QLD · Gold Coast Council
Merrimac, 4226
Current weather
17.2°CClear sky
87% humidity · 8.1 km/h wind · 21.8° / 15° today · 0.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Merrimac is a well-connected mid-sized suburb in Gold Coast with everyday amenities close at hand. The metro area remains accessible without feeling caught up in the inner-city rush. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street. Local shops and services cover the basics well, with more choice a short trip into neighbouring suburbs. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and housing affordability, while local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 7,212
- Median age
- 38
- Median household income / week
- $1,688
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 111 of 2,699
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 61.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 250 / 1,079 / 262
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)
- $800
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)
- 176
- Against the person
- 27
- Against property
- 106
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 24.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 267 residents
- State safety percentile
- 18.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +2.6%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences114
- Other Property Damage63
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)340
- Traffic And Related Offences70
- Unlawful Entry71
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
- 4
- Median school ICSEA (4 schools)
- 1,046.5
- All Saints Anglican SchoolCombined
- Merrimac State SchoolPrimary
- St Michael's CollegeSecondary
- Star of the Sea SchoolPrimary
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
Public transport
21 public transport stops in this suburb
- Gooding Dr at Bourton Road
- Gooding Dr at Bourton Road
- Gooding Dr at Jondique Avenue
- Gooding Dr at Merrimac Primary School
- Gooding Dr at Merrimac Primary School
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Amenities
39 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq
- Bench (3)
- Bourton Rd near Willunga PlBus stop
- Ghilgai Rd near Entry DrBus stop
- Ghilgai Rd near Griffon StBus stop
- Gooding Dr at Bourton RoadBus stop
- Gooding Dr at Jondique AvenueBus stop
- Gooding Dr at Merrimac Primary SchoolBus stop
- Highfield Dr near Cabot CtBus stop
- Jura Pde near Merridown DrBus stop
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
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Baymill ParkPark
- Faerie ParkPark
- Highfield ParkPark
- Meadowbrook ReservePark
- Stoner Family ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Merridown Family SurgeryGooding Driveclinic
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)
- 5/10
- 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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Little Angels Child CareGooding Drivekindergarten
- Sunkids Children CentreBourton Roadkindergarten
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)
- 89
- Parks (OSM)
- 11
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
- 56.5/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 17% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 1208th in Australia
- State rank
- 257th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #154 among Metro Brisbane · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #159 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
- Data confidence
- 85%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- AFL Fieldamenitiespitch
- BPamenitiesfuel
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Bourton Rd near Willunga Plamenitiesbus_stop
- Bourton Road Cafeamenitiescafe
- Bus Turnaround Court #1amenitiespitch
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Gold Coast Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.