Located in Queensland, Sunshine Beach sits 134 km from Brisbane CBD, around 1 hour 50 minutes by car. The suburb has 2,480 residents, a median age of 49, and a median household income of $90,220 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 20% nationally. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $495 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Sunshine Beach is characterised by high bushfire risk. Of 5 schools within the suburb boundary, 2 rank above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Sunshine Beach a good suburb?
Sunshine Beach scores a B (56/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools and community, weaker on safety.
Above the state average
5 schools · 2 above peer schools · Top 19% in QLD
Some car dependence
Walkability 55/100 · 134.3 km · 111 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $2.88M
High bushfire risk
Fire 87/100 · Crime 44/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 9/10 · median age 49 · 2,480 residents
Liveability Rating
56 / 100 · Ranked #401 in QLDEach bar is Sunshine Beach's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
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 Sunshine Beach?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
56 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataSunshine Beach's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $2.88 million, about 8% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$2,875,000
Based on 70 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 56 days — median across 44 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 7 sales $1.8M
- 3 bed 28 sales $2.46M
- 4 bed 23 sales $3.9M
- 5 bed 8 sales $3.17M
Units
$1,437,500
Based on 54 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 56 days — median across 26 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 38 sales $1.25M
- 3 bed 13 sales $2.45M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Sunshine Beach are currently listed at around $3.3 million on average. Based on 8 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$3.3M
8 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$1.3M
15 units listed in the last 6 months.
23 of the suburb's 1,032 dwellings (2.2%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Sunshine Beach rent for around $1,225 a week on average, based on 18 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,225/wk
18 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$895/wk
21 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
39 rentals advertised against an estimated 326 rented homes (12.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $950/wk
- 34 bonds
- +32% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202561 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 49% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4567.
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.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$1,225/week ($64,000 a year) on a $3.3 million median
$895/week ($47,000 a year) on a $1.3 million median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
254 active Airbnb listings: 252 whole homes and 2 rooms. Whole homes are about 15.8% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Sunshine Beach safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Sunshine Beach sits in the moderate band, with 15 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 17% on the prior year.
15 offences
16.7% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–20248 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
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
Five schools serve Sunshine Beach, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Montessori Noosa and Sunshine Beach State High School lead the pack.
- • 2,849 students across 5 schools (avg 570)
- • Sectors: 2 Catholic, 2 Government, 1 Independent
- • ICSEA 958-1086, median 1057 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Sunshine Beach State High School (1,405 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Sunshine Beach is somewhat walkable on foot — at 55/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Sunshine Beach.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 30.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 25.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 27.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 17.8 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Sunshine Beach.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 30%
- Premises covered
- 1,954
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
Noosa: 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
The ABS scores 7 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Sunshine Beach is home to about 2,500 residents, with a median age of 49, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $90,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.4%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
2,480
Median Age
49
Median Household Income
$90,220/yr
Census Median Rent
$495/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$46,904/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Unoccupied Dwellings
54.9%
Total Dwellings
1,032
Owner-Occupier Rate
68.4%
Houses
56.9%
Rental Stress
28.5%
Mortgage Stress
28.8%
Work From Home
30.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
22 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 0 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 318 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 66.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 85.3%
- Employment Rate
- 53.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 58.1%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
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.
157 residents (6.3%) 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.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
15.7% of residents (375) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Brisbane (132).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 2,388 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
4% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (41 of 1,158).
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
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,614 a year through Noosa based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Noosa
In the year to August 2026, 239 new dwellings were approved across Noosa. That mix is 142 houses and 97 units. Approvals are down 8.7% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Aboriginal party for this area is Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group.
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.
Setting
- Elevation
- 56 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 700 m
- 2.3 km to a named beach
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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 2.1 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Total Phosphorus · Ammonia (total)
EV adoption
In postcode 4567, 256 of 10,681 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.3% (354 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4567, 3,128 rooftop-solar systems totalling 22.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,749 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 237 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
12 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 4567.
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 $2,875,000 this is $2,125,000 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Llew O'Brien Liberal National Party of Queensland
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Llew O'Brien | 42.4% | 57.6% | +3.7 |
| 2022 | Llew O'Brien | 38.7% | 61.3% | -1.8 |
| 2019 | Llew O'Brien | 36.9% | 63.1% | +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 Sandy Bolton Independent
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sandy Bolton IND | 58.5% |
| 2020 | Sandy Bolton IND | 65.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Sunshine Beach?
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 2,480 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.
Featured in
- #2 in Best Sunshine Coast suburbs for good private primary schools
- #2 in Sunshine Coast's most educated suburbs
- #6 in Sunshine Coast suburbs that suit young professionals
- #9 in Best Sunshine Coast suburbs to rent in
- #9 in Sunshine Coast suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #10 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the most apartments
- #11 in The best beachside suburbs in Sunshine Coast
- #11 in Sportiest Sunshine Coast suburbs
- #12 in Sunshine Coast suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #13 in Sunshine Coast suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #14 in Queensland suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #15 in Sunshine Coast suburbs where seniors live
Nearby suburbs
Compare Sunshine Beach 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 Sunshine Beach
Is Sunshine Beach a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Sunshine Beach is moderate (44/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Sunshine Beach?
Sunshine Beach has a high recorded bushfire history (87/100, 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.
Is Sunshine Beach a good place to live?
Sunshine Beach has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (56/100), 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 Beach?
Sunshine Beach, QLD had a population of 2,480 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Sunshine Beach, QLD?
The postcode for Sunshine Beach, QLD is 4567.
How far is Sunshine Beach from Brisbane?
Sunshine Beach is 134 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 111 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Sunshine Beach?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Sunshine Beach was $90,220 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 Beach?
The median advertised rent in Sunshine Beach is $1,225 a week for houses (18 listings) and $895 a week for units (21 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Sunshine Beach?
The median age of residents in Sunshine Beach was 49 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Sunshine Beach at risk of bushfire?
Sunshine Beach has a high recorded bushfire history (87/100). 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.
How are the schools in Sunshine Beach?
There are 5 schools inside the Sunshine Beach boundary: 2 above, 1 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Sunshine Beach walkable?
Sunshine Beach scores 55/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Sunshine Beach?
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 Beach belong to?
Sunshine Beach sits within the Noosa local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Sunshine Beach?
The average residential rates bill through Noosa is $1,614 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 Beach?
Across Noosa, 239 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 8.7% 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 Sunshine Beach in?
Sunshine Beach sits within the federal Division of Wide Bay, currently held by Llew O'Brien (Liberal National Party of Queensland).
Search another suburb or address
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
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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.