Mackenzie River vs Blackwater

Blackwater is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 44 in Mackenzie River. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Mackenzie River, the large majority of households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. In Blackwater, most households rent. On these figures, Mackenzie River tends to suit people living alone, while Blackwater suits renters, young adults, and 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

Blackwater

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Mackenzie River carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 84/100)

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

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Mackenzie River has cheaper rent ($0/wk vs $220/wk)
  • Blackwater has a bigger rental market to choose from (65% vs 15%)

Weighs rent and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Blackwater

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (831.6 km vs 867.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (560 min vs 581 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mackenzie River

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 5%)
  • carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 84/100)
  • But Blackwater has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Mackenzie River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (18.3% vs -1.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mackenzie River Blackwater
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.

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Walkability 0 / 0
Mackenzie River — Walkability: 0/100 Blackwater — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 54 / 16
Mackenzie River — Safety: 54/100 Blackwater — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 62 / 100
Mackenzie River — Low fire risk: 62/100 Blackwater — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Blackwater rents higher ($220/wk vs $0/wk); Blackwater has more residents (4,702 vs 84).

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Population 84 4,702
+5498% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +18.3% -1.0%
Median age 44 31
Median household income $94,224/yr $122,616/yr
+30% vs other
Median weekly rent — $220/wk
(not reported on the other side)

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River Blackwater
0-4 6.0% / 7.7%
Mackenzie River — 0-4: 6.0% Blackwater — 0-4: 7.7%
5-14 9.5% / 15.6%
Mackenzie River — 5-14: 9.5% Blackwater — 5-14: 15.6%
15-19 8.3% / 6.8%
Mackenzie River — 15-19: 8.3% Blackwater — 15-19: 6.8%
20-24 3.6% / 7.3%
Mackenzie River — 20-24: 3.6% Blackwater — 20-24: 7.3%
25-34 9.5% / 17.9%
Mackenzie River — 25-34: 9.5% Blackwater — 25-34: 17.9%
35-44 13.1% / 17.2%
Mackenzie River — 35-44: 13.1% Blackwater — 35-44: 17.2%
45-54 25.0% / 13.5%
Mackenzie River — 45-54: 25.0% Blackwater — 45-54: 13.5%
55-64 9.5% / 9.0%
Mackenzie River — 55-64: 9.5% Blackwater — 55-64: 9.0%
65-74 13.1% / 3.4%
Mackenzie River — 65-74: 13.1% Blackwater — 65-74: 3.4%
75-84 6.0% / 1.1%
Mackenzie River — 75-84: 6.0% Blackwater — 75-84: 1.1%
85+ — / 0.1%
Mackenzie River — 85+: not among its largest Blackwater — 85+: 0.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 47.6% couple families
Mackenzie River — Couple Families: 47.6% Mackenzie River — Lone Person: 52.4% Mackenzie River — One Parent Families: 0.0% Mackenzie River — Group Household: 0.0% Mackenzie River — Other Families: 0.0%
Blackwater 43.9% couple families
Blackwater — Couple Families: 43.9% Blackwater — Lone Person: 34.2% Blackwater — One Parent Families: 16.0% Blackwater — Group Household: 4.3% Blackwater — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 15.0% renting
Mackenzie River — Owned Outright: 70.0% Mackenzie River — Mortgage: 15.0% Mackenzie River — Renting: 15.0%
Blackwater 64.7% renting
Blackwater — Owned Outright: 11.3% Blackwater — Mortgage: 24.0% Blackwater — Renting: 64.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mackenzie River 96.9% houses
Mackenzie River — Houses: 96.9% Mackenzie River — Flats / Apartments: 3.1% Mackenzie River — Townhouses: 0.0%
Blackwater 93.0% houses
Blackwater — Houses: 93.0% Blackwater — Flats / Apartments: 5.0% Blackwater — Townhouses: 2.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Qualifications

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

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Certificate III & IV 21.4% / 19.0%
Mackenzie River — Certificate III & IV: 21.4% Blackwater — Certificate III & IV: 19.0%
Bachelor Degree 9.5% / 4.9%
Mackenzie River — Bachelor Degree: 9.5% Blackwater — Bachelor Degree: 4.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 3.6%
Mackenzie River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Blackwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.6%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.8%
Mackenzie River — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Blackwater — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.7%
Mackenzie River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Blackwater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.4%).

Property market

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Median house price — $302,000
Median unit price — $310,000
Median land price — $39,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 62 days
from 46 sales

Development activity

Mackenzie River Blackwater
New dwellings approved 27
across Isaac
 35
across Central Highlands (Qld)
Approvals change year on year +0% -75%

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.

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Houses — 6.7%
$500/wk on $389K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Mackenzie River Blackwater
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 17% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 17% of QLD Higher than 20% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 40% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 6% of QLD Higher than 81% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 99% of QLD

Liveability

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Grade — D
Score — 24/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Mackenzie River carries more bushfire risk (38 vs 0); Blackwater carries more crime risk (84 vs 46).

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Bushfire Low
38/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
46/100
 High
84/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Mackenzie River

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

Schools in Blackwater

  • Blackwater State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Blackwater North State School Government · Primary below peers
  • Blackwater State School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 2 15
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 5
Waterways 64 31

Mobility

Mackenzie River sits further from the CBD (867.2 km vs 831.6 km).

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Brisbane 867.2 km
+4% vs other
 831.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 581 min 560 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 4705
 0.3%
postcode 4717
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 4705
 26
postcode 4717

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.

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Car (driver) 28.6% / 70.1%
Mackenzie River — Car (driver): 28.6% Blackwater — Car (driver): 70.1%
Worked from Home 55.1% / 3.6%
Mackenzie River — Worked from Home: 55.1% Blackwater — Worked from Home: 3.6%
Walked Only 16.3% / 5.0%
Mackenzie River — Walked Only: 16.3% Blackwater — Walked Only: 5.0%
Car (passenger) — / 10.8%
Mackenzie River — Car (passenger): not among its largest Blackwater — Car (passenger): 10.8%
Bus — / 9.8%
Mackenzie River — Bus: not among its largest Blackwater — Bus: 9.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.1%).

Setting

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Elevation 136 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 161 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Connectivity score 15/100 72/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
24 premises
 49%
2,756 premises

Council rates

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Average residential rate $925/yr $1,276/yr
Council Isaac Central Highlands (Qld)

Federal electorate

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Division Capricornia Flynn
Member Michelle Landry Colin Boyce
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mackenzie River Blackwater
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mackenzie River

Rural

Blackwater

Affordable Family Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mackenzie River

Mackenzie River vs Middlemount Mackenzie River vs Comet Mackenzie River vs May Downs Mackenzie River vs Lilyvale

Other comparisons with Blackwater

Blackwater vs Comet Blackwater vs Bluff Blackwater vs Stewarton
Full data on Mackenzie River Full data on Blackwater
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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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