Lake Macdonald QLD 4563
Lake Macdonald sits 130 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 1 hour 40 minutes by car. Census data records 1,352 residents with a median age of 49 and a median household income of $92,092 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $420 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,733. Lake Macdonald is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.
Is Lake Macdonald a good suburb?
Lake Macdonald scores a B (61/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety and community, weaker on transit.
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 129.7 km · 101 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.31M
Low all-round risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 23/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 49 · 1,352 residents
Liveability Rating
61 / 100 · Ranked #323 in QLDEach bar is Lake Macdonald'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 Lake Macdonald?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
61 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataLake Macdonald's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.31 million, roughly 20% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,315,000
20% above its 4 neighbours (median $1,100,000)
Based on 32 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 100 days — median across 6 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 14 sales $1.14M
- 4 bed 10 sales $1.75M
Land
$1,235,000
Based on 11 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 36 days — median across 5 sales that recorded a listing period
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 202580 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 38% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4563.
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
2 active Airbnb listings: 2 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.4% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Lake Macdonald safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Lake Macdonald sits in the low band, with 7 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 75% on the prior year.
7 offences
75.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20245 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 suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Walkability
Lake Macdonald 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 Lake Macdonald.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 23%
- Premises covered
- 583
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
Noosa: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 5 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Lake Macdonald is home to about 1,400 residents, with a median age of 49, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $92,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.9%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,352
Median Age
49
Median Household Income
$92,092/yr
Census Median Rent
$420/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$37,492/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.9%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.9%
Total Dwellings
478
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.6%
Houses
97.9%
Rental Stress
23.7%
Mortgage Stress
22.6%
Work From Home
17.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.5%
- Employment Rate
- 52.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 44.3%
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.
10 residents (0.7%) 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.
7.7% of residents (100) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Brisbane (47).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,302 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (12 of 593).
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 $1,614 a year through Noosa based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Noosa
In the year to August 2026, 239 new dwellings were approved across Noosa. That mix is 142 houses and 97 units. Approvals are down 8.7% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 6 to 20 homes
- Within 2 years 6 to 20 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (1 parcel), 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 Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group.
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.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 12.3 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0.
From the Nambour (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 28.0 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Gympie, 37.5 kmHigh rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 95 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 13.0 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,045 mm
- 88 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 30.9°C
- 14 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.7°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 3.9 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 4563, 100 of 9,743 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.7% (264 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4563, 3,807 rooftop-solar systems totalling 24.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 3,945 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 303 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 suburb, 6 across postcode 4563.
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 $1,315,000 this is $565,000 above 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 Llew O'Brien Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Llew O'Brien | 42.4% | 57.6% | +3.7 |
| 2022 | Llew O'Brien | 38.7% | 61.3% | -1.8 |
| 2019 | Llew O'Brien | 36.9% | 63.1% | +5.0 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Sandy Bolton Independent
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sandy Bolton IND | 58.5% |
| 2020 | Sandy Bolton IND | 65.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Lake Macdonald?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 1,352 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.
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Compare Lake Macdonald to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Lake Macdonald
Is Lake Macdonald a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Lake Macdonald is low (23/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Lake Macdonald?
Lake Macdonald has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Lake Macdonald a good place to live?
Lake Macdonald has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (61/100), 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 Lake Macdonald?
Lake Macdonald, QLD had a population of 1,352 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Lake Macdonald, QLD?
The postcode for Lake Macdonald, QLD is 4563.
How far is Lake Macdonald from Brisbane?
Lake Macdonald is 130 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 101 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Lake Macdonald?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Lake Macdonald was $92,092 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 Lake Macdonald?
There are too few current rental listings in Lake Macdonald for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $420, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Lake Macdonald?
The median age of residents in Lake Macdonald was 49 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the air quality in Lake Macdonald?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Lake Macdonald (Nambour (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 12.3 µg/m³. That puts Lake Macdonald below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Lake Macdonald?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Lake Macdonald, Gympie (37.5 km away), summer days average 30.9°C, winter nights 7.7°C, 1,045 mm of rain a year over 88 rainy days, and 14 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Lake Macdonald?
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 Lake Macdonald belong to?
Lake Macdonald sits within the Noosa local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Lake Macdonald?
The average residential rates bill through Noosa is $1,614 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Lake Macdonald?
Across Noosa, 239 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 8.7% 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 Lake Macdonald in?
Lake Macdonald sits within the federal Division of Wide Bay, currently held by Llew O'Brien (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
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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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