QLD · Townsville Council
Picnic Bay, 4819
Current weather
22.3°CMainly clear
81% humidity · 23.7 km/h wind · 22.4° / 20.5° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- National parks
- Cycling
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
As a regional hub in Townsville, Picnic Bay combines local convenience with the appeal of a smaller community that feels genuinely its own. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state.
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 housing affordability and community and employment lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 367
- Median age
- 59
- Median household income / week
- $870
- Dwelling vacancy
- 30.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 77 of 253
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,469
- Employment rate
- 41.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 16 / 37 / 6
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)
- 10
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 27.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 367 residents
- State safety percentile
- 24.3th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -13.3%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud8
- Other Property Damage8
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)13
- Traffic And Related Offences8
- Unlawful Entry11
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
31 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- ATM
- Bbq
- Free BBQBbq
- Bench (4)
- Bicycle Parking
- Birt St at Magnetic StreetBus stop
- Granite St at Birt StreetBus stop
- Granite St at Picnic StreetBus stop
- Yule St at Picnic Bay JettyBus stop
- The reef bar cafeCafe
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
1 state heritage place
- Magnetic Island Craft ShopState heritage place
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 31.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5079th in Australia
- State rank
- 1184th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #295 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #690 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
- ATMamenitiesatm
- Albysamenitiesrestaurant
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Bicycle Parkingamenitiesbicycle_parking
- Birt St at Magnetic Streetamenitiesbus_stop
- Car Rentalamenitiescar_rental
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Townsville Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.