suburb.guide

QLD · Mackay Council

Mackay Harbour, 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

39.2/100
Below average

840th in QLD

58% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • High desirability
What Mackay Harbour is known for: Green suburb, National parks, High desirability

Suburb profile

Mackay Harbour anchors everyday life in Mackay, a regional smaller community with its own identity and rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.

An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.

Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability against similar regional towns, even with parks and green space holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
686
Median age
50
Median household income / week
$2,079
Dwelling vacancy
14.1%
Unoccupied private dwellings
44 of 313
Median monthly mortgage
$2,167
Employment rate
56%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
30 / 34 / 143

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)
$880

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

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2026 to Jul 2026)
41
Against the person
10
Against property
18
Rate per 1,000 residents
59.8
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 69 residents
State safety percentile
77.3th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+7.6%

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

17 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Ron Searle DriveBus stop
  • Slade Point RoadBus stop
  • Cafe
  • Playground (4)
  • Mackay Marina ToiletsPublic toilets
  • Public toilets
  • Restaurant
  • Sails On The MarinaRestaurant
  • Shelter (3)
  • Slipway

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

4 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Bassett Basin (Rev.1) Fish Habitat AreaNature reserve
  • Mulherin ParkPark
  • Old Mulherin ParkPark
  • Water Bird Habitat Conservation AreaNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
7/10
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

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)
19
Parks (OSM)
19

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
39.2/100 — Below average
National rank
3638th in Australia
State rank
840th in QLD
Peer rank
#145 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#415 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

  • Cafeamenitiescafe
  • Indoor Sports Arenaamenitiessports_centre
  • Mackay Marina Toiletsamenitiestoilets
  • Playgroundamenitiesplayground
  • Playgroundamenitiesplayground
  • Playgroundamenitiesplayground
  • Playgroundamenitiesplayground
  • Public toiletsamenitiestoilets
  • Restaurantamenitiesrestaurant
  • Ron Searle Driveamenitiesbus_stop

Data sources & freshness

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.