Mackay and Isaac recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people. For Bowen Basin mine sites and contractors, we build the roster and travel into the search from the start.
How tight is the Mackay and Isaac job market?
- of workers are in mining, the region's largest industry
- 13%
- 13,800 of 107,600 employed people, four-quarter average to February 2026.1
- of Isaac's full-time-equivalent population were FIFO or DIDO workers on shift
- 41%
- 16,605 of an estimated 40,060 people, counting residents and workers on shift, June 2025.2 Many site hires live outside the area they work in.
- of Mackay employers who were recruiting had difficulty filling roles
- 40%
- Year to August 2026, against 47% in the rest of Queensland. Applicants lacking technical skills or experience were among the most common reasons.3
Who employs people in Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays?
The region is home to 193,813 people across three council areas: Mackay (129,253), Whitsunday (41,374, including Airlie Beach and Cannonvale) and Isaac (23,186), which takes in Moranbah and much of the Bowen Basin coalfields.6 Mining employs the most people, ahead of retail, health care, construction and manufacturing.1 Across the Bowen Basin, 47 coal mines were operating in June 2025.7
Employed people in the five largest industries, Mackay employment region (Mackay–Isaac–Whitsunday SA4), four-quarter average to February 2026.1
| Industry | Employed people |
|---|---|
| Mining | 13,800 |
| Retail trade | 11,700 |
| Health care and social assistance | 11,400 |
| Construction | 10,900 |
| Manufacturing | 8,400 |
Which jobs are most advertised in Mackay and Isaac?
Automotive and engineering trades top the list by a wide margin, ahead of drivers, clerks and plant operators. Engineers, nurses and electrotechnology trades also make the top eight.
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Mackay–Isaac–Whitsunday SA4, three-month average to September 2026.8
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Automotive and engineering trades | 301 |
| Drivers and storepersons | 157 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre staff and receptionists | 148 |
| Machine and stationary plant operators | 120 |
| Sales assistants | 117 |
| Engineers | 104 |
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 94 |
| Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades | 91 |
Which roles do we recruit in Mackay and Isaac?
Open a role type for demand, pay, requirements and what to put in your brief. Shortage ratings are for 2026. We count an occupation as in shortage if it is rated in shortage nationally or in regional areas.
Mining maintenance and site trades
Qualified fitters, diesel mechanics, electricians and fabricators for mine sites, workshops and contractors.
- Demand
- Automotive and engineering trades averaged 301 online job ads a month to September 2026, the most of any occupation group in the region.8 Metal fitters and machinists and motor mechanics were among the 10 most advertised occupations in the three months to August 2026.3
- Shortage
- Fitters, diesel motor mechanics, electricians and metal fabricators are all rated in shortage nationally.9
- Who hires
- Contractors are a big part of the resources workforce: 27,460 of the Bowen Basin's resource industry workers, or 58%, were contractors in June 2025.7
- Award
- Coal mining employees and their employers are covered by the Black Coal Mining Industry Award.10 The Mining Industry Award covers many other mining roles, subject to its exclusions, including work covered by the black coal award.11
- Pay
- Award minimum from 1 July 2026: $1,187.80 a week for a full-time Mineworker (35 hours), the black coal award level for a tradesperson with two advancement competencies.12 Market pay: a national median of $2,606 a week for full-time metal fitters and machinists, May 2025.13
- Coal mine medicals
- Queensland coal mine employers must ensure each person they employ or intend to employ has a coal mine worker health assessment, on entering the industry and at least every five years.14
- What to put in your brief
- The trade, licences and tickets, the equipment, the site induction and medical requirements, the award or agreement and roster rate, the roster and the experience you expect.
Engineers and technical staff
Graduate and experienced mechanical, mining and electrical engineers, maintenance planners and technical officers.
- Demand
- Engineers averaged 104 online job ads a month in the region to September 2026.8 Mining, mechanical and electrical engineers are all rated in shortage nationally.9
- Supervision
- In Queensland, professional engineering work must be carried out by, or under the direct supervision of, a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).15
- Pay
- Award minimum from 1 July 2026, where the Professional Employees Award covers the role: $68,538 a year for a full-time graduate engineer with a four- or five-year degree (pay point 1.1).16 Engineers at black coal mines can fall under the black coal award. Market pay: a national median of $3,518 a week for full-time mining engineers, May 2025.17
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the experience level, the site or office base, the roster and, for a graduate, who will review their work.
Plant operators, drillers and drivers
Experienced plant operators, drillers and heavy vehicle drivers for mining, civil and transport employers.
- Demand
- Machine and stationary plant operators averaged 120 online job ads a month to September 2026, and drivers and storepersons 157.8 Truck drivers were among the 10 most advertised occupations in the three months to August 2026.3
- Shortage
- Drillers, earthmoving plant operators and truck drivers are rated in shortage nationally, and miners are rated in shortage in regional areas.9
- Pay
- Award minimum from 1 July 2026: $1,187.80 a week for a full-time Mineworker (35 hours), the black coal award level for an operator competent in four advancement competencies, such as truck or excavator operation.12 Market pay: a national median of $1,900 a week for full-time earthmoving plant operators, May 2025.18
- Coal mine medicals
- Coal mine operators and drivers need the same coal mine worker health assessment.14
- What to put in your brief
- The equipment and tickets needed from day one, the licence class, the medical and induction requirements, the roster and the departure point.
Health professionals and support workers
Registered nurses, allied health professionals, and health administrators and managers, plus assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers.
- Who hires
- Health care and social assistance employs 11,400 people, the region's third-largest industry, four-quarter average to February 2026.1 Hospitals were the second-largest employer of Mackay residents after coal mining in August 2021, with 2,710 people.19
- Demand
- Registered nurses and aged and disabled carers were among the 10 most advertised occupations in the Mackay region in the three months to August 2026.3 Medical practitioners and nurses averaged 94 online job ads a month to September 2026.8
- Shortage
- Aged care registered nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and aged or disabled carers are all rated in shortage nationally.9
- What to put in your brief
- The registration or qualification the role needs, the setting (hospital, aged care, disability or community), the shift pattern and who the person reports to.
Business and administration
Accountants, administration officers and office managers, from graduates to experienced staff, for mining services, contractors and other local businesses.
- Demand
- General-inquiry clerks, call centre workers and receptionists averaged 148 online job ads a month to September 2026.8 General clerks were among the 10 most advertised occupations in the three months to August 2026.3
- Mining services
- Coal mining was the largest industry of employment for Mackay residents in August 2021, with 5,596 people, or 9.5% of employed residents.19
- Who hires
- The Mackay council area had 11,184 businesses in June 2025.20
- What to put in your brief
- The systems you use, the experience level and who the person reports to.
Local, DIDO and FIFO roles in Mackay and the Bowen Basin
Tell us which arrangement applies and we cover the detail with candidates during screening.
Working arrangements and what we cover with candidates
| Arrangement | What it means | What we cover with candidates |
|---|---|---|
| Residential (local) | The person lives locally and travels to a workplace or site each day. | Where they will live, the daily journey and start times. |
| Drive-in drive-out (DIDO) | The person drives to site for a block of shifts, then home for their days off. | The roster, the drive, accommodation on site and changeover days. |
| Fly-in fly-out (FIFO) | The person flies to site from a departure point for a roster, then flies home. | The departure point, roster, flights and accommodation. |
Graduates for site and office roles
Tell us who will supervise a graduate on shift and how their first months on site will run, and we look for graduates who want site work and rosters. Graduates from CQUniversity's Mackay campuses and from universities elsewhere can register with us.21
How we help you hire in Mackay and Isaac
The steps are the same for a Mackay office, a workshop or a site in Isaac. You make the decision and employ the person directly.
Site travel, housing and relocation
Some site roles are a long way from Mackay. Moranbah, the main town in the Isaac coalfields, is about 200 kilometres south-west of Mackay.22 An estimated 16,605 workers from outside Isaac were on shift there in the last week of June 2025.2 We talk candidates through the journey, the roster and accommodation as part of screening.
Rental markets differ across the region. In the June 2026 quarter, 1.2% of rentals were vacant in Mackay and 0.9% in Whitsunday, both in the tight range of 2.5% or less, against 6.2% in Isaac.23 If your preferred candidate is relocating to the coast, we raise housing, moving costs and any support you offer early in the process.
For a site role, tell us about the induction, medicals, early duties and supervision on shift, and we give candidates the same picture. If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Mackay or Isaac?
Tradespeople, engineers, health workers, office professionals and graduates can all register with Hire Australia, including people coming home or ready to try site work. Tell us where you'd like to be based and whether rostered work suits you. We'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next Mackay, Isaac or Whitsunday hire
Tell us about the role, the worksite and the roster, and when you need someone to start.
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.
How hard is it to hire staff in Mackay and Isaac?
Few local people are looking for work. The Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday unemployment rate was 3.1% in the 12 months to September 2026, the lowest of Queensland's 19 statistical regions.4 Among Mackay employers who were recruiting in the year to August 2026, 40% had difficulty, most often because applicants lacked technical skills or experience, or too few suitable people applied.3 Hire Australia searches beyond the local market and screens for the skills your role needs.
Does Hire Australia recruit for Bowen Basin mine sites on FIFO or DIDO rosters?
Yes. Hire Australia recruits qualified tradespeople, engineers, plant operators and technical staff for mine sites and contractors in Isaac and across the Bowen Basin, as well as residential roles in Mackay and the Whitsundays. Tell us the roster, the drive or departure point, the accommodation and the tickets the site needs. We cover each of these with candidates during screening, before you interview anyone.
Does Hire Australia have an office in Mackay?
No. Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist based in Brisbane, and we recruit for employers across regional Australia, including Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays. For a Mackay or Bowen Basin role, we look for people already living in the region and for people ready to relocate or work a site roster. Call 1300 719 836 or send us the role details to start.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire for Mackay and Bowen Basin sites?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire or temps, and candidates never work on our payroll. That suits Mackay and Bowen Basin employers filling a permanent role, including the contracting companies behind much site work: 58% of the basin's resource industry workers were contractors in June 2025.7 You make the offer and employ the person.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia in Mackay and Isaac?
Hire Australia charges the same way for a role in Mackay, Isaac or the Whitsundays as anywhere else. 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.
Can I register with Hire Australia if I'm moving to Mackay, Isaac or the Whitsundays?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us where you'd like to be based, when you could start and whether rostered or site work suits you. We'll talk with you about suitable roles in Mackay, Isaac or the Whitsundays, and about the accommodation questions to ask an employer before you accept.
Sources (23)
- 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 ↑
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Bowen Basin population report, 2025. Published 2 April 2026. Data: June 2025; counts non-resident workers present on shift, not the whole non-resident workforce. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Recruitment trends and employers' needs: Regional Snapshot update, Mackay. Released 22 September 2026. Data: Survey: year to August 2026, 96 responding employers, unweighted, small sample; top 10 job ads: three months to August 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Modelled regional labour force - Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday SA4, September 2026. Data: September 2026, 12-month moving average; lowest of Queensland's 19 SA4 regions. 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 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- 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 ↑
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, Bowen Basin resource industry workforce, 2025. Published 31 July 2026. Data: 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, 2026 Occupation Shortage List - 6 digit ANZSCO and OSCA. Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 OSL. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 [MA000001]: award summary (who the award covers). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Mining Industry Award [MA000011]: award summary (who the award covers). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020 [MA000001], consolidated to 1 July 2026. Data: From 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: ANZSCO 3232 Metal Fitters and Machinists. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Business Queensland (Queensland Government), Coal Mine Workers' Health Scheme (page last updated 6 December 2022). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ), Practice note – Direct supervision. Accessed 28 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Commission, Professional Employees Award 2020 [MA000065], consolidated to 1 July 2026. Data: From 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: ANZSCO 2336 Mining Engineers. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: ANZSCO 7212 Earthmoving Plant Operators. Data: May 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census All persons QuickStats: Mackay. Data: Census night, 10 August 2021. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025 (Businesses by industry division by LGA by employment size ranges). Released 16 December 2025. Data: June 2025. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- CQUniversity, Mackay locations (Ooralea and City campuses). Campus information. Accessed 28 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Economic Development Queensland, revoked priority development areas (Moranbah). Location description. Accessed 28 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), State of flux in Queensland's rental market, says REIQ. Published 30 July 2026. Data: June quarter 2026; Mackay 1.2%, Whitsunday 0.9%, Isaac 6.2%; REIQ bands 0-2.5% tight, 2.6-3.5% healthy, 3.6%+ weak. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑