Bluewater is a town in Queensland, 1,385 km from Brisbane CBD, around 15 hours 40 minutes by car. Population is 1,085; the median age is 41 and the median household income is $98,332 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The town grew 4.3% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $320 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,733. Bluewater is characterised by high coastal erosion risk and high crime risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Bluewater a good town?
Bluewater scores a D (18/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 1385 km · 942 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $702K
High crime risk
Fire 65/100 · Crime 74/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 4/10 · median age 41 · 1,085 residents
Liveability Rating
18 / 100 · Ranked #1041 in QLDEach bar is Bluewater's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
Flood data for Queensland covers only the areas mapped there — a blank here is not an all-clear.
How do you rate the liveability in Bluewater?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
18 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBluewater's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $702,000, roughly 19% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$702,000
6% below its 3 neighbours (median $750,000)
Based on 28 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 48 days — median across 8 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 5 sales $465K
- 3 bed 10 sales $682K
- 4 bed 9 sales $810K
Land
$590,000
Based on only 7 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Bluewater are currently listed at around $600,000 on average. Based on 4 houses listed in the past six months.
$600K
4 houses listed in the last 6 months.
4 of the suburb's 359 dwellings (1.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025105 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4818.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Is Bluewater safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Bluewater sits in the high band, with 23 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 10% on the prior year.
23 offences
9.5% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202418 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 3.9 km
- Rate
- -0.29 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -15.1 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serve Bluewater, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 362 students in one school (avg 362)
Primary
Walkability
Bluewater is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Bluewater.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 451
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Townsville: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Bluewater is home to about 1,100 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $98,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,085
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$98,332/yr
Census Median Rent
$320/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$41,964/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
14.2%
Total Dwellings
359
Owner-Occupier Rate
87.4%
Houses
98.6%
Rental Stress
16.9%
Mortgage Stress
21.1%
Work From Home
7.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 82.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.2%
- Employment Rate
- 56.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 30.7%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
5 residents (0.5%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
3.0% of residents (30) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (18).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,008 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (3 of 466).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,810 a year through Townsville based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Townsville
In the year to August 2026, 1,096 new dwellings were approved across Townsville. That mix is 991 houses and 105 units. Approvals are down 22.3% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this town: 109 to 530 homes
- No timeframe set 109 to 530 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (4 parcels), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Gurambilbarra Wulgurukaba People.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. A native title claim over this area is registered with the Federal Court.
Climate & Setting
from Townsville Aero, 26.2 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 13 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 3.5 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,304 mm
- 65 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 31.8°C
- 5 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 15.0°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 4818, 177 of 28,154 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.1% (581 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4818, 9,962 rooftop-solar systems totalling 74.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 11,493 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 800 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$30,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
$30,000 for contracts signed on or after 20 November 2023, with no end date. IT DID NOT REVERT TO $15,000: the tier was due to end 30 June 2026 and the 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued it for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. This file carried a "due to revert" note until 2026-09-18 — it was never true, and a note predicting a change is not the same as a change. Cap is "less than $750,000" including land and contract variations — less than, not up to. New homes only: "There are no home owner grants for established homes."
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this town, 5 across postcode 4818.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Queensland Revenue Office
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $30,000 — see what qualifies with Queensland Revenue Office.
At $702,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $30,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Phillip Thompson Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Phillip Thompson | 36.6% | 63.4% | -1.6 |
| 2022 | Phillip Thompson | 38.2% | 61.8% | +3.4 |
| 2019 | Phillip Thompson | 41.6% | 58.4% | +8.4 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Wayde Chiesa Liberal National Party of Queensland — elected at the Nov 2025 by-election, after the results below
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Nick Dametto KAP | 63.2% |
| 2020 | Nick Dametto KAP | 64.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Bluewater?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,085 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Bluewater to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Bluewater
Is Bluewater a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Bluewater is high (74/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Bluewater?
Bluewater has a moderate recorded bushfire history (65/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Bluewater a good place to live?
Bluewater has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (18/100), ranked against other QLD suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Bluewater?
Bluewater, QLD had a population of 1,085 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Bluewater, QLD?
The postcode for Bluewater, QLD is 4818.
How far is Bluewater from Brisbane?
Bluewater is 1,385 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 942 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Bluewater?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Bluewater was $98,332 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Bluewater?
There are too few current rental listings in Bluewater for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $320, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Bluewater?
The median age of residents in Bluewater was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Bluewater at risk of bushfire?
Bluewater has a moderate recorded bushfire history (65/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Bluewater?
There is 1 school inside the Bluewater boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the weather like in Bluewater?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Bluewater, Townsville Aero (26.2 km away), summer days average 31.8°C, winter nights 15°C, 1,304 mm of rain a year over 65 rainy days, and 5 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Bluewater?
First-home buyers in QLD may be eligible for $30,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by Queensland Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Bluewater belong to?
Bluewater sits within the Townsville local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Bluewater?
The average residential rates bill through Townsville is $1,810 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Bluewater?
Across Townsville, 1,096 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 22.3% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Bluewater in?
Bluewater sits within the federal Division of Herbert, currently held by Phillip Thompson (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.
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