Bloomsbury vs Whitsundays

Whitsundays is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 50 in Bloomsbury. In Bloomsbury, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Whitsundays, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Bloomsbury tends to suit older residents, while Whitsundays suits renters, young adults, and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Bloomsbury

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 21%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 28%)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Whitsundays has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Whitsundays

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 30%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Bloomsbury has cheaper rent ($214/wk vs $356/wk)
  • Whitsundays has a bigger rental market to choose from (66% vs 15%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Bloomsbury

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (719 min vs 830 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1052.6 km vs 1144.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Whitsundays

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (79% vs 2%)
  • carries lower crime risk (35/100 vs 78/100)
  • But Bloomsbury has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 6%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Whitsundays

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (0.5% vs -9.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bloomsbury and Whitsundays drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Walkability 0 / 0
Bloomsbury — Walkability: 0/100 Whitsundays — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 22 / 65
Bloomsbury — Safety: 22/100 Whitsundays — Safety: 65/100
Low fire risk 60 / 59
Bloomsbury — Low fire risk: 60/100 Whitsundays — Low fire risk: 59/100

Demographics

Whitsundays has more residents (2,281 vs 539); Bloomsbury skews older (50 vs 29).

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Population 539 2,281
+323% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -9.9% +0.5%
Median age 50 29
Median household income $58,500/yr $98,904/yr
+69% vs other
Median weekly rent $214/wk $356/wk
+66% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
0-4 3.2% / 1.1%
Bloomsbury — 0-4: 3.2% Whitsundays — 0-4: 1.1%
5-14 10.6% / 2.9%
Bloomsbury — 5-14: 10.6% Whitsundays — 5-14: 2.9%
15-19 6.9% / 5.3%
Bloomsbury — 15-19: 6.9% Whitsundays — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 3.5% / 18.6%
Bloomsbury — 20-24: 3.5% Whitsundays — 20-24: 18.6%
25-34 8.2% / 35.8%
Bloomsbury — 25-34: 8.2% Whitsundays — 25-34: 35.8%
35-44 9.1% / 12.0%
Bloomsbury — 35-44: 9.1% Whitsundays — 35-44: 12.0%
45-54 15.2% / 9.5%
Bloomsbury — 45-54: 15.2% Whitsundays — 45-54: 9.5%
55-64 19.1% / 8.3%
Bloomsbury — 55-64: 19.1% Whitsundays — 55-64: 8.3%
65-74 16.5% / 4.7%
Bloomsbury — 65-74: 16.5% Whitsundays — 65-74: 4.7%
75-84 5.6% / 1.3%
Bloomsbury — 75-84: 5.6% Whitsundays — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 0.9% / —
Bloomsbury — 85+: 0.9% Whitsundays — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (35.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bloomsbury 40.8% lone person
Bloomsbury — Lone Person: 40.8% Bloomsbury — Couple Families: 43.2% Bloomsbury — One Parent Families: 13.6% Bloomsbury — Group Household: 2.4%
Whitsundays 57.6% lone person
Whitsundays — Lone Person: 57.6% Whitsundays — Couple Families: 23.5% Whitsundays — One Parent Families: 4.7% Whitsundays — Group Household: 14.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bloomsbury 14.7% renting
Bloomsbury — Owned Outright: 42.4% Bloomsbury — Mortgage: 42.9% Bloomsbury — Renting: 14.7%
Whitsundays 66.4% renting
Whitsundays — Owned Outright: 25.2% Whitsundays — Mortgage: 8.4% Whitsundays — Renting: 66.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Certificate III & IV 18.2% / 16.2%
Bloomsbury — Certificate III & IV: 18.2% Whitsundays — Certificate III & IV: 16.2%
Bachelor Degree 2.8% / 16.4%
Bloomsbury — Bachelor Degree: 2.8% Whitsundays — Bachelor Degree: 16.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.2% / 10.8%
Bloomsbury — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2% Whitsundays — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.8%
Postgraduate Degree — / 3.1%
Bloomsbury — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Whitsundays — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.6% / 0.8%
Bloomsbury — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6% Whitsundays — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
England 2.8% / 3.2%
Bloomsbury — England: 2.8% Whitsundays — England: 3.2%
New Zealand 1.9% / 4.0%
Bloomsbury — New Zealand: 1.9% Whitsundays — New Zealand: 4.0%
Philippines 0.7% / 1.3%
Bloomsbury — Philippines: 0.7% Whitsundays — Philippines: 1.3%
South Africa 0.6% / 0.6%
Bloomsbury — South Africa: 0.6% Whitsundays — South Africa: 0.6%
China — / 0.9%
Bloomsbury — China: not among its largest Whitsundays — China: 0.9%
Germany 0.7% / —
Bloomsbury — Germany: 0.7% Whitsundays — Germany: not among its largest
Indonesia — / 0.7%
Bloomsbury — Indonesia: not among its largest Whitsundays — Indonesia: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bloomsbury 98.4% houses
Bloomsbury — Houses: 98.4% Bloomsbury — Flats / Apartments: 1.6% Bloomsbury — Townhouses: 0.0%
Whitsundays 21.4% houses
Whitsundays — Houses: 21.4% Whitsundays — Flats / Apartments: 74.0% Whitsundays — Townhouses: 4.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Median house price $550,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $243,750 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 53 days
from 5 sales
 —

Development activity

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
 190
across Whitsunday
Approvals change year on year -6% +70%

Ranking within QLD

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 23% of QLD Higher than 73% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 18% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 50% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 39% of QLD Higher than 7% of QLD

Liveability

Whitsundays scores higher overall (50 vs 15).

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Grade D B
Score 15/100 50/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Bloomsbury carries more crime risk (78 vs 35).

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Bushfire Moderate
40/100
 Moderate
41/100
Crime High
78/100
 Low
35/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
87/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Bloomsbury

  • Bloomsbury State School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Whitsundays

  • Hamilton Island State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Hayman Island State School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 14
Parks & reserves 0 3
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 2 1
Beaches 0 9
Waterways 28 1

Mobility

Whitsundays sits further from the CBD (1144.5 km vs 1052.6 km).

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 1052.6 km 1144.5 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 719 min 830 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4799
 0.3%
postcode 4802
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 88
postcode 4799
 56
postcode 4802

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Car (driver) 67.4% / 11.1%
Bloomsbury — Car (driver): 67.4% Whitsundays — Car (driver): 11.1%
Walked Only 6.5% / 69.5%
Bloomsbury — Walked Only: 6.5% Whitsundays — Walked Only: 69.5%
Worked from Home 19.6% / 3.0%
Bloomsbury — Worked from Home: 19.6% Whitsundays — Worked from Home: 3.0%
Bus 1.6% / 12.0%
Bloomsbury — Bus: 1.6% Whitsundays — Bus: 12.0%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 3.6%
Bloomsbury — Car (passenger): 4.9% Whitsundays — Car (passenger): 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.5%).

Setting

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Elevation 88 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.3 km 1.5 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Connectivity score 28/100 15/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
232 premises
 0%
26 premises

Climate

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Annual rainfall 1,502 mm 1,708 mm
Summer max (Jan) 31.7°C —
Winter min (Jul) 11.9°C —

Council rates

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Average residential rate $1,873/yr $1,412/yr
Council Mackay Whitsunday

Federal electorate

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bloomsbury Whitsundays
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bloomsbury

Affordable Rural

Whitsundays

Coastal Multicultural Rural Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury vs Midge Point Bloomsbury vs Bogie Bloomsbury vs Yalboroo Bloomsbury vs Laguna Quays Bloomsbury vs Coral Sea Bloomsbury vs Thoopara

Other comparisons with Whitsundays

Whitsundays vs Cannonvale Whitsundays vs Jubilee Pocket Whitsundays vs Airlie Beach Whitsundays vs Woodwark Whitsundays vs Mandalay Whitsundays vs Flametree
Full data on Bloomsbury Full data on Whitsundays
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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