Council (LGA) · Area profile
Weipa
10 km²
Young families and working professionals dominate the landscape in Weipa, where the typical resident is just 30 years old. This is a high-earning community with a population that grew by 23% since 2011. It is distinguished by a very high proportion of children and a strong First Nations presence. The town's character is shaped by a workforce heavily tied to the mining industry, resulting in typical weekly household incomes far above the national figure.
Despite high local incomes, the area's schools serve a less advantaged intake.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
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Weipa is far younger than the national average, with 25.7% of people under 15 and only 3.1% aged 65 or over. De facto relationships are very common here, accounting for 27.1% of the population, which is far above the Queensland figure.
The community is predominantly Australian born, with 77.8% born here. Only 9.9% of residents were born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 77.3% of people. While 9.4% use another language at home, this is well below the national figure of 22.3%.
A large portion of the community reports no religion, at 46.9%. This is well above the national figure and has risen significantly by 23 percentage points since 2011.
Year 12 completion is much higher than in most similar areas at 54.4%. Qualifications are heavily geared toward the local industry, with 25.4% of degrees in engineering and related fields.
Incomes are exceptionally high, with 42.3% of households earning over $3,000 a week. The typical weekly household income of $2,978 is far above the national figure of $1,746.
Residents are generally healthy, with only 14.1% having a long-term health condition. This is far below the national rate of 27.7%.
Many residents are parents, as 30.5% provide unpaid childcare, which is well above the national figure. However, volunteering has fallen by 5.2 percentage points since 2011.
First Nations people make up 19.9% of the population and enjoy strong outcomes, with a very low unemployment rate of 4.1% and a typical personal income far above the national average.
Homes are often full, with an average of 2.9 people per household. This is consistent with the high number of couples with children, who make up 68% of families.
Renting is the norm for 58.6% of households, far above the national average. This contributes to a very high typical weekly rent of $500.
The town is highly car-dependent, as 0% of homes are within walking distance of public transport. Most people drive to work, and 45.8% of homes have two vehicles.
The population is very mobile, with 53% of residents having moved in the last five years. This is far above the national figure of 40.7%.
Employment is very strong, with 71.1% of people working full-time. The local economy is centered on mining, which employs 39.4% of the workforce.
Weipa is ranked as highly advantaged, scoring a 9 out of 10 compared to all areas. This is linked to high job skills and strong access to resources.
The area is very wet and warm, with average annual rainfall of 2,107mm, which is far above the Queensland average.
The overall crime rate is higher than in most areas. This is driven largely by assault and robbery rates, which are both much higher than usual.
Walking is difficult here, with a score of 1.7. Almost no homes have a 15-minute-city walkshed, leaving residents heavily reliant on cars for most amenities.