Hilltops Infrastructure Projects, NSW

Hilltops combines a substantial agricultural base with transport, industrial and community-service activity

Economic base

Hilltops has a rural production base with a broad service economy around it. Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 19.6% of employed residents in 2021, followed by health care and social assistance at 12.1%, retail trade at 9.8%, construction at 8.6%, and education and training at 7.9%. Transport, postal and warehousing accounted for 3.7%, while manufacturing accounted for 4.8%. In June 2025, the area had 2,397 registered businesses and 957 employing businesses. Agriculture, forestry and fishing was the largest business category recorded, with 998 registered businesses and 325 employing businesses; construction had 371 registered businesses and 165 employing businesses.

The business structure also includes 114 retail businesses, 106 transport, postal and warehousing businesses, 94 health care and social assistance businesses, 92 professional, scientific and technical businesses, and 65 accommodation and food services businesses. These figures describe a local economy in which farm production is complemented by trades, logistics, household services and essential community activity. The current labour market recorded a labour force of 9,126 people and 315 unemployed people in 2026-Q1, with an unemployment rate of 3.5%. The employment base therefore combines land-based production with services that support residents, businesses and movement through the district.

Project program

The council’s current project program is concentrated in transport, industrial and school work under way. Water work is proposed. Transport and health work has been completed. The largest priced work is in transport and industrial activity at a smaller scale. This gives the program a clear productive-infrastructure direction, with active work supporting movement and industrial land uses, alongside school investment and a proposed water component.

Building approvals add a separate measure of work approved to proceed. Non-residential building approvals totalled $18.3m in the latest 12 months to 2026-06, or 1.07× the council’s own three-year average. Residential building work approved totalled $28.2m in the 12 months to July 2026. The approvals pattern is predominantly detached housing: 43 new houses formed most of the 46 dwellings approved, while 3 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings were approved. Homes in development applications lodged in the latest 12 months numbered 216 at 2026-09-19.

Economic connections

Transport work aligns with Hilltops’ agricultural and logistics base. Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 19.6% of employed residents, while transport, postal and warehousing accounted for 3.7% and the area had 106 registered transport businesses in June 2025. In that setting, transport improvements could improve the movement of farm inputs, produce, workers and services. Transport work is also shared with other councils, so its operating effect may extend beyond the local boundary. This is a connection between access infrastructure and the area’s productive economy, not a measure of local output.

Industrial work is consistent with the existing manufacturing and construction base, while proposed water work may add to water-security capacity for households and productive uses. School work aligns with an employment base in education and training, which accounted for 7.9% of employed residents; completed health work sits alongside health care and social assistance at 12.1% and four open hospitals. These relationships may improve local service capacity and support construction activity while work proceeds. The project categories do not quantify employment or population outcomes. The $18.3m in non-residential approvals provides a separate indication of approved building activity around these connections.

Outlook

Hilltops entered the period with a population of 19,347 in 2025. The population change was -46 people, or -0.2%; natural increase was -19, net internal migration was -68 and net overseas migration was 41. This points to a slightly contracting resident base, with overseas migration partly offsetting natural decrease and internal migration. The labour market was active in 2026-Q1, with 9,126 people in the labour force and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. Together, these indicators make population movement and workforce conditions important context for service demand and the timing of construction activity.

The near-term mix combines active transport, industrial and school work with proposed water work, while approvals show non-residential activity above the council’s own three-year average and housing approvals below it. The direction of housing work is predominantly detached houses, and the lodged-application figure is materially larger than the latest approved-dwelling figure. Service capacity includes four public hospitals, 11 approved centre-based childcare services with 716 places, and six residential aged care homes with 250 places. Monitoring the approvals pace, population components, labour market and balance of active, proposed and completed work will clarify how infrastructure activity meets changing demand.

For council and planning staff

Population and service capacity are central planning signals. Hilltops had 19,347 residents in 2025, with population change of -46 and -0.2%; natural increase was -19, net internal migration was -68 and net overseas migration was 41. Current services include 4 public hospitals, 11 approved centre-based childcare services with 716 places, and 6 residential aged care homes with 250 places. These figures describe a slightly smaller resident base alongside established health, early-childhood and aged-care capacity. They can be read together when considering how service demand is distributed across communities and how population movement may alter local operating requirements.

For buyers’ agents and investors

Households in Hilltops had an average size of 2.4 people in 2021, and the median age was 45. Tenure was 42.4% owned outright, 27.7% owned with a mortgage and 23.4% rented. The median household income was $1,175 per week and median personal income was $657 per week. A total of 38.1% of residents lived at a different address 5 years earlier. The current labour market recorded an unemployment rate of 3.5% in 2026-Q1, while approved housing in the 12 months to July 2026 comprised 43 houses and 3 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings. Together, these figures describe household structure, tenure and housing form alongside labour-market conditions.

For builders and developers

Building approvals in the 12 months to July 2026 comprised 46 dwellings: 43 new houses and 3 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings. Residential building work approved was valued at $28.2m, while dwellings approved were 0.80× the council’s own three-year average. Homes in development applications lodged in the latest 12 months numbered 216 at 2026-09-19. Non-residential building approvals totalled $18.3m in the latest 12 months to 2026-06, equal to 1.07× the council’s own three-year average. The figures distinguish approved work from lodged applications and show a housing mix weighted towards houses. The construction business base comprised 371 registered construction businesses and 165 employing construction businesses in June 2025. Construction accounted for 8.6% of employed residents in the 2021 Census.

Key takeaways

• Hilltops’ economic base is led by agriculture, forestry and fishing, with substantial construction, health, retail, education and transport activity around it.
• The project program is directed towards active transport, industrial and school work, proposed water work, and completed transport and health work, with transport and industrial activity the largest priced work at a smaller scale.
• Population declined slightly in 2025, while non-residential building approvals were above the council’s own three-year average and dwelling approvals were below it.

Sources

• Agriculture, forestry and fishing — ABS Census 2021
• Registered businesses — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Unemployment rate — Small Area Labour Markets
• Health care and social assistance — ABS Census 2021
• Retail trade — ABS Census 2021
• Construction — ABS Census 2021
• Education and training — ABS Census 2021
• Transport, postal and warehousing — ABS Census 2021
• Manufacturing — ABS Census 2021
• Employing businesses — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Construction — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses, Construction — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Retail Trade — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Transport, Postal and Warehousing — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Health Care and Social Assistance — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Accommodation and Food Services — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Labour force — Small Area Labour Markets
• Unemployed persons — Small Area Labour Markets
• Non-residential building approvals, latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• Dwellings approved, latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• Non-residential building approvals versus this council's own three-year average, weighted by the value of those approvals — ABS Building Approvals
• Value of residential building work approved (new homes, alterations and additions), latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• New houses approved, latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• Townhouses, apartments and other dwellings approved, latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• Homes in development applications lodged, latest 12 months — NSW Planning Portal
• Open public and private hospitals — AIHW MyHospitals
• Estimated resident population — ABS Regional Population
• Dwellings approved versus this council's own three-year average — ABS Building Approvals
• Population change — ABS Regional Population
• Population change — ABS Regional Population
• Natural increase — ABS Regional Population
• Net internal migration — ABS Regional Population
• Net overseas migration — ABS Regional Population
• Public hospitals — AIHW MyHospitals
• Approved centre-based childcare services — ACECQA national register
• Approved childcare places — ACECQA national register
• Residential aged care homes — AIHW GEN aged care
• Residential aged care places — AIHW GEN aged care
• Average household size — ABS Census 2021
• Owned outright — ABS Census 2021
• Median household income (weekly) — ABS Census 2021
• Median age — ABS Census 2021
• Owned with a mortgage — ABS Census 2021
• Rented — ABS Census 2021
• Median personal income (weekly) — ABS Census 2021
• Lived at a different address 5 years ago — ABS Census 2021