Preston QLD 4800
Preston is a rural locality in Queensland, 1,099 km from Brisbane CBD, around 12 hours 30 minutes by car. Population is 346; the median age is 47 and the median household income is $93,756 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 16.9% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $200 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,517. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. 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 346. 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 Preston?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
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Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Preston sits at $825,000, broadly flat year-on-year. That said, only five sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level.
$825,000
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 202598 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 31% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4800.
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.
Is Preston safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Preston sits in the high band, with 20 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 82% on the prior year.
20 offences
81.8% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20245 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
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
Preston 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 Preston.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 129
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
Whitsunday: 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
Preston is home to 346 residents, with a median age of 47, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $94,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
346
Median Age
47
Median Household Income
$93,756/yr
Census Median Rent
$200/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,517/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$41,184/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
2.5%
Total Dwellings
120
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.8%
Houses
97.5%
Rental Stress
11.1%
Mortgage Stress
19.4%
Work From Home
12.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 76.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.0%
- Employment Rate
- 61.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 30.9%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, 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 $1,412 a year through Whitsunday based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Whitsunday
In the year to August 2026, 190 new dwellings were approved across Whitsunday. That mix is 166 houses and 24 units. Approvals are up 70.0% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this locality: 44 to 110 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 43 to 105 homes
- No timeframe set 1 to 5 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (4 parcels), by when it expects lots to be registered. Yields are published in ranges, so these are too.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Gia and Ngaro Peoples.
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.
Climate & Setting
from Proserpine Airport, 15.3 kmHigh rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 18 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 5.5 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,502 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 31.7°C
- 14 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 11.9°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 4800, 22 of 10,311 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (151 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4800, 3,645 rooftop-solar systems totalling 28.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,267 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 330 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 postcode 4800.
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 $825,000 this is $75,000 above 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 Andrew Willcox Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Andrew Willcox | 38.2% | 61.8% | -1.4 |
| 2022 | Andrew Willcox | 39.6% | 60.4% | -4.2 |
| 2019 | George Christensen | 35.4% | 64.6% | +11.2 |
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 Amanda Camm Liberal National Party of Queensland
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Amanda Camm LNP | 68.5% |
| 2020 | Amanda Camm LNP | 53.3% |
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 Preston?
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 346 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 Preston 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 Preston
Is Preston a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Preston is high (87/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Preston?
Preston has no recorded bushfire history. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Preston?
Preston, QLD had a population of 346 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Preston, QLD?
The postcode for Preston, QLD is 4800.
How far is Preston from Brisbane?
Preston is 1,099 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 749 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Preston?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Preston was $93,756 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 Preston?
There are too few current rental listings in Preston for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $200, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Preston?
The median age of residents in Preston was 47 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Preston?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Preston, Proserpine Airport (15.3 km away), summer days average 31.7°C, winter nights 11.9°C, 1,502 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 14 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Preston?
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 Preston belong to?
Preston sits within the Whitsunday local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Preston?
The average residential rates bill through Whitsunday is $1,412 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Preston?
Across Whitsunday, 190 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 70.0% 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 Preston in?
Preston sits within the federal Division of Dawson, currently held by Andrew Willcox (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
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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
- 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.