Woodgate
A median age of 64 makes Woodgate one of Queensland's oldest resident bases, sitting 24 years above the national median and signalling a coastal retirement community rather than a growth suburb. The population of 1,521 is spread across 186.6 square kilometres, giving a density of 8.2 residents per km2. Household income sits in the 9th percentile nationally, well below state and national averages, yet 63.1% of households own their home outright with no mortgage, suggesting many residents arrived here with wealth built elsewhere. The vacancy rate of 37.8% is exceptionally high compared to most Australian suburbs, reflecting seasonal holiday use and an investment stock that sits empty much of the year.
Local council: Bundaberg
Population
1,521
Median Age
64.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$907/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.0%, with 4-plus bedroom properties at 24.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,322, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 33.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes here sit in the 9th percentile nationally. The 63.1% outright ownership rate is far higher than national norms and points to retirees who arrived debt-free rather than a market driven by first-home buyers or upsizers. Only 13.5% of residents carry a mortgage.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.0%, with 4-plus bedroom properties at 24.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,322, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 33.7%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes here sit in the 9th percentile nationally. The 63.1% outright ownership rate is far higher than national norms and points to retirees who arrived debt-free rather than a market driven by first-home buyers or upsizers. Only 13.5% of residents carry a mortgage.
For Investors
The standout risk is the 37.8% vacancy rate, among the highest recorded for any Queensland suburb, because a large portion of the housing stock functions as holiday accommodation that sits empty outside peak seasons. Development activity recorded 14 applications in the past 12 months, including a dual-occupancy and a multiple-dwelling change of use, indicating some incremental densification. With a participation rate of just 29.0% and an aging resident base, rental demand from permanent tenants is structurally thin, so investor returns depend heavily on short-stay demand rather than a stable long-term tenancy pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 64 is 24 years above the national median, making Woodgate one of the most age-concentrated localities in Queensland. The age profile is reflected in the labour force data: 865 residents are not in the labour force, participation sits at 29.0%, and only 221 work full-time. Overseas-born residents account for 15.1% of the population, which is 6.5 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's Anglo-leaning ancestry mix led by English (687), Scottish (192), Irish (154) and German (126) backgrounds. University qualifications reach just 14.2%, which is 15.9 points below the national average, a gap partly explained by the cohort effect of an older generation that completed education before university participation expanded. Average household size is 2.0, below the national 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
3.7%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 89.9% of the housing stock, one of the highest detached-home ratios in regional Queensland, with semi-detached at 3.7% and apartments at just 1.5%. Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 63.1%, far above national norms, while 13.5% carry a mortgage and 23.4% rent. Three-bedroom homes make up 53.0% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom properties account for 24.8%, so the stock skews toward larger family-sized homes even though the average household size is only 2.0, reflecting retiree couples in homes built for larger families. Rent-to-income runs at 34.2% and mortgage-to-income at 33.7%, both above the 30% stress threshold, because local incomes in the 9th percentile nationally are low relative to even modest housing costs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,322
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $310.
$500
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $500
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$479
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
37.8%
Unoccupied
409
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.2% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
13.4%
Couples with children
80.4%
Couples, no children
5.5%
Single parent
491
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads the local industry mix at 16.0% (40 workers), followed by Healthcare at 12.4% (31) and Hospitality at 11.2% (28), a distribution that reflects both maintenance-of-property demand in a holiday town and the care needs of an elderly population. Education and Professional/Technical services each account for 8.8% and 7.6% respectively. By occupation, Clerical/Admin (65), Professionals (56), Labourers (56) and Managers (52) are roughly balanced, unusual for a small coastal community. Unemployment sits at 7.3%, above the national rate, but the headline participation rate of just 29.0% tells the bigger story: most residents are retired rather than actively seeking work. The volunteering rate of 19.8% is notably high, consistent with a semi-retired community contributing time rather than paid labour.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
459
Unemployed
30
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.5%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
32.5%
Employed
429
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.2%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
672
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 84.6% of residents driving to work, while 8.7% walk or cycle, above the national average for a low-density area and a plausible outcome in a compact beach township. No schools are recorded within the Woodgate suburb boundary, so families with children rely on schooling in nearby Childers or Isis, approximately 20 to 30 kilometres away, which is a practical constraint. Crime statistics are not available in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the 8.9% of residents needing daily assistance (126 people) is above the national average, expected given a median age of 64 that is 24 years above the national figure. The volunteering rate of 19.8% reflects a socially active retired community that compensates for limited commercial services through mutual support.
Drive
69.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.2%
Work from Home
17.6%
Growth Outlook
No formal population forecast data is available for Woodgate at this granularity, but the structural indicators point toward slow or flat growth. The median age of 64 combined with a 9th-percentile household income profile means the suburb attracts retirees and holiday-home buyers rather than young families or working-age migrants who typically drive population expansion. The residential turnover rate of 37.7% is high relative to the 62.3% who stayed, which could reflect seasonal churn or the gradual estate-sale cycle of an aging owner base. Development applications totalled 14 in the past 12 months, including dual-occupancy activity, suggesting modest infill rather than large-scale estate development. Any measurable growth will likely come from sea-change migration rather than natural increase.
Population trend: Bundaberg council area
Woodgate sits in the Bundaberg council area. These are the council area's residents, not Woodgate's.
Residents 2025
107,297
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woodgate compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woodgate a good suburb to live in?
Woodgate suits retirees and sea-change buyers well. The median age of 64 is 24 years above the national median, so it is firmly a retirement and holiday community. The main trade-off is limited local services, including no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Woodgate?
Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,322. Household incomes sit in the 9th percentile nationally, so mortgage-to-income runs at 33.7%, above the 30% stress threshold for local income earners.
What schools are in Woodgate?
No schools are recorded within the Woodgate suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children typically travel to Childers or nearby towns in the Bundaberg region. At 14.2% university qualification rate, which is 15.9 points below the national average, the resident base reflects an older cohort rather than families with children currently enrolled.
Is Woodgate safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Woodgate in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, 8.9% of residents (126 people) need daily assistance, above the national average, primarily because the median age of 64 is 24 years above national. Volunteering at 19.8% suggests a socially connected community, which is generally associated with lower-risk living environments.
Is Woodgate good for property investment?
The major risk is the 37.8% vacancy rate, one of the highest in Queensland, because much of the stock functions as holiday accommodation that sits empty for extended periods. Permanent rental demand is thin given the 29.0% participation rate and aging resident base of 1,521 people.
How is Woodgate's population changing?
Woodgate's population of 1,521 is concentrated in retirees with a median age of 64, which is 24 years above the national median. The residential turnover rate is 37.7%, suggesting regular churn, likely from estate sales and holiday-home transactions. The low participation rate of 29.0% and 865 residents not in the labour force reflect a community in retirement rather than growth-phase demographics.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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