Sarina vs Grasstree Beach

Sarina is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 49 in Grasstree Beach. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Grasstree Beach: a median of $685,000, against $543,000 in Sarina. On these figures, Sarina tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Sarina

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (10 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)
  • But Grasstree Beach carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 79/100)

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

First-home buyers

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($372,000 vs $550,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($543,000 vs $685,000)
  • But Grasstree Beach leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Sarina

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (635 min vs 647 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (933.4 km vs 945.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Sarina

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (15/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But Grasstree Beach carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 79/100)

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

Investors

Sarina

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (1.8% vs -3.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Sarina and Grasstree 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.

Sarina Grasstree 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.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Walkability 15 / 0
Sarina — Walkability: 15/100 Grasstree Beach — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 21 / 68
Sarina — Safety: 21/100 Grasstree Beach — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 86 / 100
Sarina — Low fire risk: 86/100 Grasstree Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sarina has more residents (5,619 vs 717); Grasstree Beach has higher household incomes ($106,600 vs $83,460).

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Population 5,619
+87% vs other
 717
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% -3.8%
Median age 40 49
Median household income $83,460/yr $106,600/yr
+28% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+3% vs other
 $290/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
0-4 6.2% / 5.2%
Sarina — 0-4: 6.2% Grasstree Beach — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 13.4% / 8.5%
Sarina — 5-14: 13.4% Grasstree Beach — 5-14: 8.5%
15-19 6.9% / 5.7%
Sarina — 15-19: 6.9% Grasstree Beach — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.4% / 4.5%
Sarina — 20-24: 5.4% Grasstree Beach — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 10.9% / 10.0%
Sarina — 25-34: 10.9% Grasstree Beach — 25-34: 10.0%
35-44 12.2% / 11.9%
Sarina — 35-44: 12.2% Grasstree Beach — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 13.3% / 13.1%
Sarina — 45-54: 13.3% Grasstree Beach — 45-54: 13.1%
55-64 14.0% / 21.9%
Sarina — 55-64: 14.0% Grasstree Beach — 55-64: 21.9%
65-74 10.7% / 13.5%
Sarina — 65-74: 10.7% Grasstree Beach — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 5.1% / 5.6%
Sarina — 75-84: 5.1% Grasstree Beach — 75-84: 5.6%
85+ 1.9% / 0.8%
Sarina — 85+: 1.9% Grasstree Beach — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sarina 44.1% couple families
Sarina — Couple Families: 44.1% Sarina — Lone Person: 33.4% Sarina — One Parent Families: 16.9% Sarina — Group Household: 3.7% Sarina — Other Families: 1.9%
Grasstree Beach 44.5% couple families
Grasstree Beach — Couple Families: 44.5% Grasstree Beach — Lone Person: 41.3% Grasstree Beach — One Parent Families: 9.7% Grasstree Beach — Group Household: 2.6% Grasstree Beach — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sarina 26.8% renting
Sarina — Owned Outright: 35.7% Sarina — Mortgage: 37.4% Sarina — Renting: 26.8%
Grasstree Beach 18.0% renting
Grasstree Beach — Owned Outright: 43.1% Grasstree Beach — Mortgage: 39.0% Grasstree Beach — Renting: 18.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 23.3%
Sarina — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Grasstree Beach — Certificate III & IV: 23.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.0% / 6.4%
Sarina — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0% Grasstree Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Bachelor Degree 3.7% / 6.0%
Sarina — Bachelor Degree: 3.7% Grasstree Beach — Bachelor Degree: 6.0%
Postgraduate Degree 0.4% / 1.8%
Sarina — Postgraduate Degree: 0.4% Grasstree Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 1.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.0%
Sarina — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Grasstree Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

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.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
New Zealand 2.0% / 3.1%
Sarina — New Zealand: 2.0% Grasstree Beach — New Zealand: 3.1%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.7%
Sarina — Philippines: 0.9% Grasstree Beach — Philippines: 1.7%
England 1.2% / 0.8%
Sarina — England: 1.2% Grasstree Beach — England: 0.8%
Germany 0.1% / 0.6%
Sarina — Germany: 0.1% Grasstree Beach — Germany: 0.6%
South Africa 0.5% / —
Sarina — South Africa: 0.5% Grasstree Beach — South Africa: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.4%
Sarina — Netherlands: not among its largest Grasstree Beach — Netherlands: 0.4%
Thailand 0.2% / —
Sarina — Thailand: 0.2% Grasstree Beach — Thailand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sarina 91.2% houses
Sarina — Houses: 91.2% Sarina — Townhouses: 6.5% Sarina — Flats / Apartments: 2.3%
Grasstree Beach 95.7% houses
Grasstree Beach — Houses: 95.7% Grasstree Beach — Townhouses: 1.8% Grasstree Beach — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Median house price $543,000 $685,000
Median unit price $490,000 —
Median land price $372,000 $550,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 51 sales
 29 days
from 9 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
3 bed $525K / $688K
Sarina — 3 bed: $525K (55 sales) Grasstree Beach — 3 bed: $688K (16 sales)

55 vs 16 sales

4 bed $700K / $682K
Sarina — 4 bed: $700K (31 sales) Grasstree Beach — 4 bed: $682K (12 sales)

31 vs 12 sales

Development activity

Sarina Grasstree Beach
New dwellings approved 574
across Mackay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -6%
same for both

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.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Houses 4.8%
$650/wk on $699K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Sarina Grasstree Beach
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 79% of QLD
Schools Higher than 30% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 65% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 5% of QLD Higher than 42% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of QLD Higher than 66% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of QLD —

Liveability

Sarina is more walkable (15 vs 0); Grasstree Beach scores higher overall (50 vs 23).

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Grade D B
Score 23/100 50/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Sarina carries more bushfire risk (14 vs 0); Sarina carries more crime risk (79 vs 32).

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Bushfire Low
14/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
79/100
 Low
32/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
80/100
 High
85/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 3 0

Schools in Sarina

  • Sarina State High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Sarina State School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Anne's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Swayneville State School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Grasstree Beach

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

Amenities in the suburb

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 10 0
Childcare 5 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 0
Fuel stations 2 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 44 5

Mobility

Grasstree Beach sits further from the CBD (945.2 km vs 933.4 km).

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Walkability score 15/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 933.4 km 945.2 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 635 min 647 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 4737
 0.3%
postcode 4740
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 4737
 56
postcode 4740

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.

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Car (driver) 81.4% / 84.4%
Sarina — Car (driver): 81.4% Grasstree Beach — Car (driver): 84.4%
Worked from Home 6.0% / 9.5%
Sarina — Worked from Home: 6.0% Grasstree Beach — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 4.1%
Sarina — Car (passenger): 6.4% Grasstree Beach — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Walked Only 4.5% / 2.0%
Sarina — Walked Only: 4.5% Grasstree Beach — Walked Only: 2.0%
Bus 1.3% / —
Sarina — Bus: 1.3% Grasstree Beach — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.4%).

Setting

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Elevation 111 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 93 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.7 km 1.7 km
2.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Connectivity score 52/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
2,568 premises
 0%
398 premises

Climate

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Annual rainfall 1,517 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 12.4°C
same for both

Council rates

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Average residential rate $1,873/yr
same for both
Council Mackay
same for both

Federal electorate

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Division Capricornia
same for both
Member Michelle Landry
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Sarina Grasstree Beach
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Sarina

Acreage Affordable

Grasstree Beach

Acreage Coastal

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sarina

Sarina vs Armstrong Beach Sarina vs Alligator Creek Sarina vs Koumala Sarina vs Sarina Beach Sarina vs Sarina Range Sarina vs Freshwater Point

Other comparisons with Grasstree Beach

Grasstree Beach vs Hay Point Grasstree Beach vs Alligator Creek Grasstree Beach vs Sarina Beach Grasstree Beach vs Campwin Beach Grasstree Beach vs Coral Sea
Full data on Sarina Full data on Grasstree 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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