Dundas Infrastructure Projects, WA

Dundas combines a mining-linked employment base with a small resident economy and a project mix shifting towards proposed energy work.

Economic base

Dundas has a small resident economy with a clear mining and service profile. In the 2021 Census, mining accounted for 15.7% of employed residents, while public administration and safety and retail trade each accounted for 12.6%. Accommodation and food services contributed 19.1%, health care and social assistance 8%, education and training 6.9%, and agriculture, forestry and fishing 4.6%. Construction and transport, postal and warehousing each accounted for 5%. This mix points to an economy supported by resource activity, public services, local trade and visitor-facing work rather than a broad manufacturing base.

The business base is small: 34 registered businesses and 12 employing businesses in June 2025. Construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, and accommodation and food services each had 5 registered businesses; transport, postal and warehousing had 4. Accommodation and food services had 6 employing businesses, construction 3 and retail trade 3. The labour force was 412 in 2026-Q1, with 20 unemployed people and an unemployment rate of 4.9%. These figures describe a compact local economy in which a limited number of businesses and service functions sit alongside resource-related employment.

Project program

The project program is directed towards proposed energy work at a large scale. This is the most material pattern in the council's project work: future activity is oriented to energy, while completed work has been in transport. The direction suggests a shift from completed transport work towards proposed energy work, with the energy category representing the largest priced work. The scale of project work is separate from local economic output, so the program should be read as an infrastructure direction rather than a measure of council production.

Transport work is shared with other councils, making access and movement a cross-boundary part of the program. The energy direction could support industrial enablement if associated access and network requirements are delivered, while the completed transport work provides a relevant connection to movement across council boundaries. Residential work approved to proceed was modest: 2 dwellings in the 12 months to July 2026, comprising 2 houses and 0 other dwellings, with residential building work valued at $1.4m. Non-residential building approvals were $0 in the 12 months to June 2026, with the approvals measure at 1.00× the council's own three-year average.

Economic connections

The strongest supported connection is between the project direction and the council's existing resource and service economy. Mining was 15.7% of employed residents in 2021, while electricity, gas, water and waste services accounted for 1.2%. Proposed large-scale energy work is therefore consistent with an infrastructure direction that may connect to an established resource-facing workforce and related services. Completed transport work shared with other councils supports the access mechanism through which people, supplies and services move across boundaries. These are potential enabling links, not measured local outcomes.

The local business structure gives these connections a defined operating context. Construction had 5 registered businesses and 3 employing businesses in June 2025; transport, postal and warehousing had 4 registered businesses; and accommodation and food services had 5 registered businesses and 6 employing businesses. Energy or transport activity could add demand for construction, logistics, accommodation and food services, but the figures do not measure that outcome. Population change of -3 people, or -0.4%, in 2025 means service and housing capacity remain relevant to any change in activity. The one public hospital, one residential aged care home and 7 residential aged care places form part of that local capacity.

Outlook

Dundas enters the next period with a small population and a proposed energy-led project direction. Estimated resident population was 735 in 2025. Population change was -3 people, or -0.4%, comprising natural increase of -8, net internal migration of -1 and net overseas migration of 6. The labour force was 412 in 2026-Q1 and unemployment was 4.9%. Together, these measures point to an economy where the scale and composition of future activity will matter more than broad population expansion.

The immediate indicators are mixed. Proposed large-scale energy work provides a clear forward direction, while completed transport work shared with other councils provides an access connection. At the same time, non-residential building approvals were $0 in the 12 months to June 2026 and dwellings approved were 2 in the 12 months to July 2026. The important watch is whether project activity is accompanied by approvals, construction capacity, housing supply and service capacity. Changes in the labour market, population and mix of project work will clarify how far the program is connecting with Dundas's local economy.

For council and planning staff

Population and service capacity are central to the local planning picture. Dundas had an estimated resident population of 735 in 2025, with population change of -3 people, or -0.4%. The change comprised natural increase of -8, net internal migration of -1 and net overseas migration of 6. Current service capacity includes 1 open public and private hospital, 1 public hospital, 1 residential aged care home and 7 residential aged care places as at 2025-06-30. These measures frame the scale at which future activity would meet local services.

For buyers’ agents and investors

The 2021 housing and household profile is mixed. Of occupied private dwellings, 42.3% were owned outright, 12.8% were owned with a mortgage and 27.1% were rented. Average household size was 1.8 persons and median age was 50. A different address five years earlier was reported by 35.2% of residents. Median household income was $827 weekly and median personal income was $654 weekly. The labour force was 412 people in 2026-Q1, with 20 unemployed people and an unemployment rate of 4.9%. New dwelling approvals in the 12 months to July 2026 comprised 2 houses and 0 other dwellings.

For builders and developers

Residential approvals in the 12 months to July 2026 were 2 dwellings: 2 houses and 0 townhouses, apartments and other dwellings. The value of residential building work approved, including new homes, alterations and additions, was $1.4m. Dwellings approved per 1,000 residents were 2.7 in that period. Non-residential building work approved to proceed was $0 in the 12 months to June 2026, at 1.00× the council's own three-year average. The local construction base comprised 5 registered businesses and 3 employing businesses in June 2025.

Key takeaways

• Dundas has a compact economy with mining, public administration, retail, accommodation and food services prominent in resident employment.
• The project direction is proposed large-scale energy work, alongside completed transport work shared with other councils.
• Residential approvals were 2 dwellings in the 12 months to July 2026, while non-residential building approvals were $0 in the 12 months to June 2026.

Sources

• Mining — ABS Census 2021
• Public administration and safety — ABS Census 2021
• Retail trade — ABS Census 2021
• Accommodation and food services — ABS Census 2021
• Health care and social assistance — ABS Census 2021
• Education and training — ABS Census 2021
• Agriculture, forestry and fishing — ABS Census 2021
• Construction — ABS Census 2021
• Transport, postal and warehousing — ABS Census 2021
• Registered businesses — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Construction — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Accommodation and Food Services — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Registered businesses, Transport, Postal and Warehousing — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses, Accommodation and Food Services — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses, Construction — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Employing businesses, Retail Trade — ABS Counts of Australian Businesses
• Labour force — Small Area Labour Markets
• Unemployed persons — Small Area Labour Markets
• Unemployment rate — Small Area Labour Markets
• Dwellings approved, 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
• Value of residential building work approved (new homes, alterations and additions), latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals
• Non-residential building approvals, 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
• Electricity, gas, water and waste services — ABS Census 2021
• Population change — ABS Regional Population
• Population change — ABS Regional Population
• Open public and private hospitals — AIHW MyHospitals
• Residential aged care homes — AIHW GEN aged care
• Residential aged care places — AIHW GEN aged care
• Estimated resident population — ABS Regional Population
• Natural increase — ABS Regional Population
• Net internal migration — ABS Regional Population
• Net overseas migration — ABS Regional Population
• Public hospitals — AIHW MyHospitals
• 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
• Lived at a different address 5 years ago — ABS Census 2021
• Median household income (weekly) — ABS Census 2021
• Median personal income (weekly) — ABS Census 2021
• Dwellings approved per 1,000 residents, latest 12 months — ABS Building Approvals