Welfare Reform Communities

Welfare Reform is a partnership between five welfare reform communities, the Queensland Government, Australian Government and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. Welfare Reform aims to address the collapse of social norms and passive dependence on welfare which has displaced responsibility from many Indigenous people.

Our partnership communities are:

    • Aurukun – Aurukun is on the western coast of Cape York and is approximately 900 kilometres northwest of Cairns, and about 200 kilometres south of Weipa. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 813 people as at 30 June 2024. [1],[2].
      Learn more about Aurukun.
    • Coen – The township of Coen is approximately halfway between Cairns and the tip of Cape York. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of Cook Shire. The township had an estimated resident adult population of 208 people as at 30 June 2024.[1],[3].
      Learn more about Coen.
    • Doomadgee – Doomadgee lies alongside the Nicholson River, one of the permanent freshwater rivers that flow from the ranges behind Lawn Hill National Park in North-West Queensland. Doomadgee is the first (or last) township on the Queensland section of the Savannah Way. It is 630 kilometres by road to Mt Isa and 1035 kilometres west of Cairns. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 929 people as at 30 June 2024.[1],[2]. Learn more about Doomadgee.
    • Hope Vale – Hope Vale is situated on the Cape York Peninsula and is 46 kilometres northwest of Cooktown. The estimated resident adult population of Hope Vale was 677 people as at 30 June 2024.[1],[2]. Learn more about Hope Vale.
    • Mossman Gorge – Mossman Gorge is a small Aboriginal community 75 kilometres north of Cairns, 4 kilometres from Mossman (the nearest town), and approximately 25 kilometres by road from Port Douglas. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of the Douglas Shire Council area. The community had an estimated resident population of 102 people as at 30 June 2024.[1],[4]
      Learn more about Mossman Gorge.

Please see Footnotes below for notations and numbers.

Aurukun
Coen
Doomadgee
Hope Vale
Mossman Gorge

Footnotes

  1. Note: Australian Statistical Geography Standard Edition 3, July 2021 – June 2026 boundaries for local government areas of Aurukun, Doomadgee and Hope Vale, and statistical areas level 1 (SA1s) of 31501139616 for Coen and 30604116408 for Mossman Gorge.
  2. Note: Adults 18 years and over provided by the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office (QGSO), Queensland Treasury, based on the ABS unpublished preliminary Estimated Resident Population (ERP) data by age and sex at the Local Government Area level for 30 June 2024.
  3. Note: Adults 18 years and over provided by QGSO, Queensland Treasury, based on the ABS unpublished preliminary ERP data by age and sex at the Statistical Area level 1 for 30 June 2024.
  4. Note: Total population provided by QGSO, Queensland Treasury, not 18 years and older, due to the small size of the total population from the ABS unpublished preliminary ERP data at the Statistical Area level 1 for 30 June 2024.