Fitzroy and Central West, QLD
About the Fitzroy and Central West region
This Queensland region is vast, covering 453,354 km² or approximately 26% of the state. It is bordered in the south by the Darling Downs & South West and Wide Bay Burnett regions, and in the north by the Townsville & North West and Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday regions.
Fitzroy and Central West is home to the key regional centres of Emerald and Rockhampton.
This region is the traditional home of the Darumbal people.
Local councils
Queensland's Fitzroy and Central West region includes 12 municipalities: Shire of Banana, Barcaldine Region, Shire of Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo Region, Central Highlands Region, Shire of Diamantina, Gladstone Region, Longreach Region, Rockhampton Region, Shire of Livingstone, Shire of Winton, and the Aboriginal Shire of Woorabinda.
Climate information
This region has a sub-tropical climate, enjoying hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature is 27 °C in summer, 22 °C in autumn, 15 °C in winter and 22 °C in spring.
Annual seasonal rainfall is variable across the region. The parts of the region that are close to central Australia (which make up much of the region) receive just 300-400 mm annually, while its coastal reaches receive up to 800-1000 mm.
Population
The estimated population of the Fitzroy and Central West region is reported as 236,772 as of 2019.
Education
There are a number of kindergartens, pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools in the region. Students in remote or outback communities who cannot attend school in person can do so through the Schools of Distance Education, which for Fitzroy and Central West are based in the regional centres of Rockhampton and Emerald.
Those wishing to undertake tertiary studies can do so at the Central Queensland University, with campuses in Rockhampton, Emerald and Yeppoon, or The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, also based in Rockhampton.
Employment and local businesses
The region had a median annual family income of $86,990, which is almost identical to that of Queensland at large.
Its top five industries by number of people employed are coal mining (8.5%), agriculture (7.2%), preschool and school education (7.1%), food and beverage services (4.9%), and public administration (4.7%).
Housing
The median house price in Fitzroy and Central West's key regional centres of Rockhampton, Livingstone and the Central Highlands were $263,000, $395,000 and $265,000 respectively, all well below the Queensland median of $460,000. The region's locality with the lowest median house price was Blackall-Tambo, with a median of $80,000.
The region had a median weekly house rental (for a 3-bedroom home) of $300 in Rockhampton, $350 in Livingstone and $275 in the Central Highlands, all below Queensland's median of $370.
Events
Where: Birdsville, QLD
When: Annually, in September
What: This outback event has a rich and storied history. The very first race was held at Birdsville all the way back in 1882, and the tiny country event has gone from strength to strength in the over 100 years it has been running, now featuring horses, jockeys, trainers and spectators from across Australia. The Birdsville Races have all the fanfare, excitement and features of a traditional racing meet, including cocktail parties, Fashions on the Field, and great food and drink, but it is the incomparable dusty desert landscape that puts this event on the bucket list of so many.
Where: The Caves, QLD
When: Annually, throughout December and early January
What: Every day at midday during summer, brilliant sunlight penetrates the darkness of the Belfry Cave through a 14-metre vertical shaft in the cave roof, a result of the alignment of the sun over the Tropic of Capricorn. This reflects the colours of people's clothing on the cave walls and makes light patterns on the roof, an electrifying experience for visitors lucky enough to witness it.
Where: Winton, QLD
When: Annually, in September
What: As its name suggest, this quirky festival celebrates all things Outback Australia. Visitors can expect warm outback hospitality, live nightly entertainment and sporting competitions. Not to be missed are the Sunset Dinner Extravaganza, held under the stars, and the festival's hilarious signature event, the Quilton Australian Dunny Derby.
Additional Information
Fitzroy and Central West has 12 subregions. Use the list below or the map above to learn more about individual subregions.
Fitzroy and Central West Schools
- Government Schools
- Independent Schools
Combined
- Alpha State School ALPHA QLD 4724
- Aramac State School ARAMAC QLD 4726
- Baralaba State School BARALABA QLD 4702
- Barcaldine Prep-12 State School BARCALDINE QLD 4725
- Blackall State School BLACKALL QLD 4472
- Capricornia (Emerald Campus) School of Distance Education EMERALD QLD 4720
- Capricornia (Rockhampton Campus) School of Dist Ed KAWANA QLD 4701
- Longreach School of Distance Education LONGREACH QLD 4730
- Middlemount Community School MIDDLEMOUNT QLD 4746
- Miriam Vale State School MIRIAM VALE QLD 4677
- Mount Larcom State School MOUNT LARCOM QLD 4695
- Rosedale State School ROSEDALE QLD 4674
- Springsure State School SPRINGSURE QLD 4722
- Tambo State School TAMBO QLD 4478
- Taroom State School TAROOM QLD 4420
- Theodore State School THEODORE QLD 4719
- Winton State School WINTON QLD 4735
Primary
- Agnes Water State School AGNES WATER QLD 4677
- Allenstown State School ALLENSTOWN QLD 4700
- Ambrose State School AMBROSE QLD 4695
- Anakie State School THE GEMFIELDS QLD 4702
- Arcadia Valley State School ARCADIA VALLEY QLD 4454
- Bajool State School BAJOOL QLD 4699
- Banana State School BANANA QLD 4702
- Bauhinia State School BAUHINIA QLD 4718
- Bedourie State School BEDOURIE QLD 4829
- Benaraby State School BENARABY QLD 4680
- Berserker Street State School BERSERKER QLD 4701
- Biloela State School BILOELA QLD 4715
- Birdsville State School BIRDSVILLE QLD 4482
- Blackwater North State School BLACKWATER QLD 4717
- Blackwater State School BLACKWATER QLD 4717
- Bluff State School BLUFF QLD 4702
- Bororen State School BOROREN QLD 4678
- Bouldercombe State School BOULDERCOMBE QLD 4702
- Boyne Island State School BOYNE ISLAND QLD 4680
- Builyan State School BOYNE VALLEY QLD 4680
- Byfield State School BYFIELD QLD 4703
- Calliope State School CALLIOPE QLD 4680
- Capella State School CAPELLA QLD 4723
- Cawarral State School CAWARRAL QLD 4702
- Clarke Creek State School CLARKE CREEK QLD 4705
- Clermont State School CLERMONT QLD 4721
- Clinton State School CLINTON QLD 4680
- Comet State School COMET QLD 4702
- Coowonga State School COOWONGA QLD 4702
- Crescent Lagoon State School WEST ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- Denison State School EMERALD QLD 4720
- Depot Hill State School DEPOT HILL QLD 4700
- Dingo State School DINGO QLD 4702
- Duaringa State School DUARINGA QLD 4712
- Dysart State School DYSART QLD 4745
- Emerald North State School EMERALD QLD 4720
- Emerald State School EMERALD QLD 4720
- Emu Park State School EMU PARK QLD 4710
- Farnborough State School FARNBOROUGH QLD 4703
- Frenchville State School FRENCHVILLE QLD 4701
- Gindie State School GINDIE QLD 4702
- Gladstone Central State School GLADSTONE CENTRAL QLD 4680
- Gladstone South State School SOUTH GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- Gladstone West State School WEST GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- Glenmore State School KAWANA QLD 4701
- Gogango State School GOGANGO QLD 4702
- Goovigen State School GOOVIGEN QLD 4702
- Gracemere State School GRACEMERE QLD 4702
- Ilfracombe State School ILFRACOMBE QLD 4727
- Isisford State School ISISFORD QLD 4731
- Jambin State School SMOKY CREEK QLD 4702
- Jericho State School JERICHO QLD 4728
- Jundah State School JUNDAH QLD 4736
- Keppel Sands State School KEPPEL SANDS QLD 4702
- Kin Kora State School KIN KORA QLD 4680
- Lakes Creek State School LAKES CREEK QLD 4701
- Lochington State School LOCHINGTON QLD 4722
- Longreach State School LONGREACH QLD 4730
- Lowmead State School LOWMEAD QLD 4676
- Mackenzie River State School MACKENZIE RIVER QLD 4705
- Marlborough State School MARLBOROUGH QLD 4705
- Marmor State School MARMOR QLD 4702
- Milman State School MILMAN QLD 4702
- Mistake Creek State School CLERMONT QLD 4721
- Mount Archer State School KOONGAL QLD 4701
- Mount Morgan Central State School MOUNT MORGAN QLD 4714
- Mount Murchison State School MOUNT MURCHISON QLD 4715
- Moura State School MOURA QLD 4718
- Muttaburra State School MUTTABURRA QLD 4732
- Nagoorin State School BOYNE VALLEY QLD 4680
- Orion State School ORION QLD 4722
- Park Avenue State School PARK AVENUE QLD 4701
- Parkhurst State School PARKHURST QLD 4702
- Port Curtis Road State School PORT CURTIS QLD 4700
- Prospect Creek State School PROSPECT QLD 4715
- Ridgelands State School RIDGELANDS QLD 4702
- Rolleston State School ROLLESTON QLD 4702
- St Lawrence State School ST LAWRENCE QLD 4707
- Stanwell State School STANWELL QLD 4702
- Stonehenge State School STONEHENGE QLD 4730
- Tannum Sands State School TANNUM SANDS QLD 4680
- Taranganba State School TARANGANBA QLD 4703
- Thangool State School THANGOOL QLD 4716
- The Caves State School THE CAVES QLD 4702
- The Hall State School WANDAL QLD 4700
- Tieri State School TIERI QLD 4709
- Tresswell State School NANDOWRIE QLD 4722
- Ubobo State School BOYNE VALLEY QLD 4680
- Waraburra State School GRACEMERE QLD 4702
- Wartburg State School BAFFLE CREEK QLD 4674
- Westwood State School WESTWOOD QLD 4702
- Windorah State School WINDORAH QLD 4481
- Winfield State School WINFIELD QLD 4670
- Woorabinda State School WOORABINDA QLD 4713
- Wowan State School WOWAN QLD 4702
- Yarwun State School YARWUN QLD 4694
- Yeppoon State School YEPPOON QLD 4703
Secondary
- Biloela State High School BILOELA QLD 4715
- Blackwater State High School BLACKWATER QLD 4717
- Capella State High School CAPELLA QLD 4723
- Clermont State High School CLERMONT QLD 4721
- Dysart State High School DYSART QLD 4745
- Emerald State High School EMERALD QLD 4720
- Gladstone State High School WEST GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- Glenmore State High School KAWANA QLD 4701
- Longreach State High School LONGREACH QLD 4730
- Mount Morgan State High School MOUNT MORGAN QLD 4714
- Moura State High School MOURA QLD 4718
- New state secondary school Calliope CALLIOPE QLD 4680
- North Rockhampton State High School FRENCHVILLE QLD 4701
- Rockhampton State High School WANDAL QLD 4700
- Tannum Sands State High School TANNUM SANDS QLD 4680
- Toolooa State High School SOUTH GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- Yeppoon State High School YEPPOON QLD 4703
Special
- Rockhampton North Special School FRENCHVILLE QLD 4701
- Rockhampton Special School ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- Rosella Park School WEST GLADSTONE QLD 4680
Combined
- Discovery Christian College AGNES WATER QLD 4677
- Emerald Christian College EMERALD QLD 4720
- Faith Baptist Christian School BURUA QLD 4680
- Heights College NORTH ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- Kingsley College NORTH ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- Central Queensland Christian College ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- Lighthouse Christian School NORMAN GARDENS QLD 4701
- Redeemer Lutheran College, Biloela BILOELA QLD 4715
- Rockhampton Girls Grammar School ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- The Rockhampton Grammar School THE RANGE QLD 4700
- Trinity College GLADSTONE QLD 4680
Primary
- Goora Gan Steiner School AGNES WATER QLD 4677
- Goora Gan Steiner School AGNES WATER QLD 4677
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School SPRINGSURE QLD 4722
- Our Lady's Catholic Primary School LONGREACH QLD 4730
- Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School YEPPOON QLD 4703
- St Anthony's Catholic Primary School NORTH ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- St Benedict's Catholic Primary School YEPPOON QLD 4703
- St Brigid's Catholic Primary School EMERALD QLD 4720
- St Francis Catholic Primary School TANNUM SANDS QLD 4680
- St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School BARCALDINE QLD 4725
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School BILOELA QLD 4715
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School BLACKALL QLD 4472
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School CLERMONT QLD 4721
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School PARK AVENUE QLD 4701
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School WANDAL QLD 4700
- St Mary's Catholic Primary School NORTH ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- St Patrick's Catholic Primary School EMERALD QLD 4720
- St Patrick's Catholic School WINTON QLD 4735
- St Paul's Catholic Primary School GRACEMERE QLD 4702
- St Peter's Catholic Primary School ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School GLADSTONE QLD 4680
Secondary
- Chanel College GLADSTONE QLD 4680
- Emmaus College PARK AVENUE QLD 4701
- Emmaus College - Yaamba Road Campus NORTH ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4701
- Marist College EMERALD QLD 4720
- St Brendan's College YEPPOON QLD 4703
- St Ursula's College YEPPOON QLD 4703
- The Cathedral College ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- The Rockhampton Grammar School - Quarry Street Campus ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
- Wadja Wadja High School WOORABINDA QLD 4713
Special
- Carinity Education - Rockhampton GLENLEE QLD 4711
- Carinity Education - Rockhampton GLEN EDEN QLD 4680
- Ontrack EMERALD QLD 4720
- Ontrack - Capricorn Highway Campus EMERALD QLD 4720
- Rockhampton Flexible Learning Centre ROCKHAMPTON QLD 4700
Fitzroy and Central West Housing
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Houses in Fitzroy and Central West
The price of a house in Fitzroy and Central West ranges from around to $1,700,000.
A typical house in has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & parking for 2 cars.
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Apartments in Fitzroy and Central West
The price of a apartment in Fitzroy and Central West ranges from around $177,000 to $1,000,000.
A typical apartment in has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & parking for 2 cars.
Fitzroy and Central West Census Information
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Dwelling Type
What types of residential properties are available in Fitzroy and Central West?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Tenure Type
Which residential properties in Fitzroy and Central West are owned, mortgaged or rented out?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Change in Residence
Did people in Fitzroy and Central West change address in the last year?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Working Population
What age groups are most strongly represented in Fitzroy and Central West?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Top 5 Industries
What industries do people in Fitzroy and Central West work in?
- Health care and social assistance
- Retail trade
- Education and training
- Mining
- Construction
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP -
Family Size
How many people live in a household in Fitzroy and Central West?
Source: ABS 2016 Census GCP
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Properties in Fitzroy and Central West
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- For Rent