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Job market report

Outback WA (south) job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Outback WA (south), Western Australia, 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 511 Western Australia - Outback (South)
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in Outback WA (south) were up 10.0% on a year earlier, from 1,423 to 1,565 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 7.5% across Western Australia and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 194 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by drivers and storepersons (112) and machine and stationary plant operators (102).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for clerical and office support workers, couriers rose fastest, up 140.0%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 34% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by professional, scientific and technical services (30% more).[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 4.2% of the labour force in Outback WA (south) was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.1% across Western Australia.

    It was 7.0% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 60.0%, against 63.9% across Western Australia. 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 WA (south)
+10.0%
1,565 ads a month[1]
Western Australia
+7.5%
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 WA (south)Three-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
1.2k1.4k1.6k1.8kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Outback WA (south)Outback WA (south), Sep 2026: 1,5651,565

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Outback WA (south)
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,795
November 20231,709
December 20231,560
January 20241,524
February 20241,455
March 20241,538
April 20241,495
May 20241,487
June 20241,404
July 20241,372
August 20241,353
September 20241,387
October 20241,402
November 20241,353
December 20241,258
January 20251,270
February 20251,289
March 20251,430
April 20251,352
May 20251,360
June 20251,286
July 20251,362
August 20251,352
September 20251,423
October 20251,431
November 20251,419
December 20251,331
January 20261,345
February 20261,383
March 20261,504
April 20261,474
May 20261,503
June 20261,490
July 20261,528
August 20261,533
September 20261,565

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 WA (south)The 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: +61.8%Mobile plant operators+61.8%Medical practitioners and nurses: +55.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+55.8%Drivers and storepersons: +43.6%Drivers and storepersons+43.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +31.0%Hospitality, retail and service managers+31.0%Engineering, ICT and science technicians: +26.1%Engineering, ICT and science technicians+26.1%Other labourers: +13.0%Other labourers+13.0%Engineers: +11.1%Engineers+11.1%Sales assistants and salespersons: +6.1%Sales assistants and salespersons+6.1%Machine and stationary plant operators: +5.2%Machine and stationary plant operators+5.2%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −4.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−4.3%Automotive and engineering trades: −9.3%Automotive and engineering trades−9.3%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades: −10.6%Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades−10.6%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Outback WA (south)
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Automotive and engineering trades194214−9.3%
Drivers and storepersons11278+43.6%
Machine and stationary plant operators10297+5.2%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists8892−4.3%
Engineers7063+11.1%
Sales assistants and salespersons7066+6.1%
Medical practitioners and nurses6743+55.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades5966−10.6%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians5846+26.1%
Hospitality, retail and service managers5542+31.0%
Mobile plant operators5534+61.8%
Other labourers5246+13.0%
Legal, social and welfare professionals4443+2.3%
Science professionals and veterinarians4434+29.4%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3427+25.9%
Corporate managers3320+65.0%
Other clerical and administrative workers3222+45.5%
Food trades2818+55.6%
Construction and mining labourers2729−6.9%
Construction, production and distribution managers2618+44.4%
Construction trades24240.0%
Cleaners and laundry workers2420+20.0%
Business, finance and human resource professionals2227−18.5%
Carers and aides2233−33.3%
Sales representatives and agents1916+18.8%
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers1811+63.6%
Health and welfare support workers1721−19.0%
Numerical clerks1718−5.6%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries1516−6.3%
Transport and design professionals, and architects1410+40.0%
Hospitality workers1411+27.3%
Protective service workers1210+20.0%
Clerical and office support workers, couriers125+140.0%
Sales support workers129+33.3%
Sports, travel and personal service workers990.0%
Education professionals823−65.2%
Food preparation assistants8fewer than 5n/a
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals7fewer than 5n/a
Skilled animal and horticultural workers65+20.0%
Farm, forestry and garden workers65+20.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers512−58.3%
Arts and media professionals56−16.7%
Information professionals57−28.6%
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 55n/a
ICT professionalsfewer than 55n/a
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood tradesfewer than 55n/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 WA (south)Share of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Western Australia.
  • Outback WA (south)
  • Western Australia
4%5%6%7%8%201120162021Outback WA (south)Outback WA (south), 2011: 4.7%Outback WA (south), 2016: 7.0%Outback WA (south), 2021: 4.2%4.2%Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2011: 4.7%Western Australia, 2016: 7.8%Western Australia, 2021: 5.1%5.1%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Outback WA (south)
CensusOutback WA (south)Western Australia
2011 Census4.7%4.7%
2016 Census7.0%7.8%
2021 Census4.2%5.1%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Outback WA (south)Share of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Western Australia.
  • Outback WA (south)
  • Western Australia
60%62%64%66%201120162021Outback WA (south)Outback WA (south), 2011: 64.2%Outback WA (south), 2016: 60.8%Outback WA (south), 2021: 60.0%60.0%Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2011: 64.0%Western Australia, 2016: 62.9%Western Australia, 2021: 63.9%63.9%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Outback WA (south)
CensusOutback WA (south)Western Australia
2011 Census64.2%64.0%
2016 Census60.8%62.9%
2021 Census60.0%63.9%

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 WA (south), 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Accommodation and food services: +34.5%Accommodation and food services+34.5%Professional, scientific and technical services: +29.6%Professional, scientific and technical services+29.6%Health care and social assistance: +28.5%Health care and social assistance+28.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +25.1%Rental, hiring and real estate services+25.1%Retail trade: +23.8%Retail trade+23.8%Other services: +23.5%Other services+23.5%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +21.1%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+21.1%Transport, postal and warehousing: +19.7%Transport, postal and warehousing+19.7%Wholesale trade: +18.0%Wholesale trade+18.0%Mining: +17.5%Mining+17.5%Financial and insurance services: +16.6%Financial and insurance services+16.6%Construction: +16.4%Construction+16.4%Education and training: +12.0%Education and training+12.0%Manufacturing: +10.5%Manufacturing+10.5%Arts and recreation services: +10.1%Arts and recreation services+10.1%Public administration and safety: +3.0%Public administration and safety+3.0%Administrative and support services: +1.0%Administrative and support services+1.0%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Outback WA (south), 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Mining9,01510,595+17.5%
Accommodation and food services7,3579,892+34.5%
Health care and social assistance7,6159,787+28.5%
Retail trade7,8949,774+23.8%
Construction6,1767,189+16.4%
Education and training6,4107,181+12.0%
Administrative and support services6,7256,794+1.0%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing5,3116,429+21.1%
Transport, postal and warehousing5,0826,081+19.7%
Public administration and safety5,5825,751+3.0%
Other services3,5414,374+23.5%
Professional, scientific and technical services3,3734,371+29.6%
Wholesale trade2,8933,413+18.0%
Manufacturing2,7513,039+10.5%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,1182,649+25.1%
Financial and insurance services1,7802,075+16.6%
Arts and recreation services1,0551,162+10.1%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services682820n/a
Information media and telecommunications459343n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Outback WA (south), 2023102,574 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Mining: 10,595Mining10,595Accommodation and food services: 9,892Accommodation and food services9,892Health care and social assistance: 9,787Health care and social assistance9,787Retail trade: 9,774Retail trade9,774Construction: 7,189Construction7,189Education and training: 7,181Education and training7,181Administrative and support services: 6,794Administrative and support services6,794Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 6,429Agriculture, forestry and fishing6,429

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Outback WA (south), 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Mining10,59510%
Accommodation and food services9,89210%
Health care and social assistance9,78710%
Retail trade9,77410%
Construction7,1897%
Education and training7,1817%
Administrative and support services6,7947%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing6,4296%
Transport, postal and warehousing6,0816%
Public administration and safety5,7516%
Other services4,3744%
Professional, scientific and technical services4,3714%
Wholesale trade3,4133%
Manufacturing3,0393%
Rental, hiring and real estate services2,6493%
Financial and insurance services2,0752%
Arts and recreation services1,1621%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services8201%
Information media and telecommunications3430%
All industries102,574100%

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 WA (south)In the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Western Australia and Australia.
  • Outback WA (south)
  • Western Australia
  • Australia
$50k$55k$60k$65k$70k20192020202120222023Outback WA (south)Outback WA (south), 2019: $53,733Outback WA (south), 2020: $55,054Outback WA (south), 2021: $58,207Outback WA (south), 2022: $59,502Outback WA (south), 2023: $62,908$62,908Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2019: $55,094Western Australia, 2020: $56,664Western Australia, 2021: $59,700Western Australia, 2022: $61,638Western Australia, 2023: $65,310$65,310AustraliaAustralia, 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 WA (south)
YearOutback WA (south)Western AustraliaAustralia
2019$53,733$55,094$52,256
2020$55,054$56,664$53,878
2021$58,207$59,700$56,485
2022$59,502$61,638$58,260
2023$62,908$65,310$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Outback WA (south)In the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Western Australia and Australia.
  • Outback WA (south)
  • Western Australia
  • Australia
$60k$65k$70k$75k$80k20192020202120222023Outback WA (south)Outback WA (south), 2019: $64,284Outback WA (south), 2020: $65,873Outback WA (south), 2021: $69,022Outback WA (south), 2022: $70,575Outback WA (south), 2023: $74,780$74,780Western AustraliaWestern Australia, 2019: $68,090Western Australia, 2020: $69,914Western Australia, 2021: $73,026Western Australia, 2022: $75,363Western Australia, 2023: $79,629$79,629AustraliaAustralia, 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 WA (south)
YearOutback WA (south)Western AustraliaAustralia
2019$64,284$68,090$63,517
2020$65,873$69,914$65,591
2021$69,022$73,026$68,452
2022$70,575$75,363$70,950
2023$74,780$79,629$74,579

6 People

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

People living in the area
128,306
ABS, 2025 · up 4.7% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
81,538
ABS, 2024 · up 1.8% since 2020[3]

Western Australia's population was up 12.2% from 2020 to 2025, and Outback WA (south)'s up 4.7%.[3]

7 Businesses

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

Businesses in the area
10,586
ABS, 2025 · up 8.5% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Outback WA (south), 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 6,108No employees6,1081–4 employees: 2,7581–4 employees2,7585–19 employees: 1,3735–19 employees1,37320 or more employees: 34720 or more employees347

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Outback WA (south), 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees5,2846,108+15.6%
1–4 employees2,9002,758−4.9%
5–19 employees1,2811,373+7.2%
20 or more employees288347+20.5%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Coral Coast and the Golden Outback. The Golden Outback reaches beyond this ABS area: 21% of its towns are in the area. The Coral Coast has all its towns in it.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
281
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Coral Coast and Golden OutbackThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 44Healthcare & Medical44Retail & Consumer Products: 38Retail & Consumer Products38Community Services & Development: 31Community Services & Development31Trades & Services: 29Trades & Services29Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 21Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics21Mining, Resources & Energy: 21Mining, Resources & Energy21Hospitality & Tourism: 16Hospitality & Tourism16Sales: 13Sales13

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Coral Coast and Golden Outback
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical44
Retail & Consumer Products38
Community Services & Development31
Trades & Services29
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics21
Mining, Resources & Energy21
Hospitality & Tourism16
Sales13

9 Quick answers

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

How many jobs are advertised in Outback WA (south)?

1,565 online job ads a month were placed in Outback WA (south), on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Outback WA (south)'s job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in Outback WA (south) were up 10.0% on a year earlier, from 1,423 to 1,565 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 7.5% across Western Australia and up 0.6% across Australia.

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

Which jobs are most in demand in Outback WA (south)?

Automotive and engineering trades had the most online ads, 194 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by drivers and storepersons (112) and machine and stationary plant operators (102). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for clerical and office support workers, couriers rose fastest, up 140.0%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Outback WA (south)?

4.2% of the labour force in Outback WA (south) was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.1% across Western Australia. It was 7.0% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 60.0%, against 63.9% across Western Australia. 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 WA (south)?

Average (mean) employee income in Outback WA (south) was $74,780 in 2023; the median was $62,908, against $65,310 across Western Australia and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Outback WA (south)?

Mining had the most employee jobs in Outback WA (south): 10,595 in 2023, 10% of the 102,574 employee jobs. Next were accommodation and food services (9,892) and health care and social assistance (9,787).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Outback WA (south)?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, accommodation and food services grew fastest, with 34% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by professional, scientific and technical services (30% more).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Outback WA (south)'s population growing?

128,306 people lived in Outback WA (south) in 2025, up 4.7% since 2020. Western Australia's population was up 12.2% over the same years. The working-age population was 81,538 in 2024, up 1.8% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Outback WA (south)?

281 jobs are live on ViewJobs in the Coral Coast and the Golden Outback, as of 25 Oct 2026. The Golden Outback reaches beyond Outback WA (south): 21% of its towns are in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (44), Retail & Consumer Products (38) 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 WA (south) here is ABS SA4 511 Western Australia - Outback (South). 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 WA (south) job market report, data to September 2026. https://preview.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/wa/outback-south

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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