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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Central Highlands has an estimated 2,508 residents, up from 2,427 at the 2021 Census — a change of 81 people, or 3.3%. Growth has averaged 1.0% a year over five years. 124 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Fewer than ten people live on each square kilometre, across a boundary that takes in surrounding rural land. 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 demographic research from AreaSearch, the population of Central Highlands stands at roughly 2,508 as of Aug 2026. This represents an expansion of 81 people (3.3%) relative to the 2021 Census count of 2,427 people. Such calculations draw upon ABS estimated resident population numbers of 2,494 as of June 2025 alongside 124 validated new addresses recorded following the Census date. Consequently, population density is estimated at 0.30 persons per square kilometer, highlighting an expansive living environment with considerable space per resident. Over the preceding ten years, Central Highlands maintained steady expansion with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, surpassing the broader SA3 area.
Inbound overseas migration served as the primary and practically solitary catalyst underpinning recent population increases. Projections utilize ABS/Geoscience Australia models for each SA2 area, published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year. Where SA2 coverage is absent, and for age cohort projections extending beyond 2032, models incorporate Tasmania State Government Regional/LGA figures published in 2022 with 2021 as the base year, adjusted via weighted population aggregation from LGA down to SA2 boundaries. Looking ahead, long-range demographic forecasts indicate a slight downturn, projecting a reduction of 86 persons by 2041 under this framework. Conversely, specific older age brackets are slated to expand, headed by an anticipated addition of 110 people within the 75 to 84 age group.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
35 new dwellings have been approved in Central Highlands over the past five years, an average of 7 a year. That is 2.8 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Central Highlands have averaged roughly 7 new dwellings annually, totaling 35 homes across the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26). With approximately 3.3 new residents added per constructed home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-22 and FY-26), housing demand outpaces building activity, exerting upward pressure on property prices and buyer competition. New residences reflect an average construction cost of $301,000, sitting below regional benchmarks to provide relatively affordable building options. Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $26.6 million during this financial year, pointing to steady non-residential development.
Relative to Rest of Tas., Central Highlands generates roughly 60% of per-capita construction activity, placing it within the 26th percentile across the country and restricting new supply while bolstering interest in existing housing stock. This subdued volume relative to national averages reflects an established market alongside possible planning constraints. In addition, recent residential approvals have consisted exclusively of separate houses, preserving the low-density, family-oriented neighborhood fabric sought by space-conscious residents. A ratio of roughly 561 people per approved dwelling highlights the tranquil, low-scale construction backdrop. With demographic forecasts pointing to flat or contracting numbers, Central Highlands could encounter subdued demand for housing stock, fostering advantageous purchasing conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Central Highlands
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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 6 current infrastructure and development projects inside Central Highlands, worth an estimated $1.85 billion. A further 56 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $5.35 billion. 13 are already under construction and 24 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and transport & logistics. 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 investment, capital works, and planning initiatives exert a major influence on regional growth and performance. AreaSearch has tracked 54 distinct initiatives capable of influencing the district. Major projects of significance encompass the Bothwell Water Treatment Plant, Cellars Hill Wind Farm, Weasel Solar Farm, and Tarraleah Power Station Redevelopment.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Bothwell Water Treatment Plant
A $20.4 million project to construct a new water treatment plant in Bothwell and establish a connection to the Southern Highlands Irrigation Scheme. The project aims to address water quality and availability issues in Central Tasmania and is part of TasWater's Regional Towns Water Supply Improvement Program Stage 4.
Cellars Hill Wind Farm
A proposed 350 MW wind farm with up to 56 turbines and an accompanying 600 MW / 2400 MWh battery energy storage system, located in Tasmania's Central Highlands approximately 10 km northwest of Bothwell. Declared a Major Project on 31 January 2025, the Tasmanian Planning Commission's Development Assessment Panel finalised assessment criteria on 18 September 2025. The proponent is now preparing the Major Project Impact Statement, which is expected to take 12 months or more.Construction is targeted to commence in 2027-28 with operations by 2030. The landowner-led partnership proposes a $1,000 annual energy subsidy for households and businesses within 12 km of a turbine for the life of the project. The project also forms part of a broader Central Highlands Renewable Energy Hub alongside the Weasel Solar Farm.
Weasel Solar Farm
Landowner-led renewable energy project comprising a 250 MW solar farm with a 144 MW / 576 MWh battery energy storage system on approximately 435 hectares about 9 km north of Bothwell. The project received Central Highlands Council Planning Permit DA 2025/14 in July 2025 and EPBC clearance as a Not Controlled Action. During 2026 the project entered detailed design, procurement, grid connection studies and early contractor involvement ahead of construction targeted for early 2027. The project supports sheep grazing beneath the solar arrays and is being developed by the Downie and Bowden families with Alternate Path and Gamuda.
Tarraleah Power Station Redevelopment
The project involves reimagining the Tarraleah hydropower scheme, part of the Derwent hydropower scheme, to increase capacity from 90 MW to approximately 190 MW and flexibility to meet future electricity market needs, particularly for clean energy from wind and solar. It includes upgrades to existing infrastructure, such as constructing a new intake at Lake King William, dam safety improvements at Mossy Marsh Dam, and road and service access enhancements. The redevelopment aims to replace ageing conveyances (No 1 and No 2 canal) with a new single conveyance.
St Patricks Plains Wind Farm
A 300MW wind farm comprising 47 wind turbines across rural properties in the Central Highlands. The project received planning approval from Central Highlands Council in July 2024 and is proposed by Ark Energy. Construction is targeted to start in 2026, with the project connecting to the existing TasNetworks transmission line. Ark Energy's proposed St Patricks Plains Wind Farm includes 47 turbines in Central Highlands, Tasmania, with a 300 MW capacity connecting to the Tasmanian grid via a 220 kV transmission line.
Burnie To Hobart Freight Corridor Improvement
Improving the Burnie to Hobart freight corridor involves road and rail upgrades to enhance Tasmania's transport network and support regional producers by maintaining competitive freight transport. The corridor connects regional producers to ports and is forecast to carry 35% more freight by 2034-35.
Incat Boyer Ferry Manufacturing Facility
New 12-hectare shipbuilding facility at the Boyer Mill site for constructing hulls and decks for electric ferries. Features a 240x120m production facility capable of constructing three large vessels simultaneously before transport down the River Derwent. Expected to create 500 new jobs and double Incat's workforce.
New Norfolk Distillery Expansion
Adaptive reuse and expansion of heritage buildings at the historic Willow Court precinct into Tasmania's first dedicated rum distillery since 1838. The multi-stage master plan incorporates an expanded micro-distillery, visitor tasting bar, commercial kitchen, and community event venue.
1,100 residents of Central Highlands are employed, from a labour force of 1,153. Unemployment sits at 4.6%, with participation at 53.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 4.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market in Central Highlands encompasses a diverse mix of blue-collar and professional occupations across varied industries, recording an unemployment rate of 4.6% and an estimated 10.8% rise in employment across the preceding year. As of March 2026, employed residents count 1,100, while the local jobless rate sits 0.6% above the 3.9% recorded in Regional Tas., and labour force participation remains comparatively subdued (53.3% versus 58.7% across Regional Tas.). Census figures indicate that 14.3% of workers carried out their duties from home, though period-specific Covid-19 health restrictions should be considered.
Workforce participation among local residents is primarily clustered within agriculture, forestry & fishing, accommodation & food services, as well as health care & social assistance. The local economy shows a distinct concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, where its resident employment share is 3.7 times the regional baseline. In contrast, health care & social assistance accounts for a smaller footprint of 9.1%, compared to the regional benchmark of 16.5%. Comparing the Census working population against local resident numbers points to a limited volume of jobs situated directly within the community. AreaSearch evaluation of ABS and SALM figures indicates that during the 12 months to March 2026, total employment rose by 10.8% and the labour pool grew by 10.3%, driving a 0.4 percentage point reduction in unemployment. In comparison, Regional Tas. experienced employment expansion of 1.8%, labour pool growth of 1.7%, and a slight drop in unemployment. Broader labor trends are reflected in national employment projections from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26. Projected across five- and ten-year horizons against the local workforce structure, national employment is anticipated to grow 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with performance varying by sector. Weighting these industry projections against Central Highlands's workforce profile suggests local employment could rise by 4.9% across five years and 11.0% over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Central Highlands is $1,017 a week (about $53,000 a year), with median personal income at $567 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $50,064 a year against an average of $55,101. 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
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of ATO postcode figures for financial year 2023, local earnings across the Central Highlands SA2 trail the national benchmark, recording a median income of $50,064 and an average of $55,101. By comparison, Regional Tas. registered a median of $49,689 alongside an average of $59,358. Accounting for a 10.95% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach approximately $55,546 (median) and $61,135 (average) as of March 2026. Across family, household, and individual brackets, Census earnings metrics sit between the 4th and 8th percentiles nationally.
Looking at income brackets, the largest cluster comprises 32.7% of residents (820 people) within the $400 - 799 range, contrasting with metropolitan trends where the $1,500 - 2,999 band leads at 28.5%. Low-income earners are prevalent, with 42.8% making under $800 weekly. While residents retain 90.6% of income after modest housing outlays, overall disposable income remains in the 8th percentile across Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Central Highlands had 973 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 96% detached houses and 1% apartments. 29% are owned with a mortgage, 19% rented and 53% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $200 a week and the median mortgage repayment $894 a month. Rent absorbs 19.7% of household income here and mortgage repayments 20.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Dwelling distribution in Central Highlands at the time of the latest Census was comprised of 96.4% separate houses and 3.6% other dwellings (apartments, semi-detached, and alternative dwelling types), whereas Regional Tas. recorded 89.9% houses alongside 10.1% other dwellings. Outright home ownership reached 52.7%, substantially surpassing Regional Tas. levels, with mortgaged properties accounting for 28.7% and rented homes making up 18.5%. Typical monthly mortgage payments were noticeably lower than the Regional Tas. median at $894 compared to $1,274, while median weekly rent stood at $200 compared to $250. Across Australia, Central Highlands's mortgage expenses remain substantially below the nationwide median of $1,863, and weekly rents trail the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Central Highlands counted 973 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.1 people each. 20% are couples with children, fewer than in 86% of areas nationally, against 30% couples without children. 38% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute the majority of living arrangements at 58.5%, consisting of 29.8% couples without children, 20.2% couples with children, and 7.4% single parent households. Non-family living structures comprise the remaining 41.5%, led by single-person residences at 38.3% and shared group households at 3.2%. The area's median household size of 2.1 people sits slightly beneath the Regional Tas. norm of 2.3.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
14.3% of adults in Central Highlands hold a university qualification, including 9.4% with a bachelor degree and 3.7% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 93% of areas nationally. A further 30.7% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 79 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 912 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 in the district reflects distinct local patterns, with higher education tertiary completion at 14.3%, trailing the national rate of 30.4%. Among university qualifications, bachelor degrees represent 9.4%, followed by postgraduate studies at 3.7% and graduate diplomas at 1.2%. Vocational education is strongly represented, with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ possessing technical qualifications, broken down into advanced diplomas (8.3%) and certificate courses (30.7%). Formal study engagement is substantial, with 25.3% of the population enrolled across educational institutions. This comprises 11.5% attending primary schools, 6.7% in secondary education, and 1.7% enrolled in tertiary programs.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Central Highlands means driving: households keep an average of 1.8 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
61.0% of residents in Central Highlands report no long-term health condition. 7.2% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.4% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.1 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators compiled by AreaSearch reveal elevated challenges regarding chronic illness and mortality metrics across age cohorts, while private health insurance coverage is notably subdued at approximately 47% of residents (~1,188 people). Nationwide, private coverage reaches 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions represent the most prevalent diagnoses locally, affecting 12.2 and 8.7% of the populace respectively, while 61.0% of individuals reported no chronic medical conditions compared to 62.0% in Regional Tas.. The prime working-age cohort demonstrates heightened chronic health conditions. Older adults aged 65 and over comprise 29.9% of the population (748 people), exceeding the 25.1% share found across Regional Tas., with local seniors demonstrating above-average health results that rank higher against national benchmarks than the general community.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Central Highlands is largely Australian-born, at 88.8% of residents, with 3.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (36.5%) and Australian (34.8%). 4.0% 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 metrics in Central Highlands fall below broad averages, with 86.9% of residents holding Australian citizenship, 88.8% born within Australia, and 96.3% speaking exclusively English at home. Christianity forms the primary religious affiliation, accounting for 53.3% of the community compared to 43.0% across Regional Tas.. Regarding ancestral backgrounds, English heritage is the most common at 36.5%, followed by Australian at 34.8%, and Irish at 8.0%. Distinct community representation also includes Australian Aboriginal ancestry at 4.0% of Central Highlands (compared to 4.1% regionally) and Hungarian heritage at 0.3% (against 0.1% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Central Highlands is 51, older than 91% of areas nationally. That is 1 year older than at the 2021 Census. 17.2% 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 age profile of Central Highlands leans heavily toward mature demographics. Updated estimates to August 2026 indicate that senior and retirement-aged residents (65+) make up 29.9% of the populace, compared to 25.1% across Regional Tas., while youth and younger cohorts (0 - 24) represent 21.2% versus 26.3% regionally. The estimated median age reaches 51 as at August 2026, increasing from 50 at the 2021 Census and exceeding the Regional Tas. figure of 45 recorded at that Census, while the national median was 38. Since the Census, the share of older residents (65+) grew from 25.1% to an estimated 29.9%.
Looking toward 2041, senior cohorts are projected to experience the highest growth, adding 51 residents (7%) to total 800, while young to middle-aged adults and younger demographics are forecast to decline.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Central Highlands
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 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 last month 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 last month 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 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 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 Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 6 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 Jul 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 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) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago 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 — 124 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (2,427 at the 2021 Census → 2,508 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 (603011065). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.