Housing demand management in the Australian mining towns: Strategies for the Bowen Basin

The continuous mining development in Australia has been generating intense housing pressure in the resource boom towns, especially in the mining towns in Queensland and Western Australia. This has impacted on individuals and families with a negative flow on effect for the local and regional economy. This paper aims at exploring housing characteristics, actors and factors of housing demand management in Australian mining towns by using some examples from the Bowen Basin region, Queensland. First this study characterised some specific housing demand and supply issues around Australia and in the mining towns; then the study identified the supply and demand of housing in the Bowen Basin towns. Third this study identified the key actors and factors of housing demand management in the Bowen Basin mining towns. Finally the study provided some strategic guidelines for a better housing demand management in these towns. Such strategies would improve the liveability of these towns and thereby maintain regional sustainability. Lessons learned from this study could be applicable to other mining towns in Australia and elsewhere.