QLD · Mackay Council
Ball Bay, QLD, 4741
Current weather
19.2°CClear sky
87% humidity · 10.2 km/h wind · 23.9° / 16.1° today · 0 mm rain
Desirability index
#328 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Ball Bay is a small locality in the Mackay area, home to around 384 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 205 offences in Jan 2026 to Dec 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-57%), roughly 533.9 offences per 1,000 residents, and a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 384
- Median age
- 56
- Median household income / week
- $1,346
- Dwelling vacancy
- 27.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 61 of 223
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,560
- Employment rate
- 47.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 14 / 3 / 0
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Dec 2026)
- 205
- Against the person
- 32
- Against property
- 105
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 533.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 12 residents
- State safety percentile
- 36.8th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -57.3%
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences15
- Good Order Offences16
- Other Property Damage16
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)61
- Traffic And Related Offences48
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Dec 2026; Jan 2026 to Dec 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Old Station Tea HouseCafe
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 4
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 14.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #328 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Drug Offencescrime15
- Good Order Offencescrime16
- Other Property Damagecrime16
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime61
- Traffic And Related Offencescrime48
- Old Station Tea Houseamenitiescafe
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.