Southern Cross QLD 4820
Southern Cross is a rural locality in Queensland, 1,367 km from Brisbane CBD, around 15 hours 35 minutes by car. Population is 575; the median age is 43 and the median household income is $92,300 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality grew 6.1% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,636. Southern Cross is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.
Is Southern Cross a good place to live?
Southern Cross scores a C (43/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety, weaker on transit.
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 1367.1 km · 935 min drive to Brisbane
Low all-round risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 38/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 43 · 575 residents
Liveability Rating
43 / 100 · Ranked #677 in QLDEach bar is Southern Cross'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 Southern Cross?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
43 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Is Southern Cross safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Southern Cross sits in the low band, with 4 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 300% on the prior year.
4 offences
300.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20241 crash
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
Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 210
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
Charters Towers: 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
Southern Cross is home to 575 residents, with a median age of 43, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $92,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
575
Median Age
43
Median Household Income
$92,300/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,636/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$38,740/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.6%
Total Dwellings
198
Owner-Occupier Rate
88.0%
Houses
97.0%
Rental Stress
16.9%
Mortgage Stress
21.3%
Work From Home
10.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 88.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.8%
- Employment Rate
- 61%
- Completed Year 12
- 28.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
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 548 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,328 a year through Charters Towers based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Charters Towers
In the year to August 2026, 24 new dwellings were approved across Charters Towers. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are down 66.7% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this locality: 12 to 40 homes
- In 2 to 5 years 12 to 40 homes
Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (2 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 Gudjala People.
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 Charters Towers Airport Comparison, 12.1 kmModerate rainfall — very hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 299 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 690 mm
- 51 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 33.9°C
- 61 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 12.0°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 4820, 15 of 8,924 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.4% (126 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4820, 2,143 rooftop-solar systems totalling 15.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,370 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 143 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 Robbie Katter Katter's Australian Party (KAP)
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Robbie Katter KAP | 63.7% |
| 2020 | Robbie Katter KAP | 74.7% |
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 Southern Cross?
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 575 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 Southern Cross 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 Southern Cross
Is Southern Cross a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Southern Cross is low (38/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Southern Cross?
Southern Cross has no recorded bushfire history. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Southern Cross a good place to live?
Southern Cross has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (43/100), 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 Southern Cross?
Southern Cross, QLD had a population of 575 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Southern Cross, QLD?
The postcode for Southern Cross, QLD is 4820.
How far is Southern Cross from Brisbane?
Southern Cross is 1,367 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 935 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Southern Cross?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Southern Cross was $92,300 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 Southern Cross?
There are too few current rental listings in Southern Cross for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $300, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Southern Cross?
The median age of residents in Southern Cross was 43 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Southern Cross?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Southern Cross, Charters Towers Airport Comparison (12.1 km away), summer days average 33.9°C, winter nights 12°C, 690 mm of rain a year over 51 rainy days, and 61 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Southern Cross?
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 Southern Cross belong to?
Southern Cross sits within the Charters Towers local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Southern Cross?
The average residential rates bill through Charters Towers is $1,328 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Southern Cross?
Across Charters Towers, 24 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 66.7% 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 Southern Cross in?
Southern Cross 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
- 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.