Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Charters Towers Council
Basalt, 4820
Est. population · Jun 2025
217
Growth (1 yr)
+1.4%
Growth (5 yr)
+3.8%
Median age
45
Median income
$1,375/wk
Employment rate
58.2%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Heritage area
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Basalt offers a slower smaller community life in Charters Towers Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.
Property prices run toward the upper end of the local market. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus safety trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Basalt snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
217
+1.4% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
33.6%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#439
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
85th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
60th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
7/10
national SEIFA decile
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 21.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6641st in Australia
- State rank
- 1470th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #439 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #943 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 52%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
217(June 2025)
+1.4% annual · +3.8% over 5 years · 60th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.4%
- 5-year growth
- +3.8%
- Change in 1 year
- +3
- Change in 5 years
- +8
- Growth rank in QLD
- 60th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~200), extrapolated at -0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 215
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $1,375
- Dwelling vacancy
- 33.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 36 of 107
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 55 / 0 / 0 (+ 12 other)
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
- 17
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 78.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 54 residents
- State safety percentile
- 84.8th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +2.1%
Most common offence types
- Assault104
- Drug Offences176
- Good Order Offences104
- Other Property Damage71
- Traffic And Related Offences191
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates
Family & Lifestyle
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Charters Towers Health Services (98.3 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 4
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 18.4
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 33° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 379 mm · ~47 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 141 mm · ~18 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 38 mm · ~5 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 98 mm · ~12 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from QLD coordinated projects (lodged 2020–2026).
1 planning-related records
Other· 1 proposal
- Big Rocks Weir projectConstruction and operation of a 10,000 megalitre weir at Big Rocks on the Burdekin RiverCurrent EIS project
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- QLD coordinated projects — Queensland Department of State Development · 2020–2026 · Updated · State projects (not council DAs)
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Various locations between Charters Towers and Torrens CreekFlinders Highway21 Apr 2026 – 27 Oct 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Heritage
2 heritage places
- Hann Family GraveState heritage place
- Lolworth Creek BatteryState heritage place
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Kennedy
- Member of Parliament
- Bob KATTER (Katter's Australian Party (KAP))
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 123,696
- Turnout (2025)
- 83.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +0.8 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 59.3%Labor 40.7%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 143.5 km away).
Coalition 66.0%Labor 34.0%
6.7 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -1.5 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- PentlandLabor 21.4% · Coalition 78.6% TPP (2025)87.0 km away
- Charters TowersLabor 37.5% · Coalition 62.5% TPP (2025)98.3 km away
- Richmond HillLabor 36.3% · Coalition 63.7% TPP (2025)98.6 km away
- Charters Towers CentralLabor 41.9% · Coalition 58.1% TPP (2025)99.2 km away
- QueentonLabor 37.4% · Coalition 62.6% TPP (2025)99.7 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Charters Towers Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.