QLD · Central Highlands (Qld) Council
Blackwater, 4717
Current weather
18.6°CClear sky
68% humidity · 9.7 km/h wind · 24.8° / 13.9° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Blackwater is a quieter mid-sized suburb in Central Highlands (Qld), where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
Young professionals and new households shape much of the local mix, with a strong presence of young families throughout. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar regional towns, even with parks and green space and transport and access holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 4,702
- Median age
- 31
- Median household income / week
- $2,358
- Dwelling vacancy
- 31.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 697 of 2,191
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,083
- Employment rate
- 63.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 153 / 31 / 73
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $420
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Period: Mar 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 272
- Against the person
- 53
- Against property
- 146
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 57.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 89 residents
- State safety percentile
- 73.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -11.4%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences27
- Good Order Offences28
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)55
- Traffic And Related Offences28
- Unlawful Entry47
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 880
- Blackwater North State SchoolPrimary
- Blackwater State High SchoolSecondary
- Blackwater State SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
15 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bedford Weir Camping ReservePark
- Blackwater Conservation ParkNature reserve
- Blackwater International Coal CentrePark
- Blackwater Rotary ParkPark
- Box Street ParkPark
- Dempsey ParkPark
- Dunne ParkPark
- Frank Tutungi Memorial / Lions / Blackwater Memorial ParkPark
- Graham ParkPark
- Horseshoe ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 8
- Emergency department
- On site
- Bidgerdii Community Health Servicedoctor
- Blackwater ChiropracticArnold Streetalternative
- Blackwater HospitalMackenzie Streethospital
- Central Highlands Dentaldentist
- Connections Chiropractic Helathcare CentreArnold Streetalternative
- LiveLife Pharmacy BlackwaterBlain Streetpharmacy
- North Blackwater General Practicedoctor
- The Base Health & WellbeingWey Streetyes
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 44
- Parks (OSM)
- 44
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 39.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3614th in Australia
- State rank
- 835th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #270 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #411 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 77%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Drug Offencescrime27
- Good Order Offencescrime28
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime55
- Traffic And Related Offencescrime28
- Unlawful Entrycrime47
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Bidgerdii Community Health Servicehealthdoctor
- Blackwater ChiropractichealthArnold Streetalternative
- Blackwater HospitalhealthMackenzie Streethospital
- Central Highlands Dentalhealthdentist
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
More in Central Highlands (Qld) Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.