Council (LGA) · Area profile
Burdekin
5,044 km²
Most people in Burdekin rely on their cars to get around a landscape of detached houses and agricultural land. This is an older community where the typical resident is 45, and nearly one quarter of the population are seniors. While the population has shrank slightly since 2011, the area remains a significant regional hub with a strong Italian heritage. It is a place where traditional family values and a high rate of home ownership define the local way of life.
Plenty of schools here relative to how few children live in the area.
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The community is noticeably older than the national figure, with the typical age at 45 and seniors making up 23.8% of residents. Children under 15 have fallen to 16.6%, while the First Nations population has risen to 6.6%.
Strong European roots are evident here, with 17.2% of people claiming Italian ancestry. Only 9.0% of residents were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 84.7% of the population. Use of another language at home is 6.4%, well below the Queensland figure of 13.2%.
Christianity remains the dominant faith for 65.4% of residents. Those reporting no religion make up 22.9%, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Academic qualifications are lower than most areas, with only 9.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree and 37.5% completing Year 12. However, the area has a high number of schools per 1,000 children.
Typical weekly household income is $1,345, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 12.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.
A higher than usual 6.6% of people need help with daily activities, which is consistent with the older age of the population. Long-term health conditions affect 30.1% of residents, with arthritis being the most common.
Volunteering is slightly above the national average at 16.3%. Unpaid care for children has fallen to 22.5%, which is well below the national figure of 26.3%.
There are 1,097 First Nations people in the area, with a typical age of 23. Unemployment for this group is 13.0%, and 35.1% have completed Year 12.
Homes here are slightly smaller than the national average, with 2.3 people per home. Living alone is common, accounting for 29.6% of households, which is well above the national figure.
Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 88.4% of dwellings. Home ownership is very strong, with 42.8% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.
Car dependency is almost total, as there are no public transport stops in the area. Only 7.5% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure of 21.0%.
The population is quite stable, with only 28.7% moving in the last five years. In contrast, recent arrivals from overseas have risen to 25.8%, far above the national figure.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the largest industry at 20.7%. Full-time employment is much higher than most areas at 65.0%, and the unemployment rate is very low at 3.4%.
The area has an overall advantage score of 923, which is lower than the national average. It is smaller than most similar areas in terms of education and job skills access.
Burdekin is much wetter than the state average, with 942mm of annual rainfall. It also records very high minimum temperatures, averaging 19.3 degrees.
The recorded offence rate is higher than most areas, with drug offences being the most frequent at 17.2%. Rates for assault and burglary are also higher than usual.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 2.6. Only 35.4% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of basic amenities, far below the Queensland figure of 59.1%.