QLD · South Burnett Council
Merlwood, 4605
Current weather
14.5°CClear sky
90% humidity · 7.2 km/h wind · 20.3° / 10.6° today · 0.2 mm rain
Updated
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Merlwood is a welcoming smaller community in South Burnett, with a settled community character. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
Population
- Population
- 104
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $1,449
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 3 of 41
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,759
- Employment rate
- 48.8%
- 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)
- 17
- Against the person
- 5
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 163.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 96.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +41.3%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault117
- Drug Offences94
- Good Order Offences110
- Other Property Damage111
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)80
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)
- 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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 6
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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
Recent changes
- Assaultcrime117
- Drug Offencescrime94
- Good Order Offencescrime110
- Other Property Damagecrime111
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime80
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
More in South Burnett Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.