_Focus on | Living in Brisbane

Population

Population has been steadily rising in Brisbane with recent interstate migration into the city. Over the year to 30 June 2017, an increase in the estimated resident population was recorded at 2.0% to 2.4 million. This is ahead of the overall Australian population growth of 1.6%. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Brisbane population is projected to grow annually by a minimum of 1.8%, to total 3.5 million persons by 2036.

Age Distribution

Residents are primarily young to middle aged—with 36% of Brisbane’s population aged between 15 and 39 years old compared to the national average of 33.9% for this age group.

Multiculturalism

The Brisbane population is on par with the national average —with 32.2% of the city’s residents being born outside of Australia. The most prominent countries of birth include New Zealand (4.7%), England (4.0%), China (1.6%), India (1.6%) and South Africa (1.0%). In addition, approximately 31.9% of Brisbane’s residents’ parents were born overseas—slightly below the national average of 34.4%.

Religion

The Catholic religion was practiced by 21.5% of Brisbane residents at the time of the Census 2016, this was followed by Anglican at 13.3%, then Uniting Church with 4.6%. No religion was the most common response in Brisbane with 30.6% of the population.

Language

Other than English, Mandarin (2.4%) is the most common language spoken in a Brisbane household. Other typical languages include Vietnamese (1.0%), Cantonese (0.9%), Spanish (0.7%) and Hindi (0.6%).

Education

Brisbane is a skilled city. A higher proportion of people are educated at university level (22.9%) compared to the Australian average (22%). In Brisbane, 18.7% of the local student population were studying at university in the 2016 Census, compared to the national average of 16.1%.

Work

The most common occupation of Brisbane’s residents are in professional services—at 22.9% compared to the national 22.2% average. Clerical and administrative workers (14.8%), technicians and trades workers (13.0%) and managers (11.8%) were the next most common occupations.

Of all the employed people in Brisbane, 4.4% worked in hospitals. Other major industries of employment included primary education (2.4%), cafés and restaurants (2.3%), state government administration (2.3%) and supermarket and grocery stores (2.3%).

Travel to Work

In Brisbane at the time of the Census 2016, the most common methods of travel to work for employed people were by car, as a driver (61.2%), car, as a passenger (5.0%) and bus (4.7%). Other common responses were worked at home (4.6%) and train (3.6%).

On the day, 11.6% of employed people used public transport (train, bus, ferry, tram/light rail) as at least one of their methods of travel to work and 69% used car (either as driver or as passenger).

Key Employment Hubs

The distribution of employment opportunities are wide across Brisbane, although there are key concentrated areas for office and industrial workers.

Commercial

Brisbane CBD is the largest office market in Brisbane. It extends around the Brisbane River from North Quay, cutting across Alice Street, north along Boundary Street, south on Turbot Street then south of Roma Street Station and Transit Centre. Workers regularly access the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and Roma Street Parkland at lunchtime. Accessible by: train, ferry, bus, car and footbridge from the Inner South.

Milton office accommodation is located further around the Brisbane River and based around Milton Train Station, extending through Petrie Terrace, skirting Suncorp Stadium and Gregory Park. Accessible by: train, ferry, bus and car.

Spring Hill adjoins the CBD to the south, and Victoria Park Golf Course to the north and includes St Andrews Memorial Hospital, Brisbane Private Hospital and Brisbane Central State School. Accessible by: train, bus and car.

Toowong is concentrated around Toowong Village and Train Station and bound by Anzac Park, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens, and Toowong Park and the Brisbane River to the south. Accessible by: train, ferry, bus and car.

Urban Renewal Precinct incorporates the vibrant urban precincts of Fortitude Valley, New Farm, Teneriffe, Newstead and Bowen Hills with many vantage points along the Brisbane River. Accessible by: bus, car, train and/or ferry.

Inner South sprawls south of the Brisbane River to include locations such as Southbank, South Brisbane,West End, Woolloongabba, Kangaroo Point, East Brisbane and Greenslopes. Accessible by: bus, car, train, ferry and/or footbridge from CBD.

Brisbane Airport Precinct is mostly home to companies with synergy to the airport and/or logistics. This precinct also accommodates retail outlets. Accessible by: train, bus and car.

Industrial

Industrial areas are more spread across the metropolitan area varying from distribution centres to warehouses and industrial estates. Mostly they are accessible via bus, truck and car.

North: Brendale, Geebung.

South East: Rochedale, Yatala, Ormeau, Stapylton.

South West and Outer South West: Richlands, Darra, Redbank, Ipswich.

South: Berrinba, Acacia Ridge, Heathwood, Parkinson, Salisbury.

Trade Coast: Lytton, Eagle Farm, Pinkenba, Hendra, Hemmant, Morningside, Murarrie, Airport, Port.