QLD · Burdekin Council
McDesme, 4807
Current weather
20.3°CClear sky
82% humidity · 8.5 km/h wind · 25.9° / 16.5° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
- Café precinct
- Education hub
Suburb profile
McDesme is a quieter smaller community in Burdekin, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. 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 plenty of young families in the mix. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience.
Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and safety lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 254
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $1,892
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 100
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,420
- Employment rate
- 65.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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
- 3
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 51.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 85 residents
- State safety percentile
- 67th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +12.7%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences97
- Good Order Offences86
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)62
- Traffic And Related Offences90
- Unlawful Entry52
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)
- 5/10
- 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
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
- 32.8/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4719th in Australia
- State rank
- 1107th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #373 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #636 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 48%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Drug Offencescrime97
- Good Order Offencescrime86
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime62
- Traffic And Related Offencescrime90
- Unlawful Entrycrime52
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
More in Burdekin Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.