Mount Isa and Outback Queensland recruitment: professional, technical and trade staff
Hire Australia is a regional recruitment specialist. We help employers in Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Longreach, Charleville and the towns between hire professional, technical and trade staff, from graduates to experienced people, for mines and processing plants, hospitals, councils, stations and the businesses that serve them.
Mount Isa and the Outback at a glance
- of the North West resource workforce is in metal mining and processing
- 89%
- 8,305 people worked in the resource industry around Mount Isa, Cloncurry and McKinlay in June 2025.1
- of those resource workers lived in the council area where they worked
- 40%
- Of workers whose home was known, June 2025. 22% lived in Townsville and 22% in South East Queensland.1
- of the North West resource workforce were contractors
- 32%
- June 2025. The other 68% were employees.1
- Queensland rental regions had vacancy of 2.5% or less
- 48 of 50
- September quarter 2026; Mount Isa's rate fell over the quarter. Housing for a new hire needs planning early.2
What drives the economy in Mount Isa and the Outback?
Mining sets the pace in the North West. Glencore's Mount Isa Mines includes the George Fisher underground zinc mine and mineral processing and smelting operations.3 Its underground copper mines and copper concentrator were planned to close in the second half of 2025,4 and in October 2025 Glencore agreed with the Australian and Queensland governments on support of up to $600 million to keep the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery running for three years, giving 600 workers more certainty. Glencore also has $2.5 billion in planned or proposed investment across the Mount Isa region over six years.5 Mount Isa, including Burke, had 4,365 resource workers in June 2025, Cloncurry 2,530 and McKinlay 1,410.1
Beyond the mines, cattle, councils and health care are the large employers. North West Hospital and Health Service had 1,018 staff at 30 June 2026, serving about 27,000 people across more than 300,000 square kilometres,6 and Central West Hospital and Health Service, based in Longreach, had 526.7
Employed residents, five largest detailed industries, Queensland – Outback SA4 (includes Cape York and the Torres Strait), August 2021, the latest data released; copper mining has shrunk since 2025.8
| Industry | Employed residents |
|---|---|
| Beef cattle farming (specialised) | 2,794 |
| Local government administration | 2,483 |
| Hospitals (except psychiatric hospitals) | 1,880 |
| Copper ore mining | 1,778 |
| Primary education | 1,152 |
Which jobs are most advertised in Outback Queensland?
Nurses and doctors had the most online job ads, followed by receptionists and clerks, then automotive and engineering trades such as fitters and diesel mechanics.9
Online job advertisements by occupation group, Queensland – Outback SA4 (including Cape York and the Torres Strait), three-month average to September 2026. All occupations: 779 a month.9
| Occupation group | Job ads a month |
|---|---|
| Medical practitioners and nurses | 70 |
| General-inquiry clerks, call-centre workers and receptionists | 59 |
| Automotive and engineering trades | 50 |
| Drivers and storepersons | 40 |
| Legal, social and welfare professionals | 39 |
| Carers and aides | 36 |
| Engineers | 32 |
How hard is it to hire in Mount Isa and the Outback?
The national employer survey has no separate Outback result, but across regional Queensland 47% of recruiting employers had difficulty filling a role in the year to August 2026.10 Out here the local pool is small: unemployment was 3.5% in Mount Isa, 2.3% in Cloncurry, 1.7% in McKinlay and 1.3% in Longreach in the June quarter 2026.11
So many workers come from elsewhere. In June 2025, 60% of North West resource workers whose home was known lived outside the council area where they worked.1 Housing is tight too: 48 of the 50 Queensland regions tracked had rental vacancy rates of 2.5% or less in the September quarter 20262, and Mount Isa's rate fell over the quarter.
We search Townsville, Cairns, Brisbane and beyond for people with the experience you need and a real reason to work in the Outback, and we are clear with them about the roster, the town and housing from the first call.
Which roles do we recruit in Mount Isa and the Outback?
Open a role type for demand, pay, training and what to put in your brief. Shortage ratings are the 2026 national ratings; we count an occupation as in shortage when it is rated short nationally or in regional areas.
Mining trades and maintenance
Qualified fitters, diesel mechanics, electricians, boilermakers and welders, and maintenance planners and supervisors for mines, the smelter, processing plants and contractors.
- Demand
- The region averaged 50 online job ads a month for automotive and engineering trades, 18 for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades and 18 for mobile plant operators, three-month average to September 2026.9
- Shortage
- Fitters, diesel motor mechanics and electricians are all rated in shortage in 2026.12
- Pay (mine trades)
- Award minimum: $1,160.51 a week for a full-time Level 3 competent employee, including the industry allowance (Mining Industry Award, from 1 July 2026), where that award covers the role at a mine outside black coal. Other allowances may apply.13 Market median: $2,606 a week (full-time metal fitters and machinists nationally, May 2025).14
- Local training
- TAFE Queensland Mount Isa has metal fabrication, diesel fitting and fitting and machining workshops.15
- What to put in your brief
- The trade and tickets, the site and plant, the roster, residential or fly-in fly-out, the accommodation and the pay range.
Engineers, geologists and technical staff
Mining, mechanical, electrical and civil engineers, geologists, surveyors, metallurgists and technicians for mines, processing, councils and contractors.
- Demand
- Employers in the region advertised for engineers 32 times a month and for engineering, ICT and science technicians 22 times a month, three-month average to September 2026.9
- Shortage
- Mining, mechanical, electrical and civil engineers and geologists are rated in shortage in 2026.12
- Pay
- Award minimum: $34.57 an hour for a graduate engineer with a four- or five-year degree (Professional Employees Award, level 1.1, from 1 July 2026), where that award covers the role; council roles sit outside it.16 Market median: $79 an hour (mining engineers nationally, May 2025).17
- Supervision
- In Queensland, professional engineering work must be carried out by, or under the direct supervision of, a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).18
- What to put in your brief
- The discipline, the operation, the experience level, the roster and, for a graduate, who will review their work.
Health and community services
Registered nurses, midwives, remote area nurses, allied health professionals, health managers, and support workers such as assistants in nursing and disability and aged-care support workers.
- Size
- North West Hospital and Health Service had 1,018 staff and Central West Hospital and Health Service 526 at 30 June 2026.6,7
- Demand
- Each month the region averaged 70 online job ads for medical practitioners and nurses, 25 for health diagnostic and therapy professionals and 36 for carers and aides, three-month average to September 2026.9
- Shortage
- Aged-care registered nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, general practitioners and aged or disabled carers are rated in shortage in 2026.12
- What to put in your brief
- The registration, the town, the roster and on-call duties, the housing provided and who will support the person.
Councils and local services
Works managers, engineers, finance officers, planners, environmental health officers and community services staff for outback councils and service providers.
- Size
- Local government administration employed 2,483 residents of the Outback region in August 2021, the second-largest detailed industry.8
- Demand
- The region averaged 39 online job ads a month for legal, social and welfare professionals and 59 for clerks and receptionists, three-month average to September 2026.9
- What to put in your brief
- The role, the town, the housing and vehicle, and the support for someone new to the region.
- How we help
- We look for people with council or community experience and talk with them honestly about life in a small outback town.
Pastoral, agribusiness and administration
Station managers and overseers, agribusiness and stock agents, accountants, office managers and administration staff.
- Size
- Beef cattle farming (specialised) employed 2,794 residents of the Outback region in August 2021, the largest detailed industry.8
- Demand
- Drivers and storepersons averaged 40 online job ads a month in the region, three-month average to September 2026.9
- What to put in your brief
- The property or business, the experience level, the housing and how remote the role is.
- How we help
- We find people with the right experience and talk with them about the work, the isolation and their plans.
Hiring graduates in Mount Isa and the Outback
TAFE Queensland teaches trades and allied health at Mount Isa15 and delivers training in Cloncurry as needed, mainly through workplaces, schools and leased facilities.19 Graduates moving to the Outback for a first role ask about supervision and housing. Tell us who will review their work in the first year and what housing is provided, and we talk with graduates about that support and their plans.
How we help you hire in Mount Isa and the Outback
You make the hiring decision and employ the person directly. We handle the search and the organising in between.
Cloncurry, Longreach, the Central West and fly-in fly-out
Mount Isa council has 18,585 people and Cloncurry, about 120 kilometres east,19 3,907. Further south, Longreach has 3,741, Barcaldine 2,937 and Winton 1,152, and Murweh, around Charleville, 4,004.20
Many resource workers commute from the coast: in June 2025, 22% of North West resource workers with a known home lived in Townsville, 22% in South East Queensland and 8% in Cairns.1 Our Townsville guide covers that market. Tell us whether the role is residential or fly-in fly-out, the roster and departure point, and the housing or camp, and we build them into the search and discuss them with every candidate.
If your preferred candidate is moving to the Outback, we raise housing, schooling and the practical side of the move early, including any relocation support you offer.
If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.
Looking for work in Mount Isa or the Outback?
Experienced tradespeople, engineers and geologists, nurses and allied health professionals, council and office staff, and people ready for a move to the Outback can all register with Hire Australia. Tell us the work you want and the rosters and towns that suit you, and we'll talk with you about roles that fit.
Talk to us about your next Mount Isa or Outback hire
Tell us about the role, the town or site 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.
What experience levels do you recruit for in Mount Isa and the Outback?
Hire Australia recruits professional, technical and trade staff for Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Longreach and other outback employers at every level, from graduates to experienced people. That covers fitters, electricians and diesel mechanics, engineers and geologists, nurses and allied health, council staff, and station, office and finance staff. Tell us the experience the role needs and we search for people who have it.
Is it hard to recruit staff in Mount Isa?
Usually, because the local pool is small. Unemployment in Mount Isa was 3.5% in the June quarter 2026,11 and 60% of North West resource workers lived outside the council area where they worked.1 Hire Australia searches Townsville, Cairns, Brisbane and beyond for people with the experience your role needs.
What does it cost to use Hire Australia?
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. Briefing Hire Australia on a Mount Isa, North West or Central West role costs nothing, and there is no upfront payment for the search.
Does Hire Australia recruit for fly-in fly-out roles in Mount Isa?
Yes, for permanent roles the mine operator, contractor or service provider employs directly, whether residential or fly-in fly-out. Hire Australia builds the roster, departure point and accommodation into the search and discusses them with every candidate. You employ the person directly from day one.
Does Hire Australia supply labour hire or contractors in Mount Isa?
No. Hire Australia recruits people you employ directly, in permanent roles. We don’t supply labour hire, contractors or temps in Mount Isa or the Outback, 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 if I want to work in the Outback?
Yes. Register with Hire Australia and tell us your skills, the work you want, the rosters you can work and whether you would live in town or fly in and out. We'll talk with you about suitable roles in Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Longreach and other outback towns, and the practical side of the move.
Sources (20)
- Queensland Government Statistician's Office, North West region resource industry workforce, 2025. Data: June 2025. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Real Estate Institute of Queensland, Healthy vacancy rates kept at bay, says REIQ. Data: September quarter 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Glencore Australia, Mount Isa Mines. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Glencore Australia, Glencore supports employees impacted by planned closure of Mount Isa copper mining assets. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Glencore Australia, Agreement reached on Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Copper Refinery (8 October 2025). Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- North West Hospital and Health Service, North West Hospital and Health Service Annual Report 2025-2026. Data: At 30 June 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Central West Hospital and Health Service, Central West Hospital and Health Service Annual Report 2025-2026. Data: At 30 June 2026. Accessed 1 November 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 ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, ANZSCO 2-digit occupations by SA4 region, September 2026. September data released 21 October 2026. Data: Three-month average to September 2026. Accessed 1 November 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 ↑
- 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 ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, 2026 Occupation Shortage List (6-digit ANZSCO and OSCA). Files dated October 2026. Data: 2026 ratings, ANZSCO 2022 sheet. National ratings; S = shortage, R = regional shortage. Accessed 29 October 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Mining Industry Award pay guide. Published 24 June 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 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 ↑
- TAFE Queensland, TAFE Queensland, Mount Isa campus. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Pay Guide - Professional Employees Award [MA000065]. Published 24 June 2026. Data: From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026. Accessed 1 November 2026. Back to text ↑
- Jobs and Skills Australia, Occupation profile: Mining Engineers. Data: May 2025, ABS Employee Earnings and Hours (customised report), national. 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 ↑
- TAFE Queensland, TAFE Queensland, Cloncurry campus. 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 ↑