| Region |
Regional definition |
Economic Structure and Investment Profile |
| Brisbane CBD |
Brisbane City |
Strong growth in property and business services.
Increased foreign investment in commercial and residential property.
|
| Brisbane North |
|
Heavy investment in shopping centres and residential
development. |
| Brisbane South |
|
Strong population growth, driven by interstate and
overseas migration. Substantial investment in physical infrastructure,
retailing and residential development. |
| Gold Coast |
|
The fastest growing area in Australia. Key industries
are tourism, property services and retailing.
Residential investment, an attractive post-retirement location,
tourist attractions, high turnover of population.
|
| Sunshine Coast |
|
High proportion of detached housing and walk-up flats.
Investment in retail, personal services tourism.
Maroochydore developing as a "key regional centre".
|
| South Queensland |
Wide Bay-Burnett, Darling Downs and South West Queensland |
Counter urban population growth balancing out-migration.
Upward trends in agriculture production, but the region has suffered
from drought. Major projects include natural gas, building activity
and coal projects. |
| Central Queensland |
Rockhampton, Gladstone, Fitzroy and Central West |
Output based on raw materials and primary processing
- coal, cattle, sugar, grain, wool and minerals. Coal may be vulnerable
to Greenhouse gas agreement. Gladstone focused on value added minerals. |
| North Queensland |
Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and west to Mount Isa |
Key sectors are agriculture - beef, sugar - minerals,
manufacturing, defence, transport and tourism. Drivers include metals
and transport equipment, tourism, retail and property (particularly
in Cairns). |
| Northern Inland |
Incorporates:Gunnedah, Manilla, Quirindi, Tamworth,
Moree, Armidale |
Reliance on agricultural production, and the sector
has performed poorly due to poor commodity prices (particularly wool)
and poor seasonal conditions. |
| Riverina |
Spans from Snowy Mountains to south-west NSW, includes
Albury, Wagga Wagga and Griffith |
Agriculture, wholesale/retail trade and community services
are the dominant sources of employment. Most population growth, mostly
concentrated around Albury and Wagga Wagga. |
| South Coast |
Illawarra, plus Bega Valley and Eurobodalla |
Diversity. Wollongong an important industrial centre
- steel and engineering, increasing part of metro Sydney, substantial
population growth driven by attractive packages and lifestyle opportunities.
Further south, key industries are forestry and dairying. |
| Sydney CBD |
|
Australia's key global gateway with major opportunities
in finance and business services and tourism. Substantial commercial
and property development, but prices and rents are shifting more nationally
oriented services out of the CBD. |
| Sydney Central |
Botany, Leichhardt, Marrickville, South Sydney, Canterbury,
Bankstown, Ashfield, Burwood, Concord, Drummoyne and Strathfield |
Gentrification of inner suburbs, housing redevelopment
and urban consolidation. Increasing home-based employment. Major expansion
of infrastructure: airport, port, new rail. Outer suburbs are more
commuter areas, and areas such as Bankstown and Canterbury remain
depressed. |
| Sydney East |
Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra |
High-income dormitory suburbs with booming property
markets and increased urban consolidation. |
| Sydney North Shore |
Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Ryde,
Willoughby, Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai |
Many CBD activities shifting north - clusters in telecommunications,
computer software, advertising, engineering, insurance. High tech
industrial estates - North Ryde, Lane Cove |
| Sydney North Peninsula |
Manly, Pittwater, Warringah |
Predominantly residential, with opportunities for urban
infill and home based employment, with a number of emerging high tech
and business parks - Brookvale, French's Forest, Mona Vale. |
| Outer west |
Blue Mountains, Penrith and Hawkesbury |
Attractive low cost lifestyle opportunities in Blue
Mountains, plus a major tourist attraction. Population growth in Penrith
driving new opportunities: education, medical services, recreation
and culture, retail and office development. Innovative housing developments.
In Hawkesbury, rural based niches. |
| Sydney South |
Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale and Sutherland |
A traditional dormitory location with good access to
CBD. Major new infrastructure - M5 extension, and urban development,
Menai. |
| Sydney South West |
Liverpool and Fairfield |
Population growth, new retail developments, health
and education facilities. Strong manufacturing sector and attractive
industrial estates - but high rate of structural unemployment. |
| Sydney West |
Parramatta, Auburn, Holroyd, Blacktown, Baulkham Hills |
Sydney's second CBD, base for Sydney Olympics, potential
to significantly expand tourist and accommodation facilities. Blacktown
is a major distribution and manufacturing centre, and Baulkham Hills
is part of the emerging Executive Belt. |
| Campbelltown |
Campbelltown, Camden and Wollondilly |
Rapid population growth. Substantial investment in
retailing, transport infrastructure, education and health, community
services. Important rural niches remain. |
| Newcastle |
Encompassing the Hunter Valley |
Predominantly heavy industrial and energy intensive
region. Slowing economic activity and imminent closure of steel works.
Expansion of coal industry and aluminium exports and diversification
into new service-based activities. |
| Central Coast |
Gosford and Wyong |
Population and settlement increasing rapidly. Major
new retail investments and new business parks. Some attractive industrial
estates, but needs stronger emphasis of employment growth to reduce
reliance on commuters to Sydney. |
| Central West |
Bathurst, Bland, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Evans, Forbes,
Greater Lithgow, Lachlan, Oberon, Parkes, Rylstone and Weddin. |
Higher proportion in agricultural and important manufacturing
activities; lower business services. Vulnerability to commodity price
fluctuations. Consolidation of major centres such as Bathurst and
Orange and out-migration from others and declines in others. Structural
difficulties in Lithgow. |
| Far North Coast |
Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond
River, Tweed, Belligen, Coffs Harbour, Copmanhurst, Grafton, Maclean,
Ulmarra, Nambucca, Nymboida, Ulmarra |
Highly desirable living environment; attracting young
families, retirees and young unemployed people. Diverse agricultural
base, housing and construction industry, fishing/aquaculture, tourism,
and high proportion of small businesses. Significant forestry industry. |
| Far West - Orana |
Dubbo and Wellington in the East to Broken Hill |
Regional recovering from drought. Beef, wool and planned
expansion of horticulture. Cotton industry has been booming. Conflicts
over water management. Mining prospects and growth of tourism. |
| Mid North Coast |
Wallis Lake to the Macleay River. Comprises Hastings,
Lord Howe Island, Kempsey, Taree |
Population growing at double the state average. High
proportion of retirees. Structure geared towards agriculture -dairy
products, beef, bananas, fishing and forestries. |
| Canberra |
ACT plus localities in south east NSW |
Dramatic downsizing of public service and defence.
Population growth rates are slowing. Growth in contracting providing
opportunities for small businesses. |
| Gippsland |
Bass Coast, South Gippsland, La Trobe, Wellington and
East Gippsland |
Basic forestry commodities in the east, pulp and paper,
Bass Strait oil and gas and power industry in the Latrobe Valley.
The latter of which has been heavily rationalised following privatisation.
Proposed East Coast Gas Pipeline. |
| Warragul |
West Gippsland, Healesville, Lilydale, Sherbrooke,
plus south east growth corridor of Melbourne Berwick, Cranbourne and
Pakenham. |
Strong export oriented dairy industry, steel related
manufacturing at Westernport, expanding wineries and tourism facilities.
Strong residential growth on the eastern fringe of Melbourne. |
| Melbourne South |
Port Melbourne to Warburton, sections of Westernport
Bay and the whole of the Mornington Peninsula |
More reliant on service and construction sectors. Employment
highest in construction, wholesale/retail and property. Decline in
manufacturing plants (such as autos at Dandenong). |
| Melbourne North |
Localities generally north of the Yarra - except the
CBD |
High income residential in north east. Established
manufacturing base - autos, TCF, petrochemicals and processed foods.
Major airport, and proposed transport infrastructure. |
| Western Victoria |
Ballarat, Geelong, Warrnambool and Portland. |
Encompasses grazing land of the Western Districts,
holiday areas of the south west coast, port and aluminium plants at
Portland, and Geelong remains an important manufacturing and regional
service centre. Gas projects and forestry activities on the west coast. |
| North Western Victoria |
Mildura, Swan Hill, Gannawarra, Loddon, Macedon Ranges,
Mount Alexander and Bendigo |
Heavily dependent on agriculture and horticulture:
potatoes, fruit and nuts. Diversifying into preserving and packaging.
Population growth concentrated around Mildura and Swan Hill. Moderate
growth in Bendigo. |
| Melbourne CBD |
|
Office employment increasing. Key industries are multi-media,
communications, IT&T. and business services. Major transformations
underway - eg Docklands, Casino |
| Northern Territory |
|
Major minerals and energy base - including oil and
gas, gold, zinc, uranium. Healthy population growth creating opportunities
in housing and construction. |
| Tasmania |
|
Resident population growth has been the lowest of all
states. A broad industry base with emphasis on value adding and downstream
processing. Major industry sectors are agriculture (fruit and vegetables,
meat and dairy production), fisheries and aquaculture, forestry, mining,
manufacturing, tourism, and education and community services. |
| Adelaide CBD |
|
Poor performance of SA economy, rationalisation of
the public service impacts activity in the CBD. No significant additions
to floorspace, and vacancy levels remain high. Residential activity
is also depressed. |
| Adelaide Metropolitan |
Includes Greater North Adelaide and South Adelaide.
Incorporates industrial suburbs of north and north-west - Regency
Park, Wingfield, Woodville, Hendon and Port Adelaide. Southern industrial
areas - Melrose Park and Edwardson. Other centres such as Elizabeth. |
Strong manufacturing base in north and south impacted
by structural change but recent investment commitments autos (GMH
and Mitsubishi), IT&T, health products - have contributed to slowing
negative population trends. Growth in primary products. Service sector
is highly developed, but under-represented in finance and producer
services. Major projects in power and waste management. |
| South Adelaide Country |
All areas in South Australia north of Gawler, East
of Mount Barker and south of Noarlunga. |
Key industries in the south are horticulture and viticulture.
North of York Peninsula principle industries are grazing, agriculture
and mining. Steel operations at Whyalla and lead and zinc processing
at Port Pirie are key manufacturing activities. |
| Perth CBD |
Includes Perth Inner, Outer and Perth North |
Stable population. Perth CBD is emerging from its most
significant boom/bust cycle since the Great Depression. Vacancy rates
are falling significantly, with activity concentrated in premium markets
with demand from insurance, accounting and mining companies. |
| Pilbarra/Goldfields |
From Esperance in the south to Port Headland in the
north. |
Goldfields-Esperance experience strong job growth due
to expanding minerals production, but gold price declines are a concern.
Major production of nickel. Construction of Goldfields transmission
system. Major expansion around Port Hedland is underway, spurred by
oil and gas developments, iron ore projects. |
| Pastoral/Remote WA |
Kimberley |
Small population with Broome the key centre. Key industries
are pastoral, agriculture and horticulture, tourism, aquaculture,
diamonds, lead/zinc and mining. |
| Western Australia South West |
Preston, Vasse and Blackwood. |
Principal industries are coal, alumina, mineral sands,
agriculture and tourism. |