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Job market report

Outback Queensland job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Outback 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
24 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 315 Queensland - Outback
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Steady: online job ads in Outback Queensland were up 2.4% on a year earlier, from 761 to 779 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. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 70 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (59) and automotive and engineering trades (50).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 68.4%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, rental, hiring and real estate services grew fastest, with 79% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by professional, scientific and technical services (32% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 5.6% of the labour force in Outback Queensland was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland.

    It was 7.9% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.2%, 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.

Outback Queensland
+2.4%
779 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, Outback QueenslandThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
6007008009001kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Outback QueenslandOutback Queensland, Sep 2026: 779779

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Outback Queensland
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 2023938
November 2023923
December 2023814
January 2024797
February 2024756
March 2024790
April 2024740
May 2024754
June 2024750
July 2024748
August 2024752
September 2024773
October 2024823
November 2024817
December 2024736
January 2025727
February 2025697
March 2025782
April 2025716
May 2025720
June 2025708
July 2025761
August 2025749
September 2025761
October 2025756
November 2025768
December 2025712
January 2026736
February 2026759
March 2026852
April 2026827
May 2026813
June 2026786
July 2026777
August 2026784
September 2026779

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, Outback 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.
Engineers: +68.4%Engineers+68.4%Engineering, ICT and science technicians: +37.5%Engineering, ICT and science technicians+37.5%Drivers and storepersons: +29.0%Drivers and storepersons+29.0%Automotive and engineering trades: +11.1%Automotive and engineering trades+11.1%Other labourers: +9.5%Other labourers+9.5%Medical practitioners and nurses: +6.1%Medical practitioners and nurses+6.1%Sales assistants and salespersons: +2.9%Sales assistants and salespersons+2.9%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −9.2%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−9.2%Legal, social and welfare professionals: −9.3%Legal, social and welfare professionals−9.3%Carers and aides: −10.0%Carers and aides−10.0%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −10.7%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−10.7%Hospitality, retail and service managers: −25.8%Hospitality, retail and service managers−25.8%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Outback Queensland
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses7066+6.1%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists5965−9.2%
Automotive and engineering trades5045+11.1%
Drivers and storepersons4031+29.0%
Legal, social and welfare professionals3943−9.3%
Carers and aides3640−10.0%
Sales assistants and salespersons3534+2.9%
Engineers3219+68.4%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals2528−10.7%
Hospitality, retail and service managers2331−25.8%
Other labourers2321+9.5%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians2216+37.5%
Construction trades1819−5.3%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades1820−10.0%
Food trades1826−30.8%
Mobile plant operators1817+5.9%
Corporate managers1718−5.6%
Construction, production and distribution managers1712+41.7%
Business, finance and human resource professionals1715+13.3%
Health and welfare support workers1718−5.6%
Machine and stationary plant operators1510+50.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers1514+7.1%
Numerical clerks1312+8.3%
Education professionals1115−26.7%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1110+10.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers117+57.1%
Science professionals and veterinarians107+42.9%
Other clerical and administrative workers1011−9.1%
Sales representatives and agents880.0%
Construction and mining labourers880.0%
Transport and design professionals, and architects7fewer than 5n/a
Hospitality workers78−12.5%
Sports, travel and personal service workers770.0%
Arts and media professionals6fewer than 5n/a
Sales support workers660.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers57−28.6%
Information professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Skilled animal and horticultural workersfewer than 56n/a
Jewellers, arts and other trades workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 56n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Food preparation assistantsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Factory process workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
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, Outback QueenslandShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Outback Queensland
  • Queensland
5%6%7%8%201120162021Outback QueenslandOutback Queensland, 2011: 5.3%Outback Queensland, 2016: 7.9%Outback Queensland, 2021: 5.6%5.6%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, Outback Queensland
CensusOutback QueenslandQueensland
2011 Census5.3%6.1%
2016 Census7.9%7.6%
2021 Census5.6%5.4%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Outback QueenslandShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Queensland.
  • Outback Queensland
  • Queensland
58%60%62%64%201120162021Outback QueenslandOutback Queensland, 2011: 62.9%Outback Queensland, 2016: 60.0%Outback Queensland, 2021: 58.2%58.2%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, Outback Queensland
CensusOutback QueenslandQueensland
2011 Census62.9%62.8%
2016 Census60.0%61.0%
2021 Census58.2%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, Outback Queensland, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Rental, hiring and real estate services: +78.8%Rental, hiring and real estate services+78.8%Professional, scientific and technical services: +32.4%Professional, scientific and technical services+32.4%Administrative and support services: +28.1%Administrative and support services+28.1%Retail trade: +27.7%Retail trade+27.7%Accommodation and food services: +22.1%Accommodation and food services+22.1%Wholesale trade: +18.0%Wholesale trade+18.0%Financial and insurance services: +16.7%Financial and insurance services+16.7%Other services: +14.6%Other services+14.6%Construction: +13.7%Construction+13.7%Transport, postal and warehousing: +8.0%Transport, postal and warehousing+8.0%Mining: +6.8%Mining+6.8%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +5.9%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+5.9%Health care and social assistance: +5.6%Health care and social assistance+5.6%Education and training: −8.1%Education and training−8.1%Manufacturing: −8.1%Manufacturing−8.1%Public administration and safety: −8.3%Public administration and safety−8.3%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Outback Queensland, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance6,5016,863+5.6%
Public administration and safety7,0786,492−8.3%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing4,9995,293+5.9%
Administrative and support services4,1285,288+28.1%
Retail trade4,1245,266+27.7%
Accommodation and food services4,0094,896+22.1%
Mining4,5584,870+6.8%
Education and training5,2124,791−8.1%
Construction3,5814,073+13.7%
Other services2,2622,592+14.6%
Professional, scientific and technical services1,7332,294+32.4%
Transport, postal and warehousing1,9062,059+8.0%
Manufacturing1,7761,632−8.1%
Rental, hiring and real estate services8031,436+78.8%
Wholesale trade1,0731,266+18.0%
Financial and insurance services8991,049+16.7%
Arts and recreation services527692n/a
Electricity, gas, water and waste services403505n/a
Information media and telecommunications246193n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Outback Queensland, 202362,101 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 6,863Health care and social assistance6,863Public administration and safety: 6,492Public administration and safety6,492Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 5,293Agriculture, forestry and fishing5,293Administrative and support services: 5,288Administrative and support services5,288Retail trade: 5,266Retail trade5,266Accommodation and food services: 4,896Accommodation and food services4,896Mining: 4,870Mining4,870Education and training: 4,791Education and training4,791

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Outback Queensland, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance6,86311%
Public administration and safety6,49210%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing5,2939%
Administrative and support services5,2889%
Retail trade5,2668%
Accommodation and food services4,8968%
Mining4,8708%
Education and training4,7918%
Construction4,0737%
Other services2,5924%
Professional, scientific and technical services2,2944%
Transport, postal and warehousing2,0593%
Manufacturing1,6323%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,4362%
Wholesale trade1,2662%
Financial and insurance services1,0492%
Arts and recreation services6921%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services5051%
Information media and telecommunications1930%
All industries62,101100%

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, Outback QueenslandIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Outback Queensland
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Outback QueenslandOutback Queensland, 2019: $49,787Outback Queensland, 2020: $53,058Outback Queensland, 2021: $55,091Outback Queensland, 2022: $56,794Outback Queensland, 2023: $58,500$58,500QueenslandQueensland, 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, Outback Queensland
YearOutback QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
2019$49,787$50,776$52,256
2020$53,058$52,137$53,878
2021$55,091$54,414$56,485
2022$56,794$56,569$58,260
2023$58,500$59,751$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Outback QueenslandIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Queensland and Australia.
  • Outback Queensland
  • Queensland
  • Australia
$55k$60k$65k$70k$75k20192020202120222023Outback QueenslandOutback Queensland, 2019: $59,593Outback Queensland, 2020: $62,751Outback Queensland, 2021: $64,748Outback Queensland, 2022: $65,695Outback Queensland, 2023: $67,687$67,687QueenslandQueensland, 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, Outback Queensland
YearOutback QueenslandQueenslandAustralia
2019$59,593$60,307$63,517
2020$62,751$62,160$65,591
2021$64,748$64,570$68,452
2022$65,695$67,160$70,950
2023$67,687$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
82,563
ABS, 2025 · up 1.1% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
53,596
ABS, 2024 · down 0.8% since 2020[3]

Queensland's population was up 9.8% from 2020 to 2025, and Outback Queensland's up 1.1%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
7,843
ABS, 2025 · up 8.6% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Outback Queensland, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 4,930No employees4,9301–4 employees: 1,9361–4 employees1,9365–19 employees: 7915–19 employees79120 or more employees: 18620 or more employees186

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Outback Queensland, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees4,4094,930+11.8%
1–4 employees1,8701,936+3.5%
5–19 employees768791+3.0%
20 or more employees177186+5.1%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in Outback Queensland, a ViewJobs region whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in Outback Queensland
232
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Outback QueenslandThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Education & Training: 36Education & Training36Community Services & Development: 31Community Services & Development31Hospitality & Tourism: 22Hospitality & Tourism22Retail & Consumer Products: 22Retail & Consumer Products22Trades & Services: 21Trades & Services21Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 17Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics17Mining, Resources & Energy: 17Mining, Resources & Energy17Healthcare & Medical: 15Healthcare & Medical15

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Outback Queensland
ClassificationLive jobs
Education & Training36
Community Services & Development31
Hospitality & Tourism22
Retail & Consumer Products22
Trades & Services21
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics17
Mining, Resources & Energy17
Healthcare & Medical15

Browse jobs by region

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in Outback Queensland?

779 online job ads a month were placed in Outback Queensland, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Outback Queensland's job market growing or shrinking?

Steady: online job ads in Outback Queensland were up 2.4% on a year earlier, from 761 to 779 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 Outback Queensland?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 70 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by general-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists (59) and automotive and engineering trades (50). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for engineers rose fastest, up 68.4%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Outback Queensland?

5.6% of the labour force in Outback Queensland was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.4% across Queensland. It was 7.9% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.2%, 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 Outback Queensland?

Average (mean) employee income in Outback Queensland was $67,687 in 2023; the median was $58,500, against $59,751 across Queensland and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Outback Queensland?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Outback Queensland: 6,863 in 2023, 11% of the 62,101 employee jobs. Next were public administration and safety (6,492) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (5,293).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Outback Queensland?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, rental, hiring and real estate services grew fastest, with 79% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by professional, scientific and technical services (32% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Outback Queensland's population growing?

82,563 people lived in Outback Queensland in 2025, up 1.1% since 2020. Queensland's population was up 9.8% over the same years. The working-age population was 53,596 in 2024, down 0.8% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Outback Queensland?

At least 232 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Outback Queensland, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the ViewJobs region of the same name, whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Education & Training (36) and Community Services & Development (31).

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
Outback Queensland here is ABS SA4 315 Queensland - Outback. 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 24 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 24 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. preview.viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Outback Queensland job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/qld/outback

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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