Recruitment across regional Queensland
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers across Queensland, from Cairns and Mount Isa to Roma, the Gold Coast and the growth cities around Brisbane, hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. We recruit for regional employers right across Australia, too.
Regional Queensland at a glance
Half of all Queenslanders live outside Greater Brisbane,1 and in the year to August 2026 nearly half of the regional employers who recruited found a role hard to fill.2
- of Queenslanders live outside Greater Brisbane
- 50%
- 2,836,240 people, 30 June 2025.1
- live outside Greater Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast
- 29.7%
- About three in ten Queenslanders, 30 June 2025.1
- of recruiting employers in regional Queensland had difficulty filling a role
- 47%
- 12 months to August 2026. 58% of employers were recruiting or had recruited in the past month.2
- occupations in shortage are short only in regional areas
- 15 of 279
- 2026 ratings. 279 of 1,021 occupations are in shortage nationally or in regional areas. The 15 include construction project managers, enrolled nurses and hospital pharmacists.3
Which industries drive each region of Queensland?
Health care is among the largest industries in every region. Mining leads around Mackay, Isaac and Mount Isa, and agriculture across the Downs and the South West.
Unemployment is lowest in the mining and grazing shires (1.3% in Longreach, 1.4% in Isaac), so for roles there we search well beyond the shire.4
Population at 30 June 20255, largest industries (2026, or 2021 where no recent profile exists), online job ads a month (three-month average to September 20266) and smoothed unemployment by council area4.
| Region | Main council areas (population) | What drives it | Job ads a month | Unemployment (June quarter 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far North (Cairns) | Cairns 179,334 | Health care, tourism (accommodation and food), public administration, construction.7 | 2,209 | Cairns 4.4% |
| Townsville | Townsville 206,260; Charters Towers 12,088 | Health care, education, public administration and Defence, construction.8,9 | 2,354 | Townsville 4.6%; Charters Towers 6.0% |
| Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays | Mackay 129,253; Whitsunday 41,374; Isaac 23,186 | Coal mining and mining services, retail, health care, construction, manufacturing.10 | 2,471 | Mackay 3.0%; Whitsunday 3.3%; Isaac 1.4% |
| Central Queensland | Rockhampton 85,794; Gladstone 69,046; Central Highlands 29,481 | Health care, mining, manufacturing (Gladstone's alumina and aluminium), retail.11,12 | 2,223 | Rockhampton 4.1%; Gladstone 4.6%; Central Highlands 2.9% |
| Wide Bay–Burnett | Fraser Coast 122,924; Bundaberg 107,297; Gympie 58,487 | Hospitals, social assistance, aged care and education.13 | 1,804 | Fraser Coast 4.5%; Bundaberg 3.8%; Gympie 4.0% |
| Toowoomba | Toowoomba 186,276 | Health care, agriculture, education, retail, construction.14 | 1,148 (Toowoomba and surrounds) | Toowoomba 3.6% |
| Darling Downs and South West (Warwick, Dalby, Roma) | Southern Downs 38,064; Western Downs 35,452; Maranoa 13,370 | Beef cattle farming, hospitals, local government; gas fields nearby.15,16,17 | 1,006 | Southern Downs 3.7%; Western Downs 3.9%; Maranoa 2.3% |
| Outback and North West (Mount Isa) | Mount Isa 18,585; Cloncurry 3,907; Longreach 3,741 | Copper and silver-lead-zinc mining, beef cattle, local government, hospitals.18,19 | 779 | Mount Isa 3.5%; Cloncurry 2.3%; Longreach 1.3% |
| Sunshine Coast | Sunshine Coast 381,957; Noosa 59,551 | Hospitals, aged care, hospitality.20 | 3,218 | Sunshine Coast 3.3%; Noosa 3.0% |
| Gold Coast | Gold Coast 691,230 | Health care, construction, retail, tourism, professional services.21 | 5,473 | Gold Coast 3.3% (Brisbane 3.9%) |
| Growth cities around Brisbane: Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan | Moreton Bay 532,445; Ipswich 268,272; Logan 403,5155 | Health care, construction, retail, manufacturing (2021).22 | Counted with Greater Brisbane (29,449)6 | Moreton Bay 4.8%; Ipswich 4.2%; Logan 6.6%4 |
How hard is it to hire in regional Queensland?
Nearly half of regional Queensland employers who were recruiting or had recruited in the past month found a role hard to fill (survey year to August 2026), about the same share as in Greater Brisbane.2 In Townsville, Cairns and the Darling Downs, employers named the location itself among their main reasons, alongside a lack of suitable applicants.2
That's why we ask about the town, the roster and the support you can offer from the first conversation, and start with people who already live, study or train in the region.
Share of recruiting employers who had difficulty filling a vacancy, 12 months to August 2026, by employment region.2
| Employment region | % with difficulty |
|---|---|
| Townsville | 53% |
| Fitzroy (Central Queensland) | 52% |
| Darling Downs | 48% |
| Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast | 48% |
| Cairns | 44% |
| Mackay | 40% |
| Gold Coast | 39% |
| All of regional Queensland | 47% |
| Greater Brisbane (comparison) | 48% |
Our regional Queensland guides
Detailed guides to hiring in each region: the labour market, the roles in demand and how we help.
Bundaberg and Wide Bay
Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Maryborough and Gympie recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles from a regional recruitment specialist.
Cairns and Far North
Cairns and Far North Queensland recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles, from a regional recruitment specialist with local hiring data.
Gold Coast
Gold Coast recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles. Local hiring data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist helps.
Ipswich and West Moreton
Hiring in Ipswich, Springfield or the Lockyer Valley? Local data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist finds the right people.
Logan and Beaudesert
Hiring in Logan or Beaudesert? Local workforce data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist finds the right people for you.
Mackay and Isaac
Regional recruitment specialist for Mackay, Isaac and Bowen Basin employers. Trades, engineers, health and office staff, for FIFO, DIDO or local roles.
Moreton Bay
Hiring in Moreton Bay? Growth, workforce and hiring data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist finds the right local people.
Mount Isa and Outback
Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Longreach and Outback Queensland recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles from a regional recruitment specialist.
Rockhampton and Gladstone
Rockhampton, Gladstone and Central Highlands recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles from a regional recruitment specialist.
Sunshine Coast and Noosa
Hiring on the Sunshine Coast or in Noosa? Local hiring data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist finds the right people.
Toowoomba and Darling Downs
Regional recruitment specialist for Toowoomba and Darling Downs employers hiring professional, technical and trade staff in agriculture, health and trades.
Townsville
Townsville recruitment for professional, technical and trade roles. Local hiring data, the roles we fill and how a regional recruitment specialist helps.
Which roles do you recruit in regional Queensland?
We recruit professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. In regional Queensland that includes qualified trades such as electricians, diesel fitters and plumbers, and graduate and experienced engineers and technicians.
We also recruit health professionals, including registered nurses, allied health and health administration and management staff, and health support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers. See how we recruit for regional employers.
Hiring graduates in regional Queensland
Regional Queensland trains its own graduates. James Cook University has campuses in Townsville and Cairns,23 CQUniversity teaches in Rockhampton, Mackay, Gladstone, Bundaberg and Emerald,24 the University of Southern Queensland teaches in Toowoomba25 and UniSC has campuses on the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Coast and in Gympie.26 TAFE Queensland trains at 60 locations, from Thursday Island to Coolangatta and west to Mount Isa.27
We talk with graduates about the work, the town and the support you offer.
How we help you hire in regional Queensland
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
How do we handle FIFO, DIDO and relocation in regional Queensland?
Distance, rosters and relocation shape many regional hires. Tell us the base town, any site travel and any fly-in fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in drive-out (DIDO) roster, and we build them into the search and talk them through with candidates during screening.
Tell us, too, whether you can help with housing, a relocation allowance or a vehicle. We raise them early with every candidate who would be moving.
We start with people who live, study or train in the region, and we also talk with candidates returning home or planning a move to regional Queensland. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in regional Queensland?
Register with Hire Australia and tell us the towns you're considering, the work you want and when you could start. Experienced people, graduates and people moving to Queensland are all welcome. We'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next regional Queensland hire
Tell us the role, the base town, the roster, the salary range or award, any licences or tickets, any housing help and when you need someone to start. We recruit for regional employers anywhere in Queensland and across Australia.
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment.
A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Good to know.
Which parts of Queensland does Hire Australia recruit in?
All of it. Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist based in Brisbane, and we recruit across Queensland, from Cairns and Mount Isa to Roma, the Gold Coast and the growth cities around Brisbane such as Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Logan. Brisbane itself is covered on this page. Half of all Queenslanders live outside Greater Brisbane, 2,836,240 people at 30 June 2025.1 We recruit across Australia too, so tell us the town and the role.
Is it hard to hire staff in regional Queensland?
Often. In the 12 months to August 2026, 58% of employers outside Greater Brisbane were recruiting or had recruited in the past month, and 47% of them had difficulty filling a role, a similar share to Brisbane.2 A lack of suitable applicants was among the main reasons. In Townsville, Cairns and the Darling Downs, employers also named the location itself.2 Hire Australia builds the town, the roster and any move into the search from the start.
Can Hire Australia help with fly-in fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in drive-out (DIDO) roles in Queensland?
Yes. Non-resident workers are a large part of Queensland's resource regions. In June 2025, 24,745 were on shift in the Bowen Basin.28 Tell Hire Australia the base, the departure point and the roster, and we build them into the search. We talk through the roster, travel and accommodation with each candidate before we introduce them to you.
What does Hire Australia cost for a regional Queensland hire?
Employers pay nothing until the successful candidate has started and stayed two months. Candidates never pay for recruitment. You employ the person directly, and we agree the terms with you in writing before the search begins. Hire Australia uses the same terms for roles anywhere in regional Queensland, from Cairns to Roma.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or temporary staff in Queensland?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles anywhere in regional Queensland. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. We search for and screen people for your vacancy, introduce the ones who fit, and you make the offer and employ them from day one.
Can I register with Hire Australia while I'm deciding where in Queensland to live?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us the towns or regions you're considering, your background and when you could start. Experienced people, graduates and people moving to Queensland are all welcome. We'll talk with you about roles and working patterns that fit your plans.
Sources (28)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates by SA2 and above, 2001 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers’ needs: State and Regional Snapshot update, Queensland. Released 22 September 2026. Data: REOS survey, 12 months to August 2026; small regional samples, 96 to 267 employers per region. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, OSCA 2024 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, SALM Smoothed LGA Datafiles (ASGS 2025) - June quarter 2026. Data: June quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional population, 2024-25 financial year (Population estimates and components by LGA, 2024 to 2025). Released 31 March 2026. Data: 30 June 2025. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index: Internet Vacancies, ANZSCO2 Occupations, GCCSA and SA4 Regions - September 2026. September data released 21 October 2026. Data: September 2026. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Cairns Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Townsville Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Townsville. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Mackay Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Fitzroy Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Gladstone. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Wide Bay. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Darling Downs Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Western Downs. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Maranoa. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Surat Basin population report, 2025. Published 2 April 2026. Data: June 2025. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Mount Isa. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Queensland - Outback. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Sunshine Coast. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Employment Region Industry profile: Gold Coast Employment Region. Published 15 April 2026. Data: February 2026, four-quarter average. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021, G54 Industry of employment by age by sex, Local Government Areas. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- James Cook University, Campus locations, maps and transport. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- CQUniversity, Our locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- University of Southern Queensland, Campuses and locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- TAFE Queensland, Campus locations. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Bowen Basin population report, 2025. Published 2 April 2026. Data: June 2025. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑