QLD · Mackay Council
Hay Point, 4740
Current weather
18.9°CClear sky
87% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 23.1° / 17.3° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Hay Point offers a slower smaller community life in Mackay, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with family life visible on every street. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
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 local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,306
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $1,983
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 80 of 544
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,600
- Employment rate
- 53.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 40 / 11 / 4
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)
- 77
- Against the person
- 18
- Against property
- 35
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 59
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 73 residents
- State safety percentile
- 76.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +6.7%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault500
- Drug Offences818
- Good Order Offences578
- Other Property Damage431
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)1129
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
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)
- 4/10
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)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 27.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5744th in Australia
- State rank
- 1319th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #452 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #810 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 58%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Assaultcrime500
- Drug Offencescrime818
- Good Order Offencescrime578
- Other Property Damagecrime431
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime1129
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
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.