Impressive growth in Livingstone Shire paves the way forward for strategic planning

Livingstone Shire is well and truly making its mark in Queensland, with recent economic analysis highlighting our significant population and industry growth.

Population growth across Livingstone Shire was above the Queensland State average between 2021 and 2022, growing to 40,952, which is no surprise given the substantial economic growth of $98m across the same period – increasing our gross regional product to over $1.6b annually.

Highlights of this regional economic growth include a sizeable increase of 350 new business GST registrations, reflecting the growth of small business across the region, and domestic tourism visitation at an all time high with over 1.2 million overnight stays across 2021 – 2022.

Livingstone Shire Council Mayor Andy Ireland, Portfolio holder of Economic Development and Regional Advocacy and Intergovernmental Relations, said that now more than ever, it was important for Council to focus on strong investment attraction alongside infrastructure planning.

“We have been fortunate to have many people choose to call Livingstone Shire home since the pandemic, however this comes with increased demand for services and increased expectation from our community,” Mayor Ireland said.

"Council is taking immediate steps to ensure that we can meet the needs of our growing community.

“Council recently gifted land to AnglicareCQ at Yeppoon and Emu Park which will be used to construct affordable dwellings including units for people with disabilities.  Council is also working closely with Saint Vincent de Paul to establish high density residential dwellings in Yeppoon, offering much needed affordable housing options. These commitments are dependent on state funding and development approvals.

“In addition to this, Council has recently approved an over 50’s residential development at Taroomball and Council encourages homeowners in the Shire to take advantage of establishing a secondary dwelling less than 80m2 on their property as they do not require a planning application (unless impacted by overlays), simply a building application to be lodged with Council or a private certifier.

“Not only do we need to consider the housing requirements of the Shire, but we also need to consider the changing health needs. Data shows that our population growth is most significant in the 55 – 69-year age bracket and our health services will need to increase rapidly to support this growth.

“Council encourages development from allied health and social assistance services in the region. Our resident population currently has a surplus of workers travelling outside of region to work in the healthcare sector, which tells us we have a ready and waiting workforce to staff these services in Livingstone Shire right now.

“It’s no surprise that people are choosing to Live, Work and Invest in Livingstone Shire, we have an enviable lifestyle and a welcoming community. I encourage investors to take a look at what we have to offer and get in touch with Council to discuss how we can work together for the benefit of the region.”

For more information about investment in Livingstone Shire, please contact the Economic Development team on 07 4913 5000.