Merlwood is a rural locality in Queensland, 272 km from Brisbane CBD, around 3 hours 20 minutes by car. Population is 104; the median age is 50 and the median household income is $75,348 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality grew 18.2% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $215 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,759. 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 104. 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.
How do you rate the liveability in Merlwood?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
…
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20242 crashes
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
Walkability
Merlwood 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 Merlwood.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 39
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
South Burnett: council population
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
Merlwood is home to 104 residents, with a median age of 50 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $75,000 a year, with unemployment at 9.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
104
Median Age
50
Median Household Income
$75,348/yr
Census Median Rent
$215/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,759/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$32,760/yr
Unemployment Rate
9.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.8%
Total Dwellings
34
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.5%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
14.8%
Mortgage Stress
28.0%
Work From Home
8.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.5%
- Employment Rate
- 48.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 26.0%
Occupations
Religion
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,401 a year through South Burnett based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: South Burnett
In the year to August 2026, 198 new dwellings were approved across South Burnett. That mix is 160 houses and 38 units. Approvals are down 17.9% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Wakka Wakka People #3 - Part A & B.
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.
Setting
- Elevation
- 311 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 3.2 km
- 4.5 km
EV adoption
In postcode 4605, 0 of 3,642 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.2% (42 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4605, 911 rooftop-solar systems totalling 6.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,852 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 55 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."
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 locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Deb Frecklington Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Deb Frecklington LNP | 72.9% |
| 2020 | Deb Frecklington LNP | 62.2% |
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 Merlwood?
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.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 104 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 Merlwood 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 Merlwood
Is Merlwood a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Merlwood is low (37/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Merlwood?
Merlwood has a moderate recorded bushfire history (50/100, 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 Merlwood?
Merlwood, QLD had a population of 104 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Merlwood, QLD?
The postcode for Merlwood, QLD is 4605.
How far is Merlwood from Brisbane?
Merlwood is 272 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 199 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Merlwood?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Merlwood was $75,348 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 Merlwood?
There are too few current rental listings in Merlwood 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 Merlwood?
The median age of residents in Merlwood was 50 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Merlwood at risk of bushfire?
Merlwood has a moderate recorded bushfire history (50/100). 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.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Merlwood?
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 Merlwood belong to?
Merlwood sits within the South Burnett local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Merlwood?
The average residential rates bill through South Burnett is $1,401 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Merlwood?
Across South Burnett, 198 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 17.9% 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 Merlwood in?
Merlwood sits within the federal Division of Wide Bay, currently held by Llew O'Brien (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- 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.