Census statistics reveal population growth and religious attitudes

Latest Census stats show the Noosa hinterland is losing its religion as the Sunshine Coast and Noosa population booms. Use our interactives to see how your suburb measures up.

The Noosa hinterland is losing its religion as 2021 Census statistics show the number of people in the region who identify as non-religious has exploded.

In 2016, the number of people in the Noosa hinterland with no religion was 8501 while there were 10,652 people who identified as Christian.

Now the number of those with no religion is 12,412 while there are 9211 Christians.

Many Sunshine Coast and Noosa suburbs have also reflected the national trend of those identifying as non-religious.

It is the first time in Census history that more people are identifying as non-religious rather than Christian.

Pentecostal pastor Dale Dowler was not surprised at the result and said coming from an atheist background, as he had done, was not a bad thing.

“Everyone is on a journey, everyone is searching for something real in their life,” he said.

Pastor Dale Dowler says everyone is on a journey to find meaning in life. Picture: Letea Cavander

He said the trick was not to be close-minded when searching.

“I don’t think people have walked away from faith-based fellowship or Christianity,” he said.

“I think people are believing some of the narrative that’s out there and not investigating the facts.”

The pastor of more than 20 years said that any decision about faith had consequences, sometimes for generations to come.

The Sunshine Coast’s population has increased by 11.6 per cent, from 302,841 in 2016 to 342,541 in 2021 while in Noosa the population has increased by 4.2 per cent from 53,922 in 2016 to 56,298 in 2021.

This compares to the fastest-growing region in the country, Maralinga Tjarutja in South Australia, which had a population explosion of 35.4 per cent over the five-year period from 62 to 96 people.

Tewantin man Eoin Rudledge has lived in the Noosa region for 16 years, after his parents moved from Mountain Creek.

The 24-year-old works at his family’s business, Noosa Office Choice, and said he was not surprised at the Census statistics given the number of people who had moved into the area.

Eoin Rudledge is not surprised by the Census results that shows the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions have grown. Picture: Letea Cavander

“I think it’s really good to see new people,” he said.

“For us, for the local business, it’s been really good, good to see new faces and it keeps us busy.”

He said Tewantin was no longer a quiet little town.

Originally published as Census statistics reveal population growth and religious attitudes