Lower Cowley QLD 4871

Lower Cowley sits 1,592 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 18 hours 5 minutes by car. Census data records 55 residents with a median age of 45 and a median household income of $58,500 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality fell 14.1% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $215 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,127. Walkability is low.

This locality is too small to rate.

The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 55. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.

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Serious Road Crashes

2020–2024

1 crash

where someone was killed or admitted to hospital

Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.

Schools

No schools in this locality boundary.

Walkability

Lower Cowley is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.

0
out of 100
Very Car-Dependent
Bottom 7% in QLD
Public Transport within 1 km not measured
Schools within 1.5 km 0
Parks within 800 m 0
Supermarkets within 1 km 0
GPs within 1 km 0
Pharmacies within 1 km 0
Childcare within 1 km 0
Hospitals within 5 km 0

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 Lower Cowley.

30
connectivity score / 100
Most common
Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share
0%
Premises covered
28
Technology mix
Fixed wireless (WIRELESS) 100%

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

No amenities mapped in this locality boundary.

Cassowary Coast: council population

The whole council area, not just Lower Cowley · estimated residents
at 30 June 2025
Residents
30,666
+1.0% in a year
Change
+301
people since 2024
Density
6.5
people per km² across the council area
What drove the change
Natural increase
-15
births minus deaths
Net internal migration
+85
moves within Australia
Net overseas migration
+231
arrivals minus departures

The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.

Socio-economic profile

ABS SEIFA · ranked against every suburb in Australia, and within the state
2021 census
Advantage and disadvantage
3/10
3/10 within QLD
income, education, jobs and housing together
Economic resources
3/10
4/10 within QLD
income against housing cost and household size
Education and occupation
3/10
4/10 within QLD
qualifications and job type, income excluded

Lower Cowley is home to 55 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $58,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.

2021 Census · change since 2016

Population

55

14.1% since 2016

Median Age

45

28.6% since 2016

Median Household Income

$58,500/yr

52.2% since 2016

Census Median Rent

$215/wk

Census Median Mortgage

$1,127/mo

24.2% since 2016

Avg Household Size

2.7

25.0% since 2016

Median Personal Income

$29,900/yr

21.3% since 2016

Unemployment Rate

0.0%

Unoccupied Dwellings

0.0%

Total Dwellings

20

no change since 2016

Owner-Occupier Rate

77.8%

6.6% since 2016

Houses

95.0%

5.0% since 2016

Rental Stress

19.1%

Mortgage Stress

23.1%

50.2% since 2016

Work From Home

50.0%

116.5% since 2016

Dwelling Types

Houses 19 (95.0%)
Flats / Apartments 1 (5.0%)

Property Ownership

Owned Outright 10 (55.6%)
Mortgage 4 (22.2%)
Renting 4 (22.2%)

Demographics

Born in Australia
80.0%
English Spoken at Home
89.1%
Employment Rate
47.6%
14.4% since 2016
Completed Year 12
25.5%

Occupations

Managers 9 (42.9%)
Labourers 3 (14.3%)
Machinery Operators & Drivers 3 (14.3%)

Religion

Christianity 37 (67.3%)
No Religion 20 (36.4%)

Country of Birth (overseas)

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.

Italy 5 (9.1%)

Age Distribution

5-14 15 (27.3%)
15-19 5 (9.1%)
35-44 7 (12.7%)
45-54 4 (7.3%)
55-64 11 (20.0%)
65-74 13 (23.6%)
75-84 4 (7.3%)

Family & Household Composition

Couple Families 10 (52.6%)
Lone Person 9 (47.4%)

Commute to Work

Worked from Home 8 (50.0%)
Car (driver) 5 (31.2%)
Car (passenger) 3 (18.8%)

Education

Certificate III & IV 9 (16.4%)

Cars per Dwelling

1 car 5 (25.0%)
2 cars 4 (20.0%)
3 cars 4 (20.0%)

Council Rates

Cassowary Coast
FY 2025-26

Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,829 a year through Cassowary Coast based on 2025 figures.

Avg residential rate
$1,829/yr
38% above the QLD average of $1,328 · median of 59 councils
Valuation basis
Unimproved Value
land only

Building Approvals: Cassowary Coast

The whole council area, not just Lower Cowley · new residential dwellings
to 2026-08

In the year to August 2026, 186 new dwellings were approved across Cassowary Coast. That mix is 128 houses and 58 units. Approvals are up 68.4% on the same period a year earlier.

Trailing 12 months
186dwellings
+68.4% YoY
Houses
128
detached dwellings
Units
58
townhouses + apartments

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage

The Aboriginal party for this area is Mamu People.

Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. Native title over this area has been determined.

Climate & Setting

from South Johnstone Exp Stn, 13.3 km

High rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.

Elevation
2 m
above sea level, at the locality centre
Distance to the ocean
3.2 km
Annual rainfall
3,534 mm
132 rainy days
Summer max (Jan)
31.4°C
5 days ≥ 35°C
Winter min (Jul)
16.5°C
0 frost days ≤ 0°C

Elevation is the ground at the locality 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

0.2%
of light vehicles are electric
Up from 0.03% in 2021
+0.1 points this year
Bottom 24% in QLD

In postcode 4871, 17 of 9,333 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (143 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.7%.

Electric share, year by year
2021
0.03%
2022
0.04%
2023
0.04%
2024
0.12%
2025
0.18%

Rooftop solar

51
systems per 100 dwellings
Averaging 8.6 kW each

In postcode 4871, 2,069 rooftop-solar systems totalling 17.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,068 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 150 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.

Systems installed, year by year
2019
120
2020
129
2021
133
2022
107
2023
97
2024
151
2025
137
2026
83

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."

Verify eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office

Federal Electorate

Division of Kennedy

Currently held by Bob Katter Katter's Australian Party (KAP)

Year Winner 2PP ALP 2PP LNP Swing
2025 Bob Katter 40.7% 59.3% +0.8
2022 Bob Katter 39.8% 60.2% -4.3
2019 Bob Katter 35.5% 64.5% +7.8

Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.

State Electorate

Hill District

Currently held by Shane Knuth Katter's Australian Party (KAP)

Next state election: 28 October 2028.

Year Winner Won with
2024 Shane Knuth KAP 63.7%
2020 Shane Knuth KAP 72.5%

Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Looking at a specific address in Lower Cowley?

Every figure above is a locality 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.

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Nearby suburbs

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Common questions about Lower Cowley

Is Lower Cowley a safe place to live?

Recorded crime in Lower Cowley is moderate (40/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).

What natural hazards affect Lower Cowley?

Lower Cowley has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.

What is the population of Lower Cowley?

Lower Cowley, QLD had a population of 55 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.

What is the postcode for Lower Cowley, QLD?

The postcode for Lower Cowley, QLD is 4871.

How far is Lower Cowley from Brisbane?

Lower Cowley is 1,592 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 1086 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.

What is the median household income in Lower Cowley?

At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Lower Cowley was $58,500 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 Lower Cowley?

There are too few current rental listings in Lower Cowley for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $215, across all dwelling types.

What is the median age in Lower Cowley?

The median age of residents in Lower Cowley was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.

Is Lower Cowley at risk of bushfire?

Lower Cowley has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality 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.

What is the weather like in Lower Cowley?

At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Lower Cowley, South Johnstone Exp Stn (13.3 km away), summer days average 31.4°C, winter nights 16.5°C, 3,534 mm of rain a year over 132 rainy days, and 5 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.

Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Lower Cowley?

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 Lower Cowley belong to?

Lower Cowley sits within the Cassowary Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.

How much are council rates in Lower Cowley?

The average residential rates bill through Cassowary Coast is $1,829 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.

How much is being built near Lower Cowley?

Across Cassowary Coast, 186 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 68.4% 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 Lower Cowley in?

Lower Cowley sits within the federal Division of Kennedy, currently held by Bob Katter (Katter's Australian Party (KAP)).

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Data freshness

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Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
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