Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 25°
- Rainfall
- 1,038 mm · ~90 rainy days
QLD · Cairns Council
Clifton Beach, 4879
Population
3,192
Median age
48
Median income
$1,480/wk
Employed
56.5%
Languages at home
11%non-English
Top: German, Italian, Spanish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Life in Clifton Beach revolves around the coast, with the feel of a mid-sized suburb that never strays far from the water. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Daily life works well on foot or by bus, with key amenities clustered nearby. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and safety, while schools and education and housing affordability sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar coastal suburbs.
Living here
Desirability
- Desirability score
- 57.8/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 18% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1247th in Australia
- State rank
- 271st in QLD
- Peer rank
- #17 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #42 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 69%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $620
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
Population
- Population
- 3,192
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,480
- Dwelling vacancy
- 17.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 263 of 1,540
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,820
- Employment rate
- 56.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 106 / 52 / 274
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.
Community & culture
11% speak a language other than English at home; 32.4% born overseas
- Language at home
- 2,635 English only · 327 other
- Non-English at home
- 11%
- Born overseas
- 964 (32.4%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 86 (2.7%)
- Australian citizens
- 2,639
- Languages spoken at home (other than English)
- 10
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
- German26 · 32.5%
- Italian14 · 17.5%
- Spanish9 · 11.2%
- Afrikaans6 · 7.5%
- Greek5 · 6.2%
- Japanese5 · 6.2%
- Polish4 · 5%
- Portuguese4 · 5%
2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, and Indigenous status (usual residence).
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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 66
- Against the person
- 11
- Against property
- 44
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 20.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 290 residents
- State safety percentile
- 13.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -7.3%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault50
- Other Property Damage33
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)67
- Unlawful Entry131
- Unlawful Use Of Motor Vehicle56
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
Family & Lifestyle
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Mayfield Early EducationEvergreen Streetkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Amenities
79 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
3 restaurants · 2 cafes · 1 supermarkets · 1 pharmacies · 1 fast food · 1 bakeries · 4 playgrounds · 1 swimming pools
Local character
- Highly walkable for everyday errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 11 parks mapped in suburb, 4 playgrounds nearby
- Reasonable bus and transport access — 12 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 72/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.63
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 2.19
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 3.45
Food & drink(7)
- Brumby's BakeriesBakery
- Cafe
- Chill Beach CafeCafe
- Fish HouseFast food
- Star of SiamRestaurant
- Taste of ItalyRestaurant
- The Big ChillRestaurant
14 Clifton Road
Shopping(4)
- Clifton ButcheryButcher
- Convenience store
- ColesSupermarket
Community(1)
- Mayfield Early EducationKindergarten
2 Evergreen Street, Clifton Beach
Health & services(2)
- Clifton Beach Medical & SurgicalMedical clinic
12 Captain Cook Highway, Clifton Beach
- Clifton Beach PharmacyPharmacy
Sport & outdoors(17)
- Cairns Regional CouncilPark
- Deadman’s Gully ParkPark
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReservePark
- Evergreen ParkPark
- Park (6)
- Picnic area
- Deadmans Gully PlaygroundPlayground
- Playground (3)
- Sports field
- Swimming pool
Transport(12)
12 bus stops
Other(26)
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- ANZATM
- RediATMATM
- WestpacATM
- Commonwealth BankBank
- Bbq (2)
- Bench
- AgincourtHotel
- Argrosy On The BeachHotel
- Opal MineJewelry
- Clifton Village Shopping CentreMall
55 Endeavour Road, Clifton Beach
- Mall
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReserveNature Reserve
- Deadman’s Gully Car ParkParking
- Parking (5)
- Parking Entrance
- Parking Space (2)
- Marano's FuelPetrol station
- MobilPetrol station
- Post Box
- Clifton Beach Post OfficePost office
- Public toilets
- Shelter (5)
- TelstraTelephone
- Evergreen Park Mountain Bike trackTrack
- Waste Basket (2)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived from OpenStreetMap & Census) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Deadman’s Gully ParkPark
- Deadmans Gully Environmental ReserveNature reserve
- Evergreen ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 17
- Parks (OSM)
- 11
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
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Clifton Beach Medical & SurgicalCaptain Cook Highwaydoctor
- Clifton Beach Pharmacypharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 925 mm · ~92 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 164 mm · ~20 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 22°
- Rainfall
- 188 mm · ~24 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Period: seasonal · Updated on site · Static grid from WorldClim monthly averages
Future & Planning
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
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
Recent changes
- ANZamenitiesatm
- Agincourtamenitieshotel
- Argrosy On The Beachamenitieshotel
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Brumby's Bakeriesamenitiesbakery
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Cafeamenitiescafe
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Cairns Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.