Council (LGA) · Area profile
Mornington
1,248 km²
A very high proportion of First Nations people live in Mornington, where about 80% of the population identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This is a remarkably young community, with a typical resident aged just 29 and many families with children. However, the area faces significant challenges, with very low typical incomes and a high reliance on rental housing. This combination of a young, First Nations-led population and economic hardship creates a distinctive social landscape in this part of Queensland.
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The community is far younger than the national figure, with 24% of people under 15. While the population shrank by 10% since 2011, a high number of residents are in de facto relationships, at 32%.
Most residents were born in Australia, with only 2.9% born overseas, a figure far below the national average. English is the most common ancestry, though it accounts for only 6.2% of the population.
A surprisingly high 34.6% of people use another language at home, which is far above the national figure. Despite this, no one in the area reported speaking little or no English.
About 43.3% of residents have no religion, which is a little above the Queensland average and rose 11 points since 2011. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 23%.
Educational attainment is far below the national figure, with only 26.1% of residents completing Year 12. Only 6.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, among the lowest for similar areas.
Incomes are very low, with a typical household earning just $855 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.4% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Long-term health conditions are far less common here than in the rest of Australia, affecting only 16.1% of people. Similarly, mental health conditions are reported at just 2.6%.
A high 33.2% of people provide unpaid childcare, though this fell 15 points since 2011. Volunteer rates are very low at 5.5%, well below the national figure.
The First Nations community is a central part of the area, with 39.8% speaking a First Nations language. However, the median personal income for First Nations people is far below the national figure at $240.
Homes are often crowded, with 3.5 people per home, well above the national figure. One-parent families are very common, making up 32.3% of households.
Rentals dominate the market, with 92.3% of households renting and no homes owned outright. Typical weekly rent is very low at $104, and most people live in townhouses or semi-detached homes.
Half of all homes have no motor vehicle, which is far above the national figure. To get to work, 33.3% of residents walk, and 5.2% use public transport.
The population is relatively stable, with only 21.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure. No new arrivals from overseas were recorded in 2021.
While full-time employment is higher than the national figure at 64.3%, the overall percentage of adults working or looking for work is far lower at 29.6%.
The area is ranked among the most disadvantaged, with a very low overall advantage score of 747. There are only 18 businesses operating in the region.
The climate is wet and warm, with average annual rainfall of 1,119mm, which is far above the Queensland average. Minimum temperatures are also well above the state figure.
The area experiences very high rates of recorded offences, including assault, drug offences, and burglary. The crime rate rose by 45.4% over the last five years.
The area is heavily car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.0. While many residents can walk to health services, no one has a 15-minute walk to groceries or parks.