The Fraser Coast is adding people fast—120,685 residents in 2024, up 2,750 in a year—but we’re not a “young boomtown.” Our median age is 51, with almost two in five residents over 60 and the 70–84 cohort our fastest-growing. That age profile shapes everything from housing and health to transport and jobs.
Our economy leans into care, retail and construction: health care and social assistance employs 1 in 5 workers, retail 1 in 9, construction 1 in 11. Yet labour force participation is low (around 44%), part-time work is common, and disadvantage persists (SEIFA 915). Commuting is car-heavy (about 74% drive), public transport use is tiny, and work-from-home remains modest. Median rents and mortgages sit near $300 a week—lower than Queensland—but supply and diversity are the pressure points, not just price. Cultural diversity is limited (only ~4% speak a language other than English at home), and university engagement is low, while trade qualifications are strong—signals of a hands-on, practically skilled region.
What does that mean for policy and investment?
Housing. We need more of the right homes—smaller, accessible, energy-smart dwellings near services—delivered through gentle density, infill, and well-sequenced greenfield projects. Entry-level affordability won’t survive if diversity and supply lag.
Care economy. An ageing community is an opportunity: grow training pipelines (TAFE/uni pathways) and attract allied health, aged care and digital-health providers. Every new service is both a social good and a local job.
Mobility. Shift from “more parking” to “more access”: safer local streets, walkable centres, end-of-trip facilities, on-demand and inter-town links. Car dominance is a symptom of network gaps, not destiny.
Productivity. Lift participation by matching our strengths—construction, trades, care, tourism—with flexible work, micro-credentials, and business growth supports. Target pockets of disadvantage with place-based employment initiatives.
If we align housing, skills and mobility with our real demographic shape, the Fraser Coast can age brilliantly—adding people, jobs and liveability without losing the easy coastal character that brought many of us here.
