Population Boom for Many Mining Towns

Many of Australia's most prominent mining towns have experienced a population boom over recent times, analysis of 2011 census data suggests.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) highlighted that one of the areas to have witnessed this trend is the Queensland town of Middlemount.

Jane Griffin-Warwicke, ABS director of social and progress reporting, explained that there is a certain demographic that is attracted to mining towns – one that could bring benefits to anyone who wants to rent property in Rockhampton.

She commented: "These high-growth mining towns tend to have a lot of people on higher incomes, but they work long hours. These residents also sometimes pay quite high rents."

Ms Griffin-Warwicke noted that unlike many other parts of Australia, high-growth mining towns tend to be home to more males – over two-thirds of people staying in Middlemount on census night were male.

These regions are also typically home to younger people, with many of them in their prime working years of between 25 and 54 years old.

Other high-growth mining towns in Queensland were identified as Emerald, Dysart and Clermont.

Moranbah saw the biggest annual population increase of 4.8 per cent, followed by Weipa with four per cent.