Fraser Coast economy continues to grow
Published on 29 July 2026
- Latest Economic Snapshot shows growth across jobs, tourism, investment and the regional economy
- More visitors, more jobs and more than $1 billion in building approvals
- Council focused on building long-term prosperity through Fraser Coast Futures strategy
The Fraser Coast continues to strengthen as a place to live, work, visit and invest, with Council’s latest Economic Snapshot showing growth across the major measures of the local economy over the past year.
Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the snapshot showed the region was continuing to build on its strengths, with more jobs, more visitors, more investment and a growing population.
“When you look at the latest figures together, they paint a very positive picture of where the Fraser Coast is heading," he said.
“We recently celebrated the region's record low unemployment rate, but that's only one part of the story.
“The latest Economic Snapshot shows growth across many of the things that matter most to our community and local businesses, including employment, tourism, investment and overall economic activity.”
The value of goods and services produced across the Fraser Coast (Gross Regional Product) reached an estimated $7.17 billion during the 12 months to March 2026, almost $500 million more than the previous year.
It also shows almost 50,000 people are now employed across the region, with more than 3,200 jobs added over the year. The strongest employment growth was recorded in health care and social assistance, construction, education and training, and retail.
Tourism also continued to grow, with almost 921,000 overnight visitors choosing the Fraser Coast during the 12 months to March 2026, around 118,000 more visitors than the previous year.
Cr Seymour said more visitors supported local accommodation providers, cafés, restaurants, retailers and tourism operators, helping create jobs and confidence across the region.
“Tourism remains one of the Fraser Coast's key economic drivers, and it's encouraging to see more people choosing to visit our region and support local businesses,” he said.
The snapshot also shows that more than $1 billion worth of building approvals were issued during the 12 months to March 2026, while the Fraser Coast's resident population increased by more than 1,350 people to an estimated 124,280.
Cr Seymour said the results reflected growing confidence in the Fraser Coast and aligned with Council's Fraser Coast Futures 2036 Economic Development Strategy.
“Our new Economic Development and Advocacy Directorate and Fraser Coast Futures Strategy is about making sure this growth continues by creating more jobs, attracting new investment and supporting industries and businesses that will strengthen our regional economy,” he said.
“Council can't deliver economic growth on its own, but along with other levels of government, we can create the right conditions for businesses to invest, for people to build careers and for our communities to prosper.
“We're continuing to invest in infrastructure, advocate for major projects and work with industry and government to ensure the Fraser Coast remains one of regional Australia's best places to live, work, visit and do business."
Council's Economic Development team prepares the Economic Snapshot using the latest available data from a range of trusted national sources. The snapshot helps monitor trends and informs Council’s investment attraction, advocacy and long-term planning.
Fraser Coast Economic Snapshot - July 2026(PDF, 278KB)