Coral Sea vs Machans Beach

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 47 in Machans Beach. In both, most households own their home. In Coral Sea, the large majority of homes are flats or apartments and the large majority of households are people living alone. In Machans Beach, the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit 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

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 4)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 74/100)
  • But Machans Beach has more separate houses rather than flats (90% vs 0%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, and childcare.

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $370/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 23%)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (43% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (780 min vs 1183 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (1135.9 km vs 1709 km)
  • But Machans Beach is more walkable (42/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (100% vs 10%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 74/100)
  • But Machans Beach is more walkable (42/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Machans Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-10.3% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Coral Sea Machans Beach
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.

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Walkability 0 / 42
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 Machans Beach — Walkability: 42/100
Safety 49 / 26
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 Machans Beach — Safety: 26/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 Machans Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Machans Beach has more residents (943 vs 78); Machans Beach rents higher ($370/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Population 78 943
+1109% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% -10.3%
Median age 36 47
Median household income $71,448/yr $83,720/yr
+17% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $370/wk
+185% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea Machans Beach
0-4 — / 5.0%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest Machans Beach — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 6.4% / 12.2%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% Machans Beach — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 — / 4.3%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest Machans Beach — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 — / 3.2%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest Machans Beach — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 37.2% / 9.0%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% Machans Beach — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 21.8% / 12.6%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% Machans Beach — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 16.7% / 15.8%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% Machans Beach — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 17.9% / 18.9%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% Machans Beach — 55-64: 18.9%
65-74 — / 13.3%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest Machans Beach — 65-74: 13.3%
75-84 — / 4.9%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest Machans Beach — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ — / 1.1%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest Machans Beach — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (37.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% lone person
Coral Sea — Lone Person: 100.0% Coral Sea — Couple Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — One Parent Families: 0.0% Coral Sea — Group Household: 0.0% Coral Sea — Other Families: 0.0%
Machans Beach 36.0% lone person
Machans Beach — Lone Person: 36.0% Machans Beach — Couple Families: 31.7% Machans Beach — One Parent Families: 21.6% Machans Beach — Group Household: 8.3% Machans Beach — Other Families: 2.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 42.9% renting
Coral Sea — Owned Outright: 57.1% Coral Sea — Mortgage: 0.0% Coral Sea — Renting: 42.9%
Machans Beach 28.2% renting
Machans Beach — Owned Outright: 31.8% Machans Beach — Mortgage: 40.1% Machans Beach — Renting: 28.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Coral Sea Machans Beach
New Zealand 10.3% / 3.6%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% Machans Beach — New Zealand: 3.6%
China 6.4% / 0.6%
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% Machans Beach — China: 0.6%
England — / 5.0%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest Machans Beach — England: 5.0%
Germany — / 0.8%
Coral Sea — Germany: not among its largest Machans Beach — Germany: 0.8%
Italy — / 0.7%
Coral Sea — Italy: not among its largest Machans Beach — Italy: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.3%).

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 16.9%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% Machans Beach — Certificate III & IV: 16.9%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 12.6%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% Machans Beach — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 9.4%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Machans Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 5.3%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% Machans Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.9%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Machans Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea 100.0% flats / apartments
Coral Sea — Flats / Apartments: 100.0% Coral Sea — Houses: 0.0% Coral Sea — Townhouses: 0.0%
Machans Beach 1.9% flats / apartments
Machans Beach — Flats / Apartments: 1.9% Machans Beach — Houses: 90.4% Machans Beach — Townhouses: 7.7%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Median house price — $659,250
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $270,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 31 days
from 19 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea Machans Beach
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 767
across Cairns
Approvals change year on year +70% -81%

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Houses — 3.9%
$740/wk on $989K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea Machans Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 55% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 85% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 47% of QLD

Liveability

Machans Beach is more walkable (42 vs 0).

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Grade — C
Score — 44/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); Machans Beach carries more crime risk (74 vs 51).

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
74/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
83/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km None 1
James Cook University - Cairns, 7.2 km

Schools in Coral Sea

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Machans Beach

  • Machans Beach State School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 10 4
Childcare 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Machans Beach sits further from the CBD (1709 km vs 1135.9 km).

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Walkability score 0/100 42/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km 1709 km
+50% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 1183 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
 0.7%
postcode 4878
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
 64
postcode 4878

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.

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Walked Only 83.7% / 1.6%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% Machans Beach — Walked Only: 1.6%
Car (driver) 7.0% / 68.6%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% Machans Beach — Car (driver): 68.6%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 20.0%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% Machans Beach — Worked from Home: 20.0%
Car (passenger) — / 5.4%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest Machans Beach — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bus — / 2.2%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest Machans Beach — Bus: 2.2%
Bicycle — / 2.2%
Coral Sea — Bicycle: not among its largest Machans Beach — Bicycle: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.7%).

Setting

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 345 m

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Connectivity score 15/100 73/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 52%
500 premises

Climate

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Annual rainfall — 2,121 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 31.9°C
Winter min (Jul) — 18.1°C

Council rates

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,354/yr
Council Whitsunday Cairns

Federal electorate

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Division Dawson Leichhardt
Member Andrew Willcox Matt Smith
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea Machans Beach
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coral Sea

Coastal Rural

Machans Beach

Acreage Affordable Coastal Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coral Sea

Coral Sea vs Bowen Coral Sea vs Bargara Coral Sea vs South Mackay Coral Sea vs Bushland Beach Coral Sea vs Trinity Beach Coral Sea vs Kewarra Beach

Other comparisons with Machans Beach

Machans Beach vs Holloways Beach Machans Beach vs Stratford Machans Beach vs Aeroglen Machans Beach vs Barron
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on Machans Beach
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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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