According to the most recent estimated residential population figures for June 2022 from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the Tablelands region has achieved a significant milestone.
As measured by the populations of the Mareeba and Tablelands Local Government Areas (LGAs), the Tablelands area has hit the 50,000 milestone.
As the table illustrates, the Tablelands area population passed the 40,000 mark in 2001. While many of Australia’s rural areas have been declining in population, the Tablelands area has stood out as one rural area that has grown steadily over the years. Behind the growth has been a number of factors, especially the role of the Mareeba Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme based on Tinaroo Dam in greatly expanding agricultural production in the area, especially horticultural production to take the Cairns (SA4) region to be the third largest fruit growing area in Australia. The Tablelands area is one of northern Australia’s most desired lifestyle locations.
Tourism and the location of the population working in other parts of the region, including mines and Cairns, have contributed to growth. There has been a marked rise in the retiree population in the area. The population of 50,000 makes the Tablelands area one of the largest concentrations of people in northern Australia outside of the major cities, exceeding the Whitsundays area at 39,000, Cassowary Coast at 29,000, and Central Highlands at 29,000. As the above chart illustrates, recorded growth has fluctuated but has remained below zero. Over the period, growth has been shared between the two local government areas at about 5,000 each.
keep up to date with the latest news.
