Queensland’s regions set to swell in coming decade

The latest population forecasts signal Queensland’s regions are set to swell in the coming decade.

Queensland’s population is expected to increase by more than one million in the coming decade, to 6.3m people.

Wider Queensland is tipped to grow its population faster than any non-capital city area in the country, the latest federal population data shows.

Queensland as a whole is expected to swell in the coming decade, the latest Centre for Population, Population Statement forecasts.

Brisbane’s population is currently 49 per cent - 2.6m - of the state’s total, but is expected to become the majority of Queensland’s population in four years time.

Brisbane’s population was higher than the rest of Queensland, last in 1978.

Much of the analysis is divided into ‘greater capital city’ areas, and ‘rest-of-state’ areas.

Rental availability has fallen through the floor as rents jump 10 per cent in areas across Townsville over the past 12 months.

The rest of Queensland will be the strongest growing rest-of-state area over the 10-year projection period, the report says.

“As with all areas, strong overseas migration is projected to be a major driver of growth.

“However, unlike many other rest-of-state areas, natural increase and internal migration will also add strongly to population growth in the rest of Queensland,” it says in the report, which was released on December 22.

An outflow of people from Sydney, and an inflow to Queensland is one of the few well established patterns the report points to explain the influx to the Sunshine State.

Five-hundred troops set to move to Townsville in the coming years are projected to come along with 700 partners and children.

Wide Bay was the regional area which contributed most to Queensland’s population increase, followed by Cairns, Central Queensland, Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday, then Townsville, Darling Downs-Maranoa, and finally the ‘outback’.

A booming citizenry in North Queensland has been on the cards for years.

Massive investment and Army moves in 2022 paint a picture of why those new people will head to Townsville.

In March the state government announced it had purchased the $5bn CopperString powerline from Mount Isa to Townsville, and funds to accelerate the build were released a few months ago.

In September the Defence Force announced 500 troops would move to Townsville during the course of six years from 2025.

Originally published as Queensland’s regions set to swell in coming decade