QLD · Cairns Council
Fishery Falls, 4871
Current weather
19.7°CClear sky
95% humidity · 6.1 km/h wind · 25.1° / 18° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Fishery Falls is a quieter smaller community in Cairns, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 205
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $1,221
- Dwelling vacancy
- 0%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 0 of 81
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,559
- Employment rate
- 49.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 0 / 0 / 0
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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
- 13
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 63.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 51 residents
- State safety percentile
- 80.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +23.5%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault153
- Drug Offences68
- Liquor (Excl. Drunkenness)54
- Other Property Damage75
- Traffic And Related Offences103
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
- 1,010
- McDonnell Creek 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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- 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
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 19.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6609th in Australia
- State rank
- 1504th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #456 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #973 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 56%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Assaultcrime153
- Drug Offencescrime68
- Liquor (Excl. Drunkenness)crime54
- Other Property Damagecrime75
- Traffic And Related Offencescrime103
- McDonnell Creek State SchoolschoolsPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
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.