QLD · Central Highlands (Qld) Council
Blackwater, QLD, 4717
Current weather
18.6°CClear sky
68% humidity · 9.7 km/h wind · 24.8° / 13.9° today · 0 mm rain
Desirability index
#33 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Blackwater is a smaller suburban community in the Central Highlands (Qld) area, home to around 4,702 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 270 offences in Jan 2026 to Dec 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-56%), roughly 57.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $420, and 3 school and preschool sites in the area. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 4,702
- Median age
- 31
- Median household income / week
- $2,358
- Dwelling vacancy
- 31.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 697 of 2,191
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,083
- Employment rate
- 63.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 153 / 31 / 73
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.
Housing
- All types (Mar 2026)
- $420
Median weekly rent from Queensland RTA rental bond data. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Period: Mar 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2026 to Dec 2026)
- 270
- Against the person
- 53
- Against property
- 145
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 57.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 89 residents
- State safety percentile
- 8.9th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -55.9%
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences27
- Good Order Offences28
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)55
- Traffic And Related Offences27
- Unlawful Entry46
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 880
- Blackwater North State SchoolPrimary
- Blackwater State High SchoolSecondary
- Blackwater State SchoolPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
15 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bedford Weir Camping ReservePark
- Blackwater Conservation ParkNature reserve
- Blackwater International Coal CentrePark
- Blackwater Rotary ParkPark
- Box Street ParkPark
- Dempsey ParkPark
- Dunne ParkPark
- Frank Tutungi Memorial / Lions / Blackwater Memorial ParkPark
- Graham ParkPark
- Horseshoe ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 8
- Emergency department
- On site
- Bidgerdii Community Health Servicedoctor
- Blackwater ChiropracticArnold Streetalternative
- Blackwater HospitalMackenzie Streethospital
- Central Highlands Dentaldentist
- Connections Chiropractic Helathcare CentreArnold Streetalternative
- LiveLife Pharmacy BlackwaterBlain Streetpharmacy
- North Blackwater General Practicedoctor
- The Base Health & WellbeingWey Streetyes
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 44
- Parks (OSM)
- 44
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
- 91.4/100
- Cohort rank
- #33 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Bidgerdii Community Health Servicehealthdoctor
- Blackwater ChiropractichealthArnold Streetalternative
- Blackwater HospitalhealthMackenzie Streethospital
- Central Highlands Dentalhealthdentist
- Connections Chiropractic Helathcare CentrehealthArnold Streetalternative
- LiveLife Pharmacy BlackwaterhealthBlain Streetpharmacy
- North Blackwater General Practicehealthdoctor
- The Base Health & WellbeinghealthWey Streetyes
- Bedford Weir Camping Reservegovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.