Macleay Island sits 51 km from Brisbane CBD in Queensland, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Census data records 3,193 residents with a median age of 62 and a median household income of $39,260 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the bottom 20% nationally. The town grew 19.1% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $260 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $900. Macleay Island is characterised by high crime risk and high coastal erosion risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Macleay Island a good town?
Macleay Island scores a C (39/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on community.
Mixed results
1 school
Some car dependence
Walkability 30/100 · 50.8 km · 88 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $570K
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 67/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 62 · 3,193 residents
Liveability Rating
39 / 100 · Ranked #786 in QLDEach bar is Macleay Island'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 Macleay Island?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
39 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMacleay Island's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $570,000, roughly 13% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$570,000
Based on 205 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 74 days — median across 76 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 15 sales $440K
- 2 bed 78 sales $532K
- 3 bed 96 sales $593K
- 4 bed 7 sales $640K
Land
$115,000
Based on 93 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 71 days — median across 31 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Macleay Island are currently listed at around $668,000 on average. Based on 117 houses listed in the past six months.
$668K
117 houses listed in the last 6 months.
117 of the suburb's 1,565 dwellings (7.5%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Macleay Island rent for around $548 a week on average, based on 18 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$548/wk
18 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
18 rentals advertised against an estimated 358 rented homes (5.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $495/wk
- 27 bonds
- +56% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025151 Affordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 20% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4184.
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.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$548/week ($28,000 a year) on a $668,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Macleay Island safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Macleay Island sits in the moderate band, with 99 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 6% on the prior year.
99 offences
6.5% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202411 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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
1989–2024Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 293 m
- Rate
- -0.30 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -14.6 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serve Macleay Island, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 156 students in one school (avg 156)
Primary
Walkability
Macleay Island is car-dependent on foot — at 30/100, most errands require a car. Within the town there are 1 supermarket, 7 parks and 3 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
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 Macleay Island.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 55%
- Premises covered
- 2,231
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
Redland: 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
The ABS scores 9 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 2 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.
Macleay Island is home to about 3,200 residents, with a median age of 62 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $39,000 a year, with unemployment at 14.9%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
3,193
Median Age
62
Median Household Income
$39,260/yr
Census Median Rent
$260/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$900/mo
Avg Household Size
1.9
Median Personal Income
$23,400/yr
Unemployment Rate
14.9%
Unoccupied Dwellings
22.0%
Total Dwellings
1,565
Owner-Occupier Rate
77.1%
Houses
99.6%
Rental Stress
34.4%
Mortgage Stress
27.5%
Work From Home
33.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 66.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.9%
- Employment Rate
- 26%
- Completed Year 12
- 32.4%
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.
27 residents (0.8%) 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.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 3,131 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
5% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (41 of 764).
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 $1,879 a year through Redland based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Redland
In the year to August 2026, 1,598 new dwellings were approved across Redland. That mix is 1,243 houses and 355 units. Approvals are down 26.3% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Quandamooka Coast Claim.
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
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 5.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 14.6 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.48 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Springwood (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 21.9 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Archerfield Airport, 34.8 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 7 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 213 m
- 1.2 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,032 mm
- 84 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 30.5°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 8.9°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 4184, 25 of 10,765 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.8% (81 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4184, 3,620 rooftop-solar systems totalling 18.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 5,157 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 240 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, 2 across postcode 4184.
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 $570,000 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 Henry Pike Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Henry Pike | 47.6% | 52.4% | +3.1 |
| 2022 | Henry Pike | 44.5% | 55.5% | -4.7 |
| 2019 | Andrew Laming | 39.8% | 60.2% | +3.2 |
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 Rebecca Young Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Rebecca Young LNP | 51.9% |
| 2020 | Kim Richards ALP | 53.9% |
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 Macleay Island?
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 3,193 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.
Featured in
Nearby suburbs
Compare Macleay Island 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 Macleay Island
Is Macleay Island a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Macleay Island is moderate (67/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Macleay Island?
Macleay Island has no recorded bushfire history. These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Macleay Island a good place to live?
Macleay Island has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (39/100), 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 Macleay Island?
Macleay Island, QLD had a population of 3,193 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Macleay Island, QLD?
The postcode for Macleay Island, QLD is 4184.
How far is Macleay Island from Brisbane?
Macleay Island is 51 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 88 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Macleay Island?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Macleay Island was $39,260 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 Macleay Island?
The median advertised rent in Macleay Island is $548 a week for houses (18 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Macleay Island?
The median age of residents in Macleay Island was 62 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Macleay Island?
There is 1 school inside the Macleay Island boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Macleay Island walkable?
Macleay Island scores 30/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Macleay Island?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Macleay Island (Springwood (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.6 µg/m³. That puts Macleay Island below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Macleay Island?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Macleay Island, Archerfield Airport (34.8 km away), summer days average 30.5°C, winter nights 8.9°C, 1,032 mm of rain a year over 84 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Macleay Island?
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 Macleay Island belong to?
Macleay Island sits within the Redland local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Macleay Island?
The average residential rates bill through Redland is $1,879 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Macleay Island?
Across Redland, 1,598 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 26.3% 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 Macleay Island in?
Macleay Island sits within the federal Division of Bowman, currently held by Henry Pike (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
Search another suburb or address
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
- 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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.