Sunshine Acres QLD 4655

Sunshine Acres is a town in Queensland, 277 km from Brisbane CBD, around 3 hours 20 minutes by car. Population is 1,009; the median age is 44 and the median household income is $99,424 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 6.3% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,733. The area shows no recorded bushfire exposure. Walkability is low.

Is Sunshine Acres a good town?

Sunshine Acres scores a B (52/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety, weaker on transit.

Transit

Car-dependent

Walkability 0/100 · 276.6 km · 199 min drive to Brisbane

Prices

Median available

Median $1.12M

Safety

Low all-round risk

Fire 0/100 · Crime 27/100

Community

Below-average income

SEIFA decile 4/10 · median age 44 · 1,009 residents

B

Liveability Rating

52 / 100 · Ranked #475 in QLD

Each bar is Sunshine Acres'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.

Schools quality no data
no schools mapped
Safety
92
Bushfire None · Crime Low

Flood data for Queensland covers only the areas mapped there — a blank here is not an all-clear.

Socio-economic
43
Mid-range
Walkability
12
Very car-dependent
CBD access
36
276.6 km · 199 min drive to Brisbane
How it's calculated: Safety rank 92 × 25% + Socio-economic rank 43 × 25% + Walkability rank 12 × 15% + CBD access rank 36 × 10% = 52 / 100. Missing components rebalance the remaining weights.

How do you rate the liveability in Sunshine Acres?

Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.

Our score

52 / 100

From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.

Residents say

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Median House Price

Public listings data

Sunshine Acres's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.12 million, roughly 18% above where it sat a year earlier.

Houses

$1,125,000

last 2 quarters
↑ +17.7% year-on-year

Based on 17 recorded sales in the last 24 months.

Typically sold in 22 days — median across 8 sales that recorded a listing period

By bedrooms

  • 4 bed 8 sales $1.11M

Land

$915,000

↑ +27.3% year-on-year

Based on 11 recorded sales in the last 24 months.

Typically sold in 24 days — median across 7 sales that recorded a listing period

Currently for Sale

Last 6 months

Houses in Sunshine Acres are currently listed at around $1.3 million on average. Based on 3 houses listed in the past six months.

$1.3M

3 houses listed in the last 6 months.

3 of the suburb's 308 dwellings (1.0%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.

Rental Market

Rental affordability

June quarter 2025

104 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4655.

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 Sunshine Acres safe? Crime statistics

2025

Crime in Sunshine Acres sits in the low band, with 13 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 333% on the prior year.

13 offences

333.3% since 2024
Drug Offences 10 (76.9%)
Assault 3 (23.1%)

Crime Trend

Serious Road Crashes

2020–2024

15 crashes

where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal

Where they happened

Maryborough - Hervey Bay Road 8 (53.3%)
Booral Road 7 (46.7%)

Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.

Schools

No schools in this town boundary.

Walkability

Sunshine Acres is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.

0
out of 100
Very Car-Dependent
Bottom 5% in QLD
Public Transport within 1 km not measured
Schools within 1.5 km 0
Parks within 800 m 0
Supermarkets within 1 km 0
GPs within 1 km 0
Pharmacies within 1 km 0
Childcare within 1 km 0
Hospitals within 5 km 0

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 Sunshine Acres.

30
connectivity score / 100
Most common
Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share
0%
Premises covered
364
Technology mix
Fixed wireless (WIRELESS) 100%

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

Supermarkets
None
Shopping Centres
None
Cafes & Restaurants
None
Parks & Reserves
None
Sport & Recreation
None
Beaches
None
Waterways
2 in town
Childcare
None
GPs
None
Pharmacies
None
Hospitals
None
Police Stations
None
Banks & Bank@Post
None
Fuel Stations
None
EV Chargers
None
Pubs & Bars
None
Arts & Culture
None
Places of Worship
None

Fraser Coast: council population

The whole council area, not just Sunshine Acres · estimated residents
at 30 June 2025
Residents
122,924
+2.1% in a year
Change
+2,573
people since 2024
Density
17
people per km² across the council area
What drove the change
Natural increase
-562
births minus deaths
Net internal migration
+2,690
moves within Australia
Net overseas migration
+445
arrivals minus departures

The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.

Socio-economic profile

ABS SEIFA · ranked against every suburb in Australia, and within the state
2021 census
Advantage and disadvantage
4/10
5/10 within QLD
income, education, jobs and housing together
Economic resources
9/10
9/10 within QLD
income against housing cost and household size
Education and occupation
3/10
4/10 within QLD
qualifications and job type, income excluded
How evenly that is spread

The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.

Sunshine Acres is home to about 1,000 residents, with a median age of 44, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $99,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.0%.

2021 Census · change since 2016

Population

1,009

6.3% since 2016

Median Age

44

2.3% since 2016

Median Household Income

$99,424/yr

48.0% since 2016

Census Median Rent

$300/wk

no change since 2016

Census Median Mortgage

$1,733/mo

no change since 2016

Avg Household Size

3.1

6.9% since 2016

Median Personal Income

$37,596/yr

42.6% since 2016

Unemployment Rate

4.0%

51.2% since 2016

Unoccupied Dwellings

6.2%

5.1% since 2016

Total Dwellings

308

7.3% since 2016

Owner-Occupier Rate

95.4%

6.8% since 2016

Houses

99.0%

no change since 2016

Rental Stress

15.7%

32.3% since 2016

Mortgage Stress

20.9%

32.6% since 2016

Work From Home

10.6%

186.5% since 2016

Dwelling Types

Houses 305 (99.0%)
Flats / Apartments 3 (1.0%)

Property Ownership

Mortgage 173 (56.7%)
Owned Outright 118 (38.7%)
Renting 14 (4.6%)

Demographics

Born in Australia
83.8%
English Spoken at Home
92.3%
Employment Rate
62.3%
21.2% since 2016
Completed Year 12
34.1%

Occupations

Technicians & Trades 91 (18.1%)
Professionals 75 (14.9%)
Community & Personal Service 70 (13.9%)
Clerical & Administrative 59 (11.8%)
Sales 55 (11.0%)
Machinery Operators & Drivers 50 (10.0%)
Managers 48 (9.6%)
Labourers 43 (8.6%)

Religion

Christianity 500 (49.6%)
No Religion 431 (42.7%)
Other Religions 4 (0.4%)
Buddhism 3 (0.3%)

Country of Birth (overseas)

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.

England 40 (4.0%)
New Zealand 19 (1.9%)
South Africa 12 (1.2%)
Germany 4 (0.4%)
Canada 4 (0.4%)
France 4 (0.4%)
Philippines 3 (0.3%)
Netherlands 3 (0.3%)

When They Arrived

Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.

2016-2021 13 (1.3%)
2011-2015 5 (0.5%)
2001-2010 17 (1.7%)
1991-2000 16 (1.6%)
1981-1990 16 (1.6%)
Before 1981 48 (4.8%)

13 residents (1.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.

Age Distribution

0-4 40 (4.0%)
5-14 164 (16.3%)
15-19 63 (6.2%)
20-24 51 (5.1%)
25-34 85 (8.4%)
35-44 122 (12.1%)
45-54 176 (17.4%)
55-64 157 (15.6%)
65-74 100 (9.9%)
75-84 50 (5.0%)
85+ 6 (0.6%)

Family & Household Composition

Couple Families 126 (59.2%)
One Parent Families 41 (19.2%)
Lone Person 38 (17.8%)
Group Household 8 (3.8%)

Commute to Work

Car (driver) 346 (81.8%)
Worked from Home 45 (10.6%)
Car (passenger) 18 (4.3%)
Walked Only 11 (2.6%)
Bus 3 (0.7%)

1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (4 of 502).

City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.

Education

Certificate III & IV 233 (23.1%)
Bachelor Degree 73 (7.2%)
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 69 (6.8%)
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 22 (2.2%)
Postgraduate Degree 16 (1.6%)

Cars per Dwelling

0 cars 4 (1.3%)
1 car 43 (13.8%)
2 cars 126 (40.5%)
3 cars 74 (23.8%)
4+ cars 71 (22.8%)

Council Rates

Fraser Coast
FY 2025-26

Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,576 a year through Fraser Coast based on 2025 figures.

Avg residential rate
$1,576/yr
19% above the QLD average of $1,328 · median of 59 councils
Valuation basis
Unimproved Value
land only

Building Approvals: Fraser Coast

The whole council area, not just Sunshine Acres · new residential dwellings
to 2026-08

In the year to August 2026, 1,578 new dwellings were approved across Fraser Coast. That mix is 1,395 houses and 183 units. Approvals are down 8.2% on the same period a year earlier.

Trailing 12 months
1,578dwellings
-8.2% YoY
Houses
1,395
detached dwellings
Units
183
townhouses + apartments

New Homes Planned

New homes planned in this town: 1 to 5 homes

  • Within 2 years 1 to 5 homes

Land the Queensland Government's residential land supply study identifies for future housing (1 parcel), 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 Butchulla People Land & Sea Claim #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.

Air Quality

MODERATE

PM2.5 averaged 5.5 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.

PM10 averaged 14 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0.

From the Maryborough (Wide Bay-Burnett) monitoring station, 20.1 km away.

Climate & Setting

from Maryborough, 18.6 km

High rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.

Elevation
10 m
above sea level, at the town centre
Distance to the ocean
10.2 km
Annual rainfall
1,074 mm
91 rainy days
Summer max (Jan)
31.0°C
5 days ≥ 35°C
Winter min (Jul)
9.7°C
0 frost days ≤ 0°C

Elevation is the ground at the town 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

EV adoption

0.4%
of light vehicles are electric
Up from 0.03% in 2021
+0.1 points this year

In postcode 4655, 247 of 58,175 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.1% (1,209 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.5%.

Electric share, year by year
2021
0.03%
2022
0.07%
2023
0.14%
2024
0.27%
2025
0.43%

Rooftop solar

81
systems per 100 dwellings
Averaging 5.8 kW each

In postcode 4655, 23,481 rooftop-solar systems totalling 136.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 29,093 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 1,605 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.

Systems installed, year by year
2019
1,482
2020
1,564
2021
1,526
2022
1,414
2023
1,483
2024
1,879
2025
1,606
2026
1,000

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."

Verify eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office

Mortgage repayments

I'm looking for
Deposit
$
%
Monthly repayment
$5,867
Loan amount
$900,000
Total interest over 30 years
$1,212,238

15 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 4655.

Deposit
$225,000
Stamp duty
$38,038
Cash needed at settlement
$263,038

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.

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

Division of Hinkler

Currently held by David Batt Liberal National Party of Queensland

Year Winner 2PP ALP 2PP LNP Swing
2025 David Batt 43.7% 56.3% +3.8
2022 Keith Pitt 39.9% 60.1% -4.4
2019 Keith Pitt 35.5% 64.5% +6.1

Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.

State Electorate

Maryborough District

Currently held by John Barounis Liberal National Party of Queensland

Next state election: 28 October 2028.

Year Winner Won with
2024 John Barounis LNP 52.8%
2020 Bruce Saunders ALP 61.9%

Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.

Looking at a specific address in Sunshine Acres?

Every figure above is a town 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.

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Nearby suburbs

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Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.

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Common questions about Sunshine Acres

Is Sunshine Acres a safe place to live?

Recorded crime in Sunshine Acres is low (27/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).

What natural hazards affect Sunshine Acres?

Sunshine Acres has no recorded bushfire history. These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.

Is Sunshine Acres a good place to live?

Sunshine Acres has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (52/100), 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 Sunshine Acres?

Sunshine Acres, QLD had a population of 1,009 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.

What is the postcode for Sunshine Acres, QLD?

The postcode for Sunshine Acres, QLD is 4655.

How far is Sunshine Acres from Brisbane?

Sunshine Acres is 277 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 Sunshine Acres?

At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Sunshine Acres was $99,424 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 Sunshine Acres?

There are too few current rental listings in Sunshine Acres 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 Sunshine Acres?

The median age of residents in Sunshine Acres was 44 at the 2021 ABS Census.

What is the air quality in Sunshine Acres?

The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Sunshine Acres (Maryborough (Wide Bay-Burnett)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.5 µg/m³ and PM10 of 14.0 µg/m³. That puts Sunshine Acres below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

What is the weather like in Sunshine Acres?

At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Sunshine Acres, Maryborough (18.6 km away), summer days average 31°C, winter nights 9.7°C, 1,074 mm of rain a year over 91 rainy days, and 5 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.

Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Sunshine Acres?

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 Sunshine Acres belong to?

Sunshine Acres sits within the Fraser Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.

How much are council rates in Sunshine Acres?

The average residential rates bill through Fraser Coast is $1,576 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.

How much is being built near Sunshine Acres?

Across Fraser Coast, 1,578 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 8.2% 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 Sunshine Acres in?

Sunshine Acres sits within the federal Division of Hinkler, currently held by David Batt (Liberal National Party of Queensland).

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Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.

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Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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