LOOKING FORWARD: Gympie region's population is getting older across the whole region, except on the Cooloola Coast where we are getting younger as well. Thinsktock
What will Gympie look like in 2041? Projections show glimpse
by Arthur Gorrie
1st Dec 2018 12:33 PM
MORE hospitals and health care services will be required, not so much more schools, as Gympie region's population ages significantly over the coming generation.
But that is not the whole story in some areas.
Official state government projections for the next 23 years show the region's wage and profit earners will have more people depending on them.
One partial exception to the getting-older trend is the Cooloola Coast, where an increased proportion of people at or over 65 is balanced to some extent by an increasing percentage still going to school - or waiting to start.
But across the region, the dominant trend seems to be towards a smaller proportion of people doing all the work.
If they are in the health or aged care sectors, they may experience their own business and employment boom.
At the Coast, people over 65 are expected to account for 52.65 per cent of the population in 2041, compared to the 35.02 per cent in 2016.
But, unlike other parts of the Gympie region, there will also be more young people (from 13 per cent to 27.16 per cent in the zero to 14 years age group).
Big increases in the proportion of residents over 65 are also forecast for Kilkivan (from 21.7 per cent to 28.42 per cent) , Gympie North (20.61 to 26.23 per cent) and South (21.01 to 34.04 Percent) and the rest of the region (18.27 to 27.87 per cent).
The youngest demographic in the data (zero to 14) shows this group will decrease as a proportion of the population of Gympie North (20.14 down to 16.37 per cent), Gympie South (18.96 to 16.06 per cent), Kilkivan (18.34 to 18.26 per cent) and (from 18.96 to 16.56 per cent) across the rest of the Gympie region.
The proportion of people aged from 15 to 24 is also tipped to fall in all districts, as is the proportion from 25 to 44 and from 45 to 64.
Highly relevant from a real estate perspective is news that Southside is looking at substantial population growth, in both raw numbers and percentages.
This is all according to Queensland Government figures which compare 2016 figures with projections to 2041.
Southside's population increase of about 2000 (from 6882 to 8968) represents about 25 per cent of the existing population in the suburban growth area from Long Flat and Pie Creek to the city.
A similar percentage increase will apply at the Cooloola Coast, but on lower figures (from 6331 to 7732).
The more populous "Gympie North" statistical area takes in the CBD and suburbs. Its population is projected to grow from 14,427 to 16,743.
Growth will also be a reality for Kilkivan, a statistical area from the Goomeri district to Widgee, with a similarly big percentage but from a much smaller base (3710 to 4243 by 2041).
The rest of the Gympie region, including Gympie East and the Mary Valley is projected to receive a bigger share of the actual population increase (18,866 to 22,316), but as it is home to a bigger share of the population already, its growth percentage is more or less in line with the general expectations outlined in the government figures.
demographics population queensland government statistics