Murray Upper QLD 4854
Murray Upper is a rural locality in Queensland, 1,554 km from Brisbane CBD, around 17 hours 45 minutes by car. Population is 218; the median age is 42 and the median household income is $44,564 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population fell 18.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $150 per week. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and 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 218. 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 Murray Upper?
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Is Murray Upper safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Murray Upper sits in the moderate band, with 5 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 150% on the prior year.
5 offences
150.0% since 2024Crime Trend
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
One school serve Murray Upper, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 30 students in one school (avg 30)
Primary
Walkability
Murray Upper 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 Murray Upper.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 59
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
Cassowary Coast: 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
Murray Upper is home to 218 residents, with a median age of 42, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $45,000 a year, with unemployment at 14.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
218
Median Age
42
Median Household Income
$44,564/yr
Census Median Rent
$150/wk
Census Median Mortgage
—
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$20,592/yr
Unemployment Rate
14.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
11.6%
Total Dwellings
69
Owner-Occupier Rate
54.5%
Houses
104.3%
Rental Stress
17.5%
Mortgage Stress
—
Work From Home
22.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
0 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 21 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 30 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 72.9%
- Employment Rate
- 42.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 20.6%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,829 a year through Cassowary Coast based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Cassowary Coast
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.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Girramay People #2.
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 Cardwell Marine Pde, 26.5 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 47 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 21.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 2,150 mm
- 118 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 31.0°C
- 2 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 16.0°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
In postcode 4854, 7 of 4,907 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.1% (103 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4854, 1,127 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,338 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 78 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 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
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 locality's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Murray Upper?
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 218 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 Murray Upper 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 Murray Upper
Is Murray Upper a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Murray Upper is moderate (46/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Murray Upper?
Murray Upper has a moderate recorded bushfire history (58/100, 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 Murray Upper?
Murray Upper, QLD had a population of 218 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Murray Upper, QLD?
The postcode for Murray Upper, QLD is 4854.
How far is Murray Upper from Brisbane?
Murray Upper is 1,554 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 1066 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Murray Upper?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Murray Upper was $44,564 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 Murray Upper?
There are too few current rental listings in Murray Upper for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $150, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Murray Upper?
The median age of residents in Murray Upper was 42 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Murray Upper at risk of bushfire?
Murray Upper has a moderate recorded bushfire history (58/100). 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.
How are the schools in Murray Upper?
There is 1 school inside the Murray Upper 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 Murray Upper?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Murray Upper, Cardwell Marine Pde (26.5 km away), summer days average 31°C, winter nights 16°C, 2,150 mm of rain a year over 118 rainy days, and 2 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Murray Upper?
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 Murray Upper belong to?
Murray Upper 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 Murray Upper?
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 Murray Upper?
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 Murray Upper in?
Murray Upper sits within the federal Division of Kennedy, currently held by Bob Katter (Katter's Australian Party (KAP)).
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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
- 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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