QLD · Gold Coast Council
Varsity Lakes, 4227
Current weather
18.8°COvercast
86% humidity · 9.1 km/h wind · 21.6° / 15.6° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Cycling
- Dog friendly
Suburb profile
Varsity Lakes is a practical established suburb in Gold Coast, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. Well placed between the city and outer suburbs, it offers practical access in every direction. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with a strong presence of young families throughout. A genuine café and dining culture runs through the area, with locals returning to favourite spots. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and housing affordability, while safety and schools and education sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs.
Population
- Population
- 16,493
- Median age
- 36
- Median household income / week
- $1,646
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 315 of 6,524
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,842
- Employment rate
- 63.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 518 / 2,057 / 1,496
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)
- 342
- Against the person
- 43
- Against property
- 208
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 20.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 384 residents
- State safety percentile
- 13.7th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +5.9%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault32
- Drug Offences71
- Other Property Damage45
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)166
- Unlawful Entry48
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,065
- Varsity CollegeCombined
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
44 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bermuda St at Lake Orr
- Christine Ave at Silvabank Drive
- Christine Ave at Silvabank Drive
- Christine Ave at Varsity College
- Varsity Lakes station, stop A
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
253 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- First Choice LiquorAlcohol
- Brumby's BakeriesBakery
- Bendigo BankBank
- Bbq (9)
- SkinovationsBeauty salon
- Waxing XpressBeauty salon
- Bench (18)
- Bicycle Parking (7)
- Christine Ave at Bermuda StreetBus stop
- Christine Ave at Pennsylvania AvenueBus 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
36 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Azzura Drive ParkPark
- Bayswater ReservePark
- Frascott ParkPark
- Janette Green ParkPark
- Jim Harris ParkPark
- Lake Orr Catchment ReservePark
- Lake Orr Foreshore ParkPark
- Lake Orr ParklandsPark
- Lake Orr ReservePark
- Lantau Crescent ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 13
- Emergency department
- On site
- Allied Connectphysiotherapist
- Atlas Chiropracticalternative
- Chemist Warehousepharmacy
- Chiro + Co.alternative
- Chistine Cnr Medical Centreclinic
- Christine Avenue Medical Centreclinic
- Gold Coast Medical Precinct - Varsity Lakesclinic
- Optimal Health Chiropracticclinic
- QML Varsity Lakeslaboratory
- TerryWhite Chemmartpharmacy
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)
- 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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Goodstart Early LearningSilvabank Drivechildcare
- Harmony Early EducationScottsdale Drivekindergarten
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)
- 55
- Parks (OSM)
- 53
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
- 71.0/100 — Excellent
- State standing
- Top 3% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 161st in Australia
- State rank
- 38th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #28 among Metro Brisbane · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #29 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
- 4WD Supacentreamenitiesoutdoor
- Aldiamenities1 South Bay Drivesupermarket
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Australia Post Varsity Lakesamenitiespost_office
- BarberLifeamenitieshairdresser
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
- Bbqamenitiesbbq
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.