Coral Sea vs South Mackay

Coral Sea is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 39 in South Mackay. 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 South Mackay, most homes are detached houses. On these figures, Coral Sea tends to suit young adults and people living alone, while South Mackay suits families with children.

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

South Mackay

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (74% vs 0%)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Coral Sea carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 70/100)

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

Renters

Coral Sea

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($130/wk vs $290/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 20%)

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

Commuting to the city

South Mackay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (966.3 km vs 1135.9 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (664 min vs 780 min)

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 26%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 70/100)
  • But South Mackay is more walkable (49/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

South Mackay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.2% vs -29.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coral Sea and South Mackay 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 South Mackay
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 South Mackay
Walkability 0 / 49
Coral Sea — Walkability: 0/100 South Mackay — Walkability: 49/100
Safety 49 / 30
Coral Sea — Safety: 49/100 South Mackay — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 64 / 100
Coral Sea — Low fire risk: 64/100 South Mackay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

South Mackay has more residents (6,918 vs 78); South Mackay rents higher ($290/wk vs $130/wk).

Coral Sea South Mackay
Population 78 6,918
+8769% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -29.7% +3.2%
Median age 36 39
Median household income $71,448/yr $76,804/yr
+7% vs other
Median weekly rent $130/wk $290/wk
+123% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coral Sea South Mackay
0-4 — / 6.1%
Coral Sea — 0-4: not among its largest South Mackay — 0-4: 6.1%
5-14 6.4% / 12.2%
Coral Sea — 5-14: 6.4% South Mackay — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 — / 5.9%
Coral Sea — 15-19: not among its largest South Mackay — 15-19: 5.9%
20-24 — / 6.0%
Coral Sea — 20-24: not among its largest South Mackay — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 37.2% / 13.8%
Coral Sea — 25-34: 37.2% South Mackay — 25-34: 13.8%
35-44 21.8% / 12.8%
Coral Sea — 35-44: 21.8% South Mackay — 35-44: 12.8%
45-54 16.7% / 12.4%
Coral Sea — 45-54: 16.7% South Mackay — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 17.9% / 13.5%
Coral Sea — 55-64: 17.9% South Mackay — 55-64: 13.5%
65-74 — / 9.7%
Coral Sea — 65-74: not among its largest South Mackay — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 — / 5.6%
Coral Sea — 75-84: not among its largest South Mackay — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ — / 2.0%
Coral Sea — 85+: not among its largest South Mackay — 85+: 2.0%

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%
South Mackay 44.9% lone person
South Mackay — Lone Person: 44.9% South Mackay — Couple Families: 30.8% South Mackay — One Parent Families: 17.8% South Mackay — Group Household: 4.6% South Mackay — Other Families: 1.9%
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%
South Mackay 39.1% renting
South Mackay — Owned Outright: 27.9% South Mackay — Mortgage: 33.0% South Mackay — Renting: 39.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Coral Sea South Mackay
Certificate III & IV 25.6% / 20.0%
Coral Sea — Certificate III & IV: 25.6% South Mackay — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Bachelor Degree 23.1% / 7.0%
Coral Sea — Bachelor Degree: 23.1% South Mackay — Bachelor Degree: 7.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 5.1%
Coral Sea — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% South Mackay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.1%
Postgraduate Degree 9.0% / 1.1%
Coral Sea — Postgraduate Degree: 9.0% South Mackay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.0%
Coral Sea — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest South Mackay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

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

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 South Mackay
New Zealand 10.3% / 2.6%
Coral Sea — New Zealand: 10.3% South Mackay — New Zealand: 2.6%
China 6.4% / 0.4%
Coral Sea — China: 6.4% South Mackay — China: 0.4%
Philippines — / 4.8%
Coral Sea — Philippines: not among its largest South Mackay — Philippines: 4.8%
England — / 1.4%
Coral Sea — England: not among its largest South Mackay — England: 1.4%
South Africa — / 0.5%
Coral Sea — South Africa: not among its largest South Mackay — South Africa: 0.5%
India — / 0.5%
Coral Sea — India: not among its largest South Mackay — India: 0.5%

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

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%
South Mackay 2.0% flats / apartments
South Mackay — Flats / Apartments: 2.0% South Mackay — Houses: 73.5% South Mackay — Townhouses: 24.5%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coral Sea South Mackay
Median house price — $605,000
Median unit price — $399,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 28 days
from 58 sales

Development activity

Coral Sea South Mackay
New dwellings approved 190
across Whitsunday
 574
across Mackay
Approvals change year on year +70% -6%

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 South Mackay
Houses — 4.9%
$650/wk on $684K
Units — 6.9%
$510/wk on $384K

Ranking within QLD

Coral Sea South Mackay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 38% of QLD Higher than 48% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 78% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 45% of QLD Higher than 86% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of QLD Higher than 98% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 90% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 95% of QLD

Liveability

South Mackay is more walkable (49 vs 0).

Coral Sea South Mackay
Grade — C
Score — 48/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Coral Sea carries more bushfire risk (36 vs 0); South Mackay carries more crime risk (70 vs 51).

Coral Sea South Mackay
Bushfire Low
36/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
70/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
98/100
 High
89/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Coral Sea South Mackay
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Coral Sea

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

Schools in South Mackay

  • St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Mackay State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • St Patrick's College - Mercy Campus Catholic · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Coral Sea South Mackay
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 10 18
Childcare 0 3
Beaches 3 1

Mobility

Coral Sea sits further from the CBD (1135.9 km vs 966.3 km).

Coral Sea South Mackay
Walkability score 0/100 49/100
Distance to Brisbane 1135.9 km
+15% vs other
 966.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 780 min 664 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 4740
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 4740
same for both

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 South Mackay
Car (driver) 7.0% / 83.4%
Coral Sea — Car (driver): 7.0% South Mackay — Car (driver): 83.4%
Walked Only 83.7% / 2.3%
Coral Sea — Walked Only: 83.7% South Mackay — Walked Only: 2.3%
Worked from Home 9.3% / 3.9%
Coral Sea — Worked from Home: 9.3% South Mackay — Worked from Home: 3.9%
Car (passenger) — / 7.1%
Coral Sea — Car (passenger): not among its largest South Mackay — Car (passenger): 7.1%
Bus — / 1.6%
Coral Sea — Bus: not among its largest South Mackay — Bus: 1.6%

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

Setting

Coral Sea South Mackay
Elevation 499 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 1.7 km
1.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coral Sea South Mackay
Connectivity score 15/100 99/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
102 premises
 98%
3,418 premises

Climate

Coral Sea South Mackay
Annual rainfall — 1,517 mm
Summer max (Jan) — 30.8°C
Winter min (Jul) — 12.4°C

Council rates

Coral Sea South Mackay
Average residential rate $1,412/yr $1,873/yr
Council Whitsunday Mackay

Federal electorate

Coral Sea South Mackay
Division Dawson
same for both
Member Andrew Willcox
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coral Sea South Mackay
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

South Mackay

Affordable Coastal Parks Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coral Sea

Coral Sea vs Bowen Coral Sea vs Bargara Coral Sea vs Bushland Beach Coral Sea vs Trinity Beach Coral Sea vs Kewarra Beach Coral Sea vs Sarina

Other comparisons with South Mackay

South Mackay vs West Mackay South Mackay vs Mackay South Mackay vs East Mackay South Mackay vs Paget
Full data on Coral Sea Full data on South Mackay
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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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