QLD · Mackay Council
Mackay, 4740
Current weather
20.1°CClear sky
84% humidity · 7.5 km/h wind · 23.2° / 17.5° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Café precinct
- Green suburb
- High desirability
- Heritage area
- Cycling
Suburb profile
As a regional hub in Mackay, Mackay combines local convenience with the appeal of a mid-sized suburb that feels genuinely its own. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Tree-lined streets and leafy pockets give the suburb a noticeably green, settled character.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street. Food and coffee are a real part of local identity, with plenty of places to meet and linger. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime.
Families benefit from schooling and learning options close to home. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and transport and access, while housing affordability and community and employment sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar regional towns.
Population
- Population
- 4,026
- Median age
- 38
- Median household income / week
- $1,239
- Dwelling vacancy
- 18.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 365 of 1,982
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,387
- Employment rate
- 52%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 200 / 691 / 456
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)
- 238
- Against the person
- 57
- Against property
- 108
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 59.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 71 residents
- State safety percentile
- 76.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +6.9%
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 7
- Median school ICSEA (7 schools)
- 1,018
- Catherine McAuley CollegeSecondary
- Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special Assistance SchoolSpecial
- Mackay Central State SchoolPrimary
- St Brendan's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary
- St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary
- St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary
- St Patrick's CollegeSecondary
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
196 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Alcohol (2)
- LiquorlandAlcohol
- TimezoneAmusement Arcade
- ANZATM
- ATM
- Bendigo BankATM
- BOQATM
- SuncorpATM
- WestpacATM
- Whitsunday Biscuit FactoryBakery
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
- Caneland ParkPark
- Fairfield ParkPark
- Gold Street ParkPark
- Jubilee ParkPark
- Mackay ShowgroundsPark
- Railway ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 12
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Abslolute Physiotherapy Mackayphysiotherapist
- Chemist Warehousepharmacy
- Doctordoctor
- Good price Pharmacypharmacy
- Grays Chiropractorclinic
- Mackay Blood Donor CentreSydney Streetblood_donation
- Pharmacypharmacy
- Pharmacypharmacy
- Priceline Pharmacypharmacy
- Red Apple 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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
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
Heritage
15 state heritage places
- Commonwealth Bank of AustraliaState heritage place
- East Gordon Street Sewerage WorksState heritage place
- Holy Trinity Church ComplexState heritage place
- Mackay Central State SchoolState heritage place
- Mackay Court House and Police StationState heritage place
- Mackay Customs HouseState heritage place
- Mackay Masonic TempleState heritage place
- Mackay Memorial Swimming CentreState heritage place
- Mackay Technical College (former)State heritage place
- Mackay Town Hall (former)State heritage place
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Mackay Day Care Centrekindergarten
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)
- 22
- Parks (OSM)
- 22
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
- 58.3/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 14% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1021st in Australia
- State rank
- 211th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #29 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #41 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
- AM Baramenitiesbar
- ANZamenitiesatm
- ANZamenitiesbank
- ATMamenitiesatm
- Alcoholamenitiesalcohol
- Alcoholamenitiesalcohol
- Ali BarbersamenitiesUnit 7 78 Victoria Streethairdresser
- Ambassador Hotelamenitiespub
- Australia Post - Mackay Post Shopamenitiespost_office
- B'NWamenitiesrestaurant
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.