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Job market report

Central Queensland job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Central Queensland, Queensland, from Jobs and Skills Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
25 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 308 Central Queensland
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in Central Queensland were up 0.7% on a year earlier, from 2,207 to 2,223 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Queensland and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 192 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (143) and drivers and storepersons (137).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for arts and media professionals rose fastest, up 80.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, mining grew fastest, with 47% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more).

    Public administration and safety had 4% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.5% of the labour force in Central Queensland was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland.

    It was 8.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 61.2%, against 61.6% across Queensland. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.[3]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation →

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Central Queensland
+0.7%
2,223 ads a month[1]
Queensland
+0.1%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Central QueenslandThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1.8k2k2.2k2.4k2.6k2.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Central QueenslandCentral Queensland, Sep 2026: 2,2232,223

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Central Queensland
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20232,610
November 20232,436
December 20232,147
January 20242,159
February 20242,238
March 20242,440
April 20242,332
May 20242,276
June 20242,207
July 20242,254
August 20242,269
September 20242,387
October 20242,437
November 20242,390
December 20242,124
January 20252,114
February 20252,076
March 20252,265
April 20252,076
May 20252,094
June 20252,082
July 20252,201
August 20252,171
September 20252,207
October 20252,220
November 20252,179
December 20251,985
January 20261,984
February 20262,023
March 20262,194
April 20262,106
May 20262,062
June 20262,005
July 20262,091
August 20262,132
September 20262,223

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Central QueenslandThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Mobile plant operators: +51.0%Mobile plant operators+51.0%Other labourers: +34.3%Other labourers+34.3%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: +25.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals+25.0%Engineers: +22.2%Engineers+22.2%Medical practitioners and nurses: +2.9%Medical practitioners and nurses+2.9%Automotive and engineering trades: +2.1%Automotive and engineering trades+2.1%Drivers and storepersons: +1.5%Drivers and storepersons+1.5%Sales assistants and salespersons: −1.6%Sales assistants and salespersons−1.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −5.7%Hospitality, retail and service managers−5.7%Carers and aides: −9.3%Carers and aides−9.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −21.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−21.9%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −28.7%Legal, social and welfare professionals−28.7%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Central Queensland
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Automotive and engineering trades192188+2.1%
Medical practitioners and nurses143139+2.9%
Drivers and storepersons137135+1.5%
Sales assistants and salespersons125127−1.6%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists121155−21.9%
Carers and aides117129−9.3%
Other labourers9067+34.3%
Legal, social and welfare professionals87122−28.7%
Hospitality, retail and service managers8287−5.7%
Mobile plant operators7449+51.0%
Engineers6654+22.2%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals6552+25.0%
Machine and stationary plant operators6553+22.6%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians6358+8.6%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades5870−17.1%
Cleaners and laundry workers5842+38.1%
Health and welfare support workers51510.0%
Construction trades4858−17.2%
Corporate managers4639+17.9%
Business, finance and human resource professionals4236+16.7%
Food trades4149−16.3%
Construction and mining labourers4130+36.7%
Other clerical and administrative workers4032+25.0%
Construction, production and distribution managers3546−23.9%
Sales representatives and agents35350.0%
Education professionals3132−3.1%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries31310.0%
Numerical clerks2126−19.2%
Sports, travel and personal service workers20200.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers1914+35.7%
Transport and design professionals, and architects1711+54.5%
Hospitality workers1727−37.0%
Sales support workers1712+41.7%
Science professionals and veterinarians1416−12.5%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers12120.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers129+33.3%
Food preparation assistants1112−8.3%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers1012−16.7%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades108+25.0%
Arts and media professionals95+80.0%
Factory process workers98+12.5%
ICT professionals811−27.3%
Protective service workers87+14.3%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers89−11.1%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislators770.0%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals67−14.3%
Information professionals56−16.7%
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation

Unemployment and labour force participation at each Census, from the ABS. These are the rates at the Census named, not current rates.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Central QueenslandShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Central Queensland
  • Queensland
4%6%8%10%201120162021Central QueenslandCentral Queensland, 2011: 4.4%Central Queensland, 2016: 8.7%Central Queensland, 2021: 5.5%5.5%QueenslandQueensland, 2011: 6.1%Queensland, 2016: 7.6%Queensland, 2021: 5.4%5.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Central Queensland
CensusCentral QueenslandQueensland
2011 Census4.4%6.1%
2016 Census8.7%7.6%
2021 Census5.5%5.4%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Central QueenslandShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Central Queensland
  • Queensland
61%62%63%64%65%201120162021Central QueenslandCentral Queensland, 2011: 64.3%Central Queensland, 2016: 61.8%Central Queensland, 2021: 61.2%61.2%QueenslandQueensland, 2011: 62.8%Queensland, 2016: 61.0%Queensland, 2021: 61.6%61.6%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Central Queensland
CensusCentral QueenslandQueensland
2011 Census64.3%62.8%
2016 Census61.8%61.0%
2021 Census61.2%61.6%

Note: This report takes unemployment from the Census. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.

4 Industries growing and shrinking

Employee jobs by industry (ANZSIC division) in the year to 30 June, from the ABS. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Shrinking means fewer employee jobs in the ABS count.

Figure 4.1: Change in employee jobs by industry, Central Queensland, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Mining: +47.4%Mining+47.4%Arts and recreation services: +35.2%Arts and recreation services+35.2%Health care and social assistance: +34.1%Health care and social assistance+34.1%Accommodation and food services: +28.1%Accommodation and food services+28.1%Retail trade: +26.5%Retail trade+26.5%Other services: +23.6%Other services+23.6%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +17.8%Rental, hiring and real estate services+17.8%Transport, postal and warehousing: +17.1%Transport, postal and warehousing+17.1%Professional, scientific and technical services: +15.7%Professional, scientific and technical services+15.7%Electricity, gas, water and waste services: +14.1%Electricity, gas, water and waste services+14.1%Education and training: +13.4%Education and training+13.4%Construction: +13.2%Construction+13.2%Financial and insurance services: +12.6%Financial and insurance services+12.6%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +11.6%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+11.6%Administrative and support services: +8.7%Administrative and support services+8.7%Wholesale trade: +6.5%Wholesale trade+6.5%Manufacturing: +2.7%Manufacturing+2.7%Public administration and safety: −3.9%Public administration and safety−3.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Central Queensland, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance16,19521,713+34.1%
Retail trade14,26918,046+26.5%
Accommodation and food services12,88516,511+28.1%
Construction13,89515,732+13.2%
Administrative and support services14,35615,606+8.7%
Education and training12,92314,650+13.4%
Mining9,00013,267+47.4%
Manufacturing10,29110,568+2.7%
Transport, postal and warehousing7,7259,048+17.1%
Professional, scientific and technical services7,7368,952+15.7%
Other services7,1128,792+23.6%
Public administration and safety9,1018,748−3.9%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing4,6815,224+11.6%
Wholesale trade4,7025,009+6.5%
Financial and insurance services3,8394,322+12.6%
Rental, hiring and real estate services3,5884,227+17.8%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services3,0063,430+14.1%
Arts and recreation services1,1901,609+35.2%
Information media and telecommunications562733n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Central Queensland, 2023187,569 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 21,713Health care and social assistance21,713Retail trade: 18,046Retail trade18,046Accommodation and food services: 16,511Accommodation and food services16,511Construction: 15,732Construction15,732Administrative and support services: 15,606Administrative and support services15,606Education and training: 14,650Education and training14,650Mining: 13,267Mining13,267Manufacturing: 10,568Manufacturing10,568

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Central Queensland, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance21,71312%
Retail trade18,04610%
Accommodation and food services16,5119%
Construction15,7328%
Administrative and support services15,6068%
Education and training14,6508%
Mining13,2677%
Manufacturing10,5686%
Transport, postal and warehousing9,0485%
Professional, scientific and technical services8,9525%
Other services8,7925%
Public administration and safety8,7485%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing5,2243%
Wholesale trade5,0093%
Financial and insurance services4,3222%
Rental, hiring and real estate services4,2272%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services3,4302%
Arts and recreation services1,6091%
Information media and telecommunications7330%
All industries187,569100%

5 Pay

Employee income per person with wage or salary income, before tax, including part-time and part-year workers, from the ABS. The median is the middle earner; the mean (average) is pulled up by high earners.

Figure 5.1: Median employee income, Central QueenslandIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Central Queensland
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Central QueenslandCentral Queensland, 2019: $55,944Central Queensland, 2020: $58,119Central Queensland, 2021: $59,673Central Queensland, 2022: $61,110Central Queensland, 2023: $64,635$64,635QueenslandQueensland, 2019: $50,776Queensland, 2020: $52,137Queensland, 2021: $54,414Queensland, 2022: $56,569Queensland, 2023: $59,751$59,751AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $52,256Australia, 2020: $53,878Australia, 2021: $56,485Australia, 2022: $58,260Australia, 2023: $61,966$61,966

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Median employee income, Central Queensland
YearCentral QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
2019$55,944$50,776$52,256
2020$58,119$52,137$53,878
2021$59,673$54,414$56,485
2022$61,110$56,569$58,260
2023$64,635$59,751$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Central QueenslandIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Central Queensland
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k20192020202120222023Central QueenslandCentral Queensland, 2019: $67,483Central Queensland, 2020: $69,607Central Queensland, 2021: $71,118Central Queensland, 2022: $72,789Central Queensland, 2023: $76,695$76,695QueenslandQueensland, 2019: $60,307Queensland, 2020: $62,160Queensland, 2021: $64,570Queensland, 2022: $67,160Queensland, 2023: $70,571$70,571AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $63,517Australia, 2020: $65,591Australia, 2021: $68,452Australia, 2022: $70,950Australia, 2023: $74,579$74,579

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Mean employee income, Central Queensland
YearCentral QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
2019$67,483$60,307$63,517
2020$69,607$62,160$65,591
2021$71,118$64,570$68,452
2022$72,789$67,160$70,950
2023$76,695$70,571$74,579

6 People

Estimated resident population and the working-age population (15 to 64), from the ABS.

People living in the area
244,220
ABS, 2025 · up 6.4% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
152,720
ABS, 2024 · up 3.6% since 2020[3]

Queensland's population was up 9.8% from 2020 to 2025, and Central Queensland's up 6.4%.[3]

7 Businesses

Counts of businesses by how many people they employ, from the ABS.

Businesses in the area
19,582
ABS, 2025 · up 11.7% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Central Queensland, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 12,224No employees12,2241–4 employees: 4,8621–4 employees4,8625–19 employees: 1,9695–19 employees1,96920 or more employees: 52720 or more employees527

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Central Queensland, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees10,74012,224+13.8%
1–4 employees4,6004,862+5.7%
5–19 employees1,7871,969+10.2%
20 or more employees404527+30.4%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Capricorn and Gladstone, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
724
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Capricorn and GladstoneThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 182Healthcare & Medical182Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 88Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics88Community Services & Development: 86Community Services & Development86Retail & Consumer Products: 76Retail & Consumer Products76Education & Training: 43Education & Training43Hospitality & Tourism: 43Hospitality & Tourism43Trades & Services: 39Trades & Services39Mining, Resources & Energy: 34Mining, Resources & Energy34

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Capricorn and Gladstone
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical182
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics88
Community Services & Development86
Retail & Consumer Products76
Education & Training43
Hospitality & Tourism43
Trades & Services39
Mining, Resources & Energy34

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about Central Queensland's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in Central Queensland?

2,223 online job ads a month were placed in Central Queensland, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Central Queensland's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in Central Queensland were up 0.7% on a year earlier, from 2,207 to 2,223 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Queensland and up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in Central Queensland?

Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 192 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by medical practitioners and nurses (143) and drivers and storepersons (137). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for arts and media professionals rose fastest, up 80.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Central Queensland?

5.5% of the labour force in Central Queensland was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland. It was 8.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 61.2%, against 61.6% across Queensland. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Central Queensland?

Average (mean) employee income in Central Queensland was $76,695 in 2023; the median was $64,635, against $59,751 across Queensland and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Central Queensland?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Central Queensland: 21,713 in 2023, 12% of the 187,569 employee jobs. Next were retail trade (18,046) and accommodation and food services (16,511).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Central Queensland?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, mining grew fastest, with 47% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by arts and recreation services (35% more). Public administration and safety had 4% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Central Queensland's population growing?

244,220 people lived in Central Queensland in 2025, up 6.4% since 2020. Queensland's population was up 9.8% over the same years. The working-age population was 152,720 in 2024, up 3.6% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Central Queensland?

At least 724 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Central Queensland, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in Capricorn and Gladstone, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (182), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (88) and Community Services & Development (86).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
Central Queensland here is ABS SA4 308 Central Queensland. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Unemployment
This report takes unemployment from the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses: each figure is the rate at the Census named, not a current rate. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 8 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 25 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Central Queensland job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/qld/central-queensland

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

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