QLD · Mackay Council
Bucasia, 4750
Current weather
19.1°CClear sky
87% humidity · 6 km/h wind · 23.6° / 16.3° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Bucasia is a quieter mid-sized suburb in Mackay, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and schools and education against similar regional towns, even with parks and green space and housing affordability holding up better.
Population
- Population
- 4,915
- Median age
- 35
- Median household income / week
- $2,005
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 160 of 1,810
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,666
- Employment rate
- 65.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 180 / 73 / 32
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)
- $700
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)
- 124
- Against the person
- 35
- Against property
- 56
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 25.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 140 residents
- State safety percentile
- 20th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +9.4%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault25
- Drug Offences20
- Good Order Offences16
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)25
- Unlawful Entry15
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 962
- Bucasia 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
10 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- Drinking water
- Muscle Garden BucasiaGym
52 Downie Avenue
- Parking (2)
- Petrol station
- Playground (2)
- Bucasia Skate ParkSports field
- Supermarket
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
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
7 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bucasia Green Waste Transfer FacilityPark
- Bucasia Skate ParkPark
- Dolphin ParkPark
- Flora ReservePark
- Royal Sands ParkPark
- Seaview ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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
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)
- 24
- Parks (OSM)
- 24
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
- 49.0/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 31% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 2053rd in Australia
- State rank
- 463rd in QLD
- Peer rank
- #113 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #155 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bucasia Skate Parkamenitiespitch
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Muscle Garden Bucasiaamenities52 Downie Avenuefitness_centre
- Parkingamenitiesparking
- Parkingamenitiesparking
- Petrol stationamenitiesfuel
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Supermarketamenitiessupermarket
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Mackay Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.