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Central QLD in Australia

Central QLD is made up of Livingstone (S), Bundaberg (R), Mackay (R), Fraser Coast (R), Rockhampton (R), Central Highlands (R) (Qld), Isaac (R), Gladstone (R), Whitsunday (R), South Burnett (R), North Burnett (R), Banana (S), Woorabinda (S), Gympie (R), and Western Downs (R).

Living in Central QLD

Central QLD Overall Liveability Index
Central QLD 2023
58.4
Australia
63.4
Adelaide
67.4
Central NSW
60.5
Central VIC
67.5
Darwin
58.5
Eastern VIC
63.9
Far North Queensland
60.3
Hobart
58.5
Melbourne
65.5
Northern NSW
58.8
Perth
67.4
Regional NT
53.0
Regional SA
67.7
Regional Tas
60.2
Regional WA
61.7
Rest of QLD
68.7
South East Queensland
63.7
Southern NSW
61.9
Sydney
65.9
The ACT
65.6
Western VIC
66.4
Collected May 2024

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

Central QLD Overall Liveability Index

Central QLD Overall Liveability Index 59.5

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 63.4

Central QLD
Australia
Importance
Experience

Feeling safe

Importance
Experience
65%
6.1
63%
6.8

Affordable decent housing

Importance
Experience
55%
4.6
52%
4.7

Natural environment

Importance
Experience
55%
7.7
53%
7.9

Health services

Importance
Experience
51%
4.8
45%
6.5

Good job prospects

Importance
Experience
46%
6.1
29%
5.9

A lack of road congestion

Importance
Experience
32%
6.4
22%
5.6

Sense of community

Importance
Experience
29%
6.4
31%
6.5

Making your way

Importance
Experience
28%
6.0
32%
6.4

Opportunity for all

Importance
Experience
23%
6.3
18%
6.3

Shopping, leisure & dining

Importance
Experience
21%
5.2
28%
6.5

A prosperous economy

Importance
Experience
17%
6.4
15%
6.2

Sports and recreation

Importance
Experience
16%
6.6
11%
7.2

Education

Importance
Experience
16%
6.3
18%
6.7

Social cohesion

Importance
Experience
15%
6.3
26%
6.7

Cultural facilities

Importance
Experience
15%
5.5
16%
6.2

Public transport

Importance
Experience
14%
3.7
40%
5.6
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Central QLD

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central QLD (n = 166)
6.4
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
15%
62%
23%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
12%
58%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central QLD (n = 166)
7.3
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
16%
66%
18%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
10%
65%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central QLD (n = 166)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
13%
70%
17%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
9%
68%
23%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Central QLD

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central QLD (n = 166)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
32%
47%
21%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
21%
51%
28%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 4831)
Always late
1%
2%
Often late
3%
5%
Sometimes late
31%
27%
Never late
65%
66%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
30%
54%
16%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
35%
52%
13%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Central QLD

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
25%
46%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
34%
30%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
13%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
6%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
22%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 37% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 44% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 11% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 51% somewhat confident. 35% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
37%
45%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
44%
40%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
20%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Very confident
11%
6%
Somewhat confident
51%
38%
Not very confident
26%
39%
Not at all confident
9%
13%
Don't know
3%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Extreme heat (83%), Flooding (58%) and Storms (56%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (61%), Conserve natural resources (61%) and Provide options for recycling waste (58%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3660)
Extreme heat
83%
75%
Flooding
58%
55%
Storms
56%
57%
Bushfires
54%
51%
Cyclones
53%
12%
Droughts
45%
42%
Severe wind
34%
43%
Sea level rise
24%
23%
Extremely cold temperatures
5%
18%
Landslide
2%
6%
Other
2%
3%
Earthquakes
0%
5%
None of these
0%
0%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
61%
64%
Conserve natural resources
61%
54%
Provide options for recycling waste
58%
53%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
55%
58%
Reduce pollution of the environment
52%
58%
More sustainable building and development practices
44%
48%
Encourage residents to buy locally
42%
36%
Adopt renewable energy sources
39%
55%
Create renewable energy sources
38%
46%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
35%
41%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
32%
43%
More sustainable transport options
31%
48%
Other
5%
6%
None of these
1%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 44% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 40% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 13% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 58% somewhat confident. 27% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
41%
44%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
31%
40%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
29%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Very confident
13%
10%
Somewhat confident
58%
53%
Not very confident
24%
27%
Not at all confident
3%
6%
Don't know
2%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (83%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (58%) and Essential infrastructure vulnerability (45%). 56% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 6% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Increased household running costs
83%
81%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
58%
63%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
45%
39%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
40%
44%
Challenges getting around
37%
38%
Challenges accessing essential services
36%
28%
My ability to access nature due to weather
34%
34%
Loss or damage to your home/property
33%
27%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
27%
27%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
26%
30%
Reduction in air quality
25%
39%
Reduced value to your home/property
15%
13%
Other
2%
3%
None of these
2%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
It will improve a lot
3%
2%
It will improve somewhat
9%
7%
It will not change
20%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
56%
49%
It will reduce a lot
6%
22%
Don't know
6%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns & ideas in Central QLD

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Central QLD (n = 166)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
Housing/Price of Housing
45%
54%
Inflation/Cost of Living
45%
59%
Law & order
45%
26%
Healthcare/Hospitals
38%
19%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
21%
21%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
21%
15%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
13%
14%
The Economy
12%
13%
Transport
12%
18%
Poverty/Inequality
8%
11%
Unemployment
8%
9%
Education
6%
3%
Taxation
6%
5%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
5%
5%
Population/Overpopulation
5%
13%
Environmental Concerns
4%
7%
Race Relations/Racism
3%
3%
Immigration
2%
5%
Defence
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower