State Electorate · Area profile
Hervey Bay
1,779 km²
A far older population than the national average defines Hervey Bay, where the typical resident is 52. This coastal community has seen a significant shift toward retirement, with the number of seniors rising 21 points since 2011. It is a place where many people own their homes outright and live in spacious detached houses. While it has grown by 23% in the last decade, the area remains overwhelmingly English-speaking and carries a distinct character of older residents living in a quiet, car-dependent setting.
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The area is far older than most of Australia, with 32.6% of people aged 65 and over. This trend is reflected in the typical age of 52, which has climbed 18 years since 2011, while the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 14.9%.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the community is less diverse than the state or nation. Only 18.2% of people were born overseas, and the most common ancestries are English and Australian.
English is the dominant language, with 89.2% of people using it at home. The proportion of people using another language has fallen sharply by 8.5 points since 2011, and very few residents speak little or no English.
About 41.5% of residents report no religion, a figure that has risen 19 points since 2011. This is about the same as the Queensland average, while Christianity remains the most common affiliation at 48.2%.
The area has a much lower proportion of higher qualifications than most, with only 12.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Those who completed Year 12 also fell by 27 points since 2011.
Typical incomes are far below the national figure, with a typical household earning $1,054 a week. The number of households earning $3,000 or more per week is among the lowest at this level.
Health needs are high here, with 40.6% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is far above the national average, and 11.1% of residents need help with daily activities.
Unpaid care is common, with 14.2% of people providing support, though the number of volunteers has fallen 9 points since 2011. There is also a higher proportion of Defence Force veterans compared to the state.
Homes tend to be smaller in occupancy, with 2.3 people per household. A significant 28.7% of people live alone, and one-parent families are much more common than in most other areas.
Home ownership is very high, with 43.3% of homes owned outright. This helps explain why typical mortgage payments are much lower than the national average, and 81.2% of homes are separate houses.
The community is almost entirely dependent on cars, with 68.3% of workers driving to work. Public transport use is very low, and there are no public transport stops or routes listed for the area.
The area is quite mobile, with 46.2% of people having moved in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are much lower than the national average.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the state, at 43.0%. The unemployment rate is also higher than the national average at 8.3%, with many people working in health care and social assistance.
Most of the area is car-dependent, with a walkability score far below the state average. While 84% of homes are near a park, very few residents can walk to health services or public transport.