ergon Energy plans to replace its constrained Sarina depot with a new, fit-for-purpose depot on a greenfield site (~8,000 sqm). The current depot at 57 Broad Street (with a secondary pole yard at 150 Broad Street) is undersized, landlocked, and has multiple building defects. Option A (preferred) is to purchase land and construct a modern Class C depot with increased storage, workshop areas, parking and safety-compliant circulation to support growth in the Sarina/Hay Point area.
Sarina Development
A 69.4 hectare residential subdivision with development approval for residential use, including Stage 1 approved for 67 lots, strategically located near the Port of Hay Point.
Sarina Hospital Redevelopment
Queensland's first rural digital hospital, a $31.5 million purpose-built facility on Brewers Road. Features 19 beds (up from 16), expanded emergency department, larger consultation rooms, purpose-built rehabilitation facility with expanded gym space, single ensuite rooms, and new staff accommodation. Serves Sarina and surrounding communities with improved healthcare delivery. Completed 2024.
2,845 residents of Sarina are employed, from a labour force of 2,978. Unemployment sits at 4.5%, with participation at 62.0%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.1% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 4,877, about 83% 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
Sarina's labour market maintains a balanced distribution between blue-collar and white-collar roles, supported by notable manufacturing and industrial activity. Aggregated statistical data from AreaSearch shows an unemployment rate of 4.5% alongside a 3.3% annual increase in employed residents. As of March 2026, 2,845 residents are employed. The local jobless rate sits 0.6% above the 3.9% recorded across Regional Qld, while the labour force participation rate of 62.0% trails the regional benchmark of 64.2%. Working from home accounted for just 5.8% of the workforce at the Census, though pandemic-related lockdown measures may have influenced that figure.
Local employment is predominantly concentrated within mining, transport, postal & warehousing, and health care & social assistance. Specialization is particularly pronounced in mining, where the local workforce share stands at 3.7 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance represents a modest 9.5% of jobs, compared to 16.1% across the wider region. Disparities between local resident counts and Census workplace counts suggest a limited base of job opportunities within the immediate area. According to ABS and SALM figures compiled by AreaSearch, the 12-month period recorded a 3.3% rise in employment alongside a 5.2% expansion in the labour force, which elevated the local unemployment rate by 1.8 percentage points. By contrast, Regional Qld saw employment grow by 0.1%, the labour force rise by 0.3%, and unemployment edge up by 0.1 percentage points. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26 project nationwide employment gains of 6.6% across five years and 13.7% across ten years, with performance varying widely by sector. When applied to Sarina's industry profile, these baseline trends suggest local job growth of 5.1% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, based on a direct weighting extrapolation that excludes localized demographic projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Sarina is $1,605 a week (about $83,000 a year), with median personal income at $710 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $53,921 a year against an average of $67,673. 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
ATO postcode records compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 place Sarina's personal earnings near national midpoints, with a median income of $53,921 and an average income of $67,673, compared to Regional Qld benchmarks of $53,146 (median) and $66,593 (average). Factoring in an 11.36% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 reach approximately $60,046 for median income and $75,361 for average income. Across personal, family, and household levels, Census earnings sit between the 30th and 41st percentiles nationally. The predominant weekly income bracket is $1,500 - 2,999, capturing 31.1% of residents (1,837 people), closely mirroring the 31.7% regional proportion.
Once housing obligations are met, households retain 85.6% of income for everyday living costs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Sarina had 1,948 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 92% detached houses and 1% apartments. 37% are owned with a mortgage, 27% rented and 35% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $300 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. Rent absorbs 18.7% of household income here and mortgage repayments 24.9%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the latest Census, Sarina's housing stock consisted of 91.7% separate houses and 8.3% other dwellings (incorporating apartments, semi-detached properties, and 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional Qld where 76.4% were houses and 23.6% were other dwellings. Outright property ownership reached 35.4%, exceeding the regional rate, while 37.3% of homes carried a mortgage and 27.3% were rental properties. Typical monthly mortgage repayments stood at $1,733, higher than the Regional Qld figure of $1,655 but below the nationwide benchmark of $1,863. Median weekly rent was $300, which sits noticeably beneath Regional Qld's $345 and the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Sarina counted 1,948 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 2,049 today, averaging 2.6 people each. 31% are couples with children, against 31% couples without children. 23% 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
Family households account for 74.2% of all occupied residences, consisting of 30.8% couples without children, 30.5% couples with children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family living arrangements represent 25.8% of the community, made up of lone person households at 23.3% and group households at 2.6%. The typical household size sits at 2.6 people, slightly exceeding the 2.5 average seen across Regional Qld.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
8.2% of adults in Sarina hold a university qualification, including 6.3% with a bachelor degree and 0.7% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 92% of areas nationally. A further 37.4% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 1,491 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 928 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
Tertiary attainment in Sarina is relatively low, with 8.2% of residents holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4%, highlighting a clear focus area for future educational support. By level of degree, 6.3% hold bachelor degrees, 1.2% have graduate diplomas, and 0.7% possess postgraduate qualifications. Technical and vocational qualifications are widespread, with 44.2% of persons aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, consisting of 6.8% with advanced diplomas and 37.4% holding certificates. Formal study engagement is substantial throughout the community, with 30.6% of residents attending an educational institution. This enrollment base comprises 12.4% in primary education, 10.6% in secondary education, and 2.4% enrolled in tertiary courses.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Sarina means driving: households keep an average of 1.7 vehicles, and scheduled services reach only a handful of stops. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity within Sarina features 10 active bus stops across 1 individual routes, supplying 50 weekly passenger trips. Overall public transit accessibility is moderate, with residents residing an average distance of 504 meters from their nearest boarding point. As an outward-commuting residential hub, private vehicles serve as the main travel mode for 92% of commuters, while 5% walk to work. Vehicle ownership sits above the regional norm at an average of 1.7 per dwelling. In addition, 5.8% of workers operated from home at the 2021 Census, a figure potentially impacted by COVID-19 conditions.
Public transport services run at an average rate of 7 trips per day across the network, translating to approximately 5 weekly trips per stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
66.4% of residents in Sarina report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 81% of areas nationally. 5.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 54.0% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 6.3 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health and mortality metrics assessed by AreaSearch indicate notable challenges across Sarina, with chronic ailments prevalent among both younger and older residents. Meanwhile, access to private health cover is relatively high, encompassing approximately 54% of the population (~3,192 people). Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most widespread chronic issues in the area, recorded among 9.0 and 8.5% of residents respectively. Overall, 66.4% of residents reported having no long-term medical conditions, comparable to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Chronic conditions are elevated among working-age individuals. Residents aged 65 and over total 1,211 people (20.5% of the population), and senior health outcomes face particular hurdles while aligning broadly with broader national benchmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Sarina is largely Australian-born, at 92.6% of residents, with 3.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (33.2%) and English (29.5%). 5.8% 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 in Sarina is relatively modest, with 86.7% of the population holding citizenship, 92.6% born in Australia, and 97.0% speaking exclusively English at home. Christianity represents the leading religious affiliation, observed by 56.5% of the population compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Looking at parental background, the three most common ancestries among residents are Australian at 33.2% (well above the 26.5% regional share), English at 29.5%, and Scottish at 7.3%. Several other backgrounds show distinctive local representations, with Maltese accounting for 1.4% (against 0.4% regionally), Australian Aboriginal ancestry representing 5.8% (against 3.9%), and German ancestry standing at 4.6% (against 4.7%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Sarina is 40. 24.7% 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 age distribution across the suburb of Sarina aligns closely with Regional Qld, with the largest divergence across the four main age brackets measuring 2.8 percentage points. The median age is estimated at 40 as at August 2026, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 1 year below the regional median of 41 recorded at that time. Since the Census, the share of retirees and seniors (65+) expanded from 17.8% to an estimated 20.5%. This senior demographic is expected to lead future population expansion to 2041, increasing by 320 (26%) to reach 1,531 individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Sarina
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 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 2 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 Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago 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 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| 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 Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 9 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 Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 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) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 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 — 51 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (5,619 at the 2021 Census → 5,909 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 (SAL32518). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.