Palen Creek QLD 4287
Located in Queensland, Palen Creek sits 114 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 40 minutes by car. The suburb has 368 residents, a median age of 41, and a median household income of $61,048 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population grew 31.4% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $231 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. The area shows high bushfire risk. Walkability is low.
This suburb is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 368. 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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Is Palen Creek safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Palen Creek sits in the low band, with 7 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 56% on the prior year.
7 offences
56.2% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20249 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 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
Palen Creek 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 Palen Creek.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 91
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
Scenic Rim: 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
Palen Creek is home to 368 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $61,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
368
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$61,048/yr
Census Median Rent
$231/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$29,900/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
31.0%
Total Dwellings
58
Owner-Occupier Rate
72.9%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
19.7%
Mortgage Stress
42.6%
Work From Home
31.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 86.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 41.6%
- Employment Rate
- 20%
- Completed Year 12
- 28.0%
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 $1,689 a year through Scenic Rim based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Scenic Rim
In the year to August 2026, 524 new dwellings were approved across Scenic Rim. That mix is 500 houses and 24 units. Approvals are up 65.1% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
No native title party is registered for this area. Under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party is then whoever is recognised under tradition or custom as responsible for the area — which a native title register cannot show.
Climate & Setting
from Urbenville, 32.3 kmHigh rainfall.
- Elevation
- 266 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 1,016 mm
- 99 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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.
EV adoption
In postcode 4287, 3 of 754 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.4% (3 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 0.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4287, 229 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 352 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 19 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 Scott Buchholz Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Scott Buchholz | 42.0% | 58.0% | +2.9 |
| 2022 | Scott Buchholz | 39.1% | 60.9% | -3.7 |
| 2019 | Scott Buchholz | 35.4% | 64.6% | +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 Jon Krause Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jon Krause LNP | 66.1% |
| 2020 | Jon Krause LNP | 61.5% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Palen Creek?
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 368 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 Palen Creek 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 Palen Creek
Is Palen Creek a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Palen Creek is low (32/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Palen Creek?
Palen Creek has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Palen Creek?
Palen Creek, QLD had a population of 368 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Palen Creek, QLD?
The postcode for Palen Creek, QLD is 4287.
How far is Palen Creek from Brisbane?
Palen Creek is 114 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 98 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Palen Creek?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Palen Creek was $61,048 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 Palen Creek?
There are too few current rental listings in Palen Creek for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $231, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Palen Creek?
The median age of residents in Palen Creek was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Palen Creek at risk of bushfire?
Palen Creek has a high recorded bushfire history (75/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb 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 Palen Creek?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Palen Creek, Urbenville (32.3 km away), 1,016 mm of rain a year over 99 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Palen Creek?
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 Palen Creek belong to?
Palen Creek sits within the Scenic Rim local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Palen Creek?
The average residential rates bill through Scenic Rim is $1,689 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Palen Creek?
Across Scenic Rim, 524 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 65.1% 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 Palen Creek in?
Palen Creek sits within the federal Division of Wright, currently held by Scott Buchholz (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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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.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.