South Burnett has an agricultural base supported by manufacturing, retail, health care, education and construction. Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 11.6% of employed residents in 2021, while health care and social assistance accounted for 14.4%. The estimated resident population reached 35,111 in 2025, rising by 1.2%, with net internal migration the largest contributor. Project work is under way in transport and water, with proposed energy work at a mid-sized scale; completed transport work remains part of the program. In the 12 months to July 2026, 195 dwellings were approved, equal to 1.25× the council’s own three-year average. Non-residential approvals were $22.7m, or 0.91× their own average, in the 12 months to 2026-06-30.

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South Burnett: an agricultural economy with infrastructure activity and population growth

Economic base

South Burnett’s economic character is anchored in agriculture, with 11.6% of employed residents working in agriculture, forestry and fishing in 2021. Manufacturing accounted for 10.2%, retail trade 10.5%, health care and social assistance 14.4%, education and training 9.8% and construction 7.3%. This is a production economy with substantial local service activity and a material care and education role. The business base reflects that breadth: 1,468 registered agricultural businesses, 100 manufacturing businesses, 181 retail businesses, 189 health care and social assistance businesses and 411 construction businesses were recorded in June 2025.

The resident population was 35,111 in 2025, an increase of 428 or 1.2%. Net internal migration contributed 394 people and net overseas migration 97, while natural increase was -63. The labour force was 16,634 in 2026-Q1, with 838 unemployed people and an unemployment rate of 5%. Population inflow and a sizeable workforce sit alongside an industry profile that spreads demand across freight, production inputs, health services and everyday retail. This breadth gives the local economy several operating links, although agriculture remains its defining productive base.

Project program

The council’s project work is directed towards transport and water activity under way, proposed energy work and completed transport work. The largest priced work is in energy and is described at a mid-sized scale. The program therefore combines current access and water activity with a future energy component, while transport also remains part of the completed work record. This direction aligns with an economy in which agriculture, manufacturing and construction depend on reliable movement, utilities and productive land.

Building approvals provide a separate measure of authorised construction activity. In the 12 months to July 2026, 195 dwellings were approved, including 157 new houses and 38 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings. Residential building work approved, including new homes, alterations and additions, was $114.5m in the 12 months to July 2026. Non-residential building work approved to proceed was $22.7m in the 12 months to 2026-06-30, equivalent to 0.91× the council’s own three-year average. These approvals sit alongside, rather than replace, the broader transport, water and energy program.

Economic connections

Transport work aligns with the needs of an agricultural and manufacturing economy because road and freight access support the movement of farm output, materials and finished goods. Water work could support operational reliability for communities and production. Proposed energy work may add utility capacity relevant to manufacturing and other businesses. These are functional links between project types and economic requirements; the scale of the project program is not a measure of local economic output or a measured employment outcome.

Construction activity connects the program with local firms and workers through building, civil works and associated trades. There were 411 registered construction businesses and 175 employing construction businesses in June 2025, while construction represented 7.3% of employed residents in 2021. Health care and social assistance represented 14.4% of employed residents, with five open hospitals, 21 approved centre-based childcare services and five residential aged care homes. These service measures matter as the population changes, while building approvals provide a contemporaneous measure of authorised work.

Outlook

The near-term picture combines population growth, residential construction activity and a program focused on transport, water and energy. The 1.2% population increase in 2025 was associated mainly with net internal migration, while dwelling approvals were 1.25× the council’s own three-year average in the 12 months to July 2026. Together, these indicators are consistent with continuing demand for housing and local services. They also leave the distribution of demand across settlements and the timing of authorised work as important matters to follow.

The main indicators to follow are the composition of project work, the pace and type of dwelling approvals, non-residential approvals, population change and labour-market conditions. A shift towards energy work would change the infrastructure emphasis, while continued transport and water activity would remain connected to access and utility reliability. The labour force and unemployment measures provide context for construction and service capacity, and business counts help distinguish the breadth of registered enterprise from employing businesses.

For council and planning staff

Population increased by 428, or 1.2%, in 2025. Net internal migration was 394, net overseas migration was 97 and natural increase was -63. The housing pace measure was 1.25× the council’s own three-year average in the 12 months to July 2026; 100% represents the yearly pace required by the state target. Service capacity included five open hospitals, 21 approved centre-based childcare services with 913 places as at 2026-09-30, and five residential aged care homes with 301 places at 2025-06-30. Together, these measures relate population change to housing pace and essential service capacity.

For buyers’ agents and investors

The 2021 housing profile recorded 43.2% of occupied private dwellings owned outright, 27.4% owned with a mortgage and 25% rented. Average household size was 2.3 people and median age was 48. Median weekly household income was $1,045 and median weekly personal income was $542. A total of 41.9% of residents had lived at a different address five years earlier. In 2026-Q1, the labour force was 16,634, with 838 unemployed people and an unemployment rate of 5%. New dwelling approvals in the 12 months to July 2026 comprised 157 houses and 38 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings.

For builders and developers

In the 12 months to July 2026, 195 dwellings were approved: 157 houses and 38 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings. The approvals measure was 1.25× the council’s own three-year average, and residential building work approved was $114.5m. Construction had 411 registered businesses and 175 employing businesses in June 2025, while construction accounted for 7.3% of employed residents in 2021. Non-residential building work approved to proceed was $22.7m in the 12 months to 2026-06-30, equal to 0.91× the council’s own three-year average. These measures connect authorised work with the local construction business base.

Key takeaways

South Burnett combines an agricultural and manufacturing base with substantial health, education, retail and construction activity; agriculture accounted for 11.6% of employed residents and health care and social assistance 14.4% in 2021.
Population rose by 1.2% in 2025, driven mainly by net internal migration, while residential dwelling approvals were 1.25× the council’s own three-year average in the 12 months to July 2026.
Project work is active in transport and water, with proposed mid-sized energy work, linking the program’s direction to freight access, utility reliability and productive capacity.

Sources

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

HtAG Projects · as at 3 November 2026