Key Economic Sectors
Employment by Industry
At the time of the 2021 Census, health care and social assistance was the largest employing industry in the Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton Region (which includes Livingstone Shire Council and Rockhampton Regional Council), accounting for 9,005 persons (16.5 per cent) of the region’s employed workforce (Table 1). Other significant industries included education and training (10.2 per cent), retail trade (9.3 per cent) and construction (8.6 per cent).
Table 1 Employed persons (a)(b) by industry, Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton Region and Queensland, 2021
| Capricorn Coast and Rockhampton Region | Percentage | Queensland | Percentage | Region as a proportion of Queensland | |
| number | % | number | % | % | |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 1,260 | 2.3 | 62,444 | 2.6 | 2.0 |
| Mining | 3,562 | 6.5 | 55,486 | 2.3 | 6.4 |
| Manufacturing | 2,760 | 5.1 | 140,285 | 5.7 | 2.0 |
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | 1,383 | 2.5 | 28,814 | 1.2 | 4.8 |
| Construction | 4,695 | 8.6 | 222,234 | 9.1 | 2.1 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,434 | 2.6 | 57,743 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Retail trade | 5,067 | 9.3 | 226,468 | 9.3 | 2.2 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,851 | 7.1 | 175,850 | 7.2 | 2.2 |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | 2,637 | 4.8 | 115,870 | 4.7 | 2.3 |
| Information media and telecommunications | 226 | 0.4 | 23,379 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Financial and insurance services | 652 | 1.2 | 62,436 | 2.6 | 1.0 |
| Rental, hiring and real estate services | 688 | 1.3 | 42,931 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,851 | 3.4 | 164,129 | 6.7 | 1.1 |
| Administrative and Support Services | 1,558 | 2.9 | 81,926 | 3.4 | 1.9 |
| Public administration and safety | 3,600 | 6.6 | 150,358 | 6.2 | 2.4 |
| Education and Training | 5,566 | 10.2 | 216,015 | 8.8 | 2.6 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 9,005 | 16.5 | 375,511 | 15.4 | 2.4 |
| Arts and Recreation Services | 486 | 0.9 | 37,550 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| Other Services | 2,375 | 4.3 | 95,768 | 3.9 | 2.5 |
| Inadequately described/Not stated | 1,949 | 3.6 | 108,892 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| Total | 54,606 | 100.0 | 2,444,090 | 100.0 | 2.2 |
a) Based on location of workplace for persons aged 15 years and over.
(b) Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021.
Health care and social assistance experienced the highest percentage growth of employed persons by industry between 2016 and 2021 at 29.6%, followed by construction (18.4%), and administrative and support services (11.8%).
Persons employed in information media and telecommunications experienced the largest decline (–33.5%). Between 2016 and 2021, health care and social assistance had the greatest increase in the number of persons employed of all industries (2,056 persons). Information media and telecommunications had the largest decrease in persons employed of all industries (–114 persons).
Figure 1 Percentage change in employed persons (a)(b) by industry (c), Capricorn Region, 2016 to 2021
(a) Based on place of enumeration.
(b) Aged 15 years and over.
(c) Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 edition (ABS cat.no. 1292.0).
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016 and 2021.
