QUEENSLAND



State summary

Population change in Greater Brisbane

Population change in the rest of Queensland

Population density

Centre of population


STATE SUMMARY

At June 2013, the estimated resident population of Queensland was 4.66 million people, an increase of 88,600 since June 2012. In the year to 2013, Queensland's population grew by 1.9%. This was the third-fastest growth rate of all states and territories, behind Western Australia (3.3%) and the Northern Territory (2.1%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN GREATER BRISBANE

The population of Greater Brisbane (which excludes the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast) was 2.24 million people at June 2013, accounting for nearly half of Queensland's population. Between 2012 and 2013, the population of Greater Brisbane increased by 2.1% (45,100 people).

Ipswich had the largest growth of all SA4s in Greater Brisbane, with an increase of 9,100 people. This was followed by Logan - Beaudesert (up by 6,900 people) and Brisbane - South (5,700). Ipswich also had the fastest growth (up by 3.0%), followed by Moreton Bay - South (2.7%), and Logan - Beaudesert and Brisbane Inner City (both 2.2%).

The SA2s with the largest growth in Greater Brisbane were North Lakes - Mango Hill (up by 1,900 people), Lockyer Valley - East (860) and Springfield Lakes (850). The fastest-growing areas were Woolloongabba (up by 10%), North Lakes - Mango Hill (8.8%) and Springfield Lakes (7.8%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN THE REST OF QUEENSLAND

The population in the rest of Queensland increased by 43,500 people in the 12 months to 2013, to reach 2.42 million. Of the ten SA4s in the rest of Queensland, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast accounted for 40% (17,300 people) of this growth. The SA4s of Fitzroy, Mackay and Townsville, along the central Queensland coast, accounted for a further 34% (14,700 people).

Gold Coast had the largest growth in Queensland, increasing by 11,200 people to 551,700. Other SA4s in the rest of Queensland with large population increases were Fitzroy (up by 6,200 people), Sunshine Coast (6,100), Townsville (4,600) and Mackay (4,000).

The SA4 of Fitzroy had the fastest growth in the rest of Queensland, increasing by 2.8%, followed by Mackay (2.2%), Gold Coast (2.1%) and Townsville (2.0%).


Gold Coast

In the year to 2013, the SA2s with the largest growth on the Gold Coast were Upper Coomera - Willow Vale which grew by 2,100 people, and Coomera (770).

The fastest-growing SA2 in Queensland was Pimpama, on the Gold Coast, which increased by 16% (590 people). Upper Coomera - Willow Vale and Coomera also experienced fast growth, up by 7.8% and 7.7% respectively.


Townsville

The SA2s with the largest growth in Townsville in 2012-13 were Deeragun (up by 1,500 people), Northern Beaches (390) and Kelso (360).

Deeragun also had the fastest growth in Townsville, increasing by 8.9%. This was followed by Northern Beaches (up by 6.2%) and Bohle Plains (5.4%).


Mackay

In the 12 months to 2013, the SA2s with the largest growth in Mackay were Eimeo - Rural View (up by 730 people), Pioneer Valley (460) and Andergrove - Beaconsfield (410).

Ooralea - Bakers Creek, which increased by 8.4% (370 people), had the fastest growth in Mackay, followed by Eimeo - Rural View (6.8%) and Pioneer Valley (6.1%).


Elsewhere in Queensland

The SA4 of Fitzroy had relatively strong growth in 2012-13, increasing by 6,200 people (2.8%). Clinton - New Auckland, south-west of Gladstone, was both the largest- and fastest-growing SA2 in Fitzroy, with an increase of 830 people (7.0%). Emerald had comparatively large growth (up by 600 people) while Gracemere near Rockhampton showed comparatively fast growth (5.5%).

In the SA4 of Queensland - Outback, Mount Isa was the largest-growing SA2, up by 350 people, while Weipa had the fastest growth at 3.8%.

SA2s WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH(a), Queensland
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2013p	2012r-2013p
SA2	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Upper Coomera - Willow Vale	28 400	2 100	7.8
North Lakes - Mango Hill	23 800	1 900	8.8
Deeragun	19 000	1 500	8.9
Lockyer Valley - East	19 300	860	4.6
Springfield Lakes	11 800	850	7.8
FASTEST GROWTH(b)
Pimpama	4 300	590	15.8
Woolloongabba	5 900	560	10.4
Deeragun	19 000	1 500	8.9
North Lakes - Mango Hill	23 800	1 900	8.8
Ooralea - Bakers Creek	4 800	370	8.4
(a) All population figures presented in this table are rounded. Estimates of population change are based on unrounded numbers.
(b) Excludes SA2s with a population of less than 1,000 at June 2012.

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2013, the population density of Queensland was 2.7 people per square kilometre (sq km). Most of Queensland had fairly low population densities, with 45 SA2s (comprising 93% of the total area of Queensland) having less than 1 person per sq km. The population density of Greater Brisbane was 140 people per sq km.

The most densely populated SA2s in Greater Brisbane were inner-city New Farm (6,300 people per sq km), Kangaroo Point (6,000) and Highgate Hill (5,300).

In the year to 2013, the largest increase in population density in Greater Brisbane occurred in the SA2 of Woolloongabba, which added 230 people per sq km. The largest increase across the rest of Queensland was in the Gold Coast SA2 of Labrador (up by 70 people per sq km).

CENTRE OF POPULATION

Queensland's centre of population at June 2013 was in Coalstoun Lakes, roughly 100 kilometres south-west of the town of Maryborough. The centre moved 7.0 kilometres south-east in the ten years to 2013, reflecting sustained population growth in Greater Brisbane and Queensland's coastal regions over this period.

The centre of population for Greater Brisbane at June 2013 was in the suburb of Highgate Hill, to the south-west of the city's central business district.