Southern Queensland | Aboriginal Family Legal Service

Areas in Southern Queensland

The Southern Queensland Region is a custom region made up of the 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs): (1) Balonne (S); (2) Bulloo (S); (3) Cherbourg (S); (4) Goondiwindi (R); (5) Maranoa (R); (6) Murweh (S); (7) Paroo (S); (8) Quilpie (S); (9) South Burnett (R); (10) Southern Downs (R); (11) Toowoomba (R); and (12) Western Downs (R).

Our region covers 405,671.3 square kilometres, of which 88.2 per cent is categorised as “remote” and “very remote” Australia, as per the ABS’ ASGS Remoteness Structure (see, Table 1).

Table 1 Remoteness Areas, Southern Queensland
Remoteness Area Name	Area Km2	%
Inner Regional Australia	20,132.2	5.0
Outer Regional Australia	27,680.5	6.8
Remote Australia	127,973.6	31.5
Very Remote Australia	229,885.0	56.7
Total	405,671.3	100.0
Source: ABS, ASGS, July 2016. In some cases these data have been concorded from other geographical boundaries.

Population in Southern Queensland

In the 2011 Census a total of 13,881 people or 4.9 per cent of the usual residents in Southern Queensland identified as Indigenous (see Table 2).

Table 2 Population by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland
Population	Census Counts	%
Indigenous	13,881	4.9
Non-Indigenous	257,278	90.2
Not stated	14, 032	4.9
Total	285,191	100.0
Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile – I02

In the ten years that passed from the Census in 2001 to the Census in 2011, Southern Queensland’s count of Indigenous usual residents increased by 3,773 (or 37.5%). This population growth reflects a natural increase with births exceeding deaths, and a mixed partnerships increase in which an Indigenous partner and a non-Indigenous partner produce a child who is identified as being of Indigenous origin.

Want to know more?

As a leading voice in Southern Queensland, AFLSSQ (Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland) is committed to sharing relevant information about our region and communities.

We are in the process of compiling a collection of information sheets on our region and communities so that you can know more about our region and communities. Our collection of information sheets will be made available in the coming weeks.