QLD · Cairns Council
Freshwater (Qld), QLD, 4870
Current weather
21.5°CMainly clear
80% humidity · 10.9 km/h wind · 25.9° / 19.8° today · 0 mm rain
Desirability index
#400 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Freshwater (Qld) is a smaller suburban community in the Cairns area, home to around 2,142 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 9,575 offences in Jan 2026 to Dec 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-50%), roughly 4470.1 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $620, 1 school and preschool site in the area, and a solid spread of nearby amenities and everyday services. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 2,142
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $1,867
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 81 of 957
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,625
- Employment rate
- 70.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 55 / 66 / 304
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)
- $620
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)
- 9,575
- Against the person
- 2,460
- Against property
- 4,467
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 4,470.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 72.5th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -49.6%
Most common offence types
- Assault1144
- Drug Offences1424
- Good Order Offences1179
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)2334
- Unlawful Entry884
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,064
- Freshwater 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
23 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Freshwater State SchoolBus stop
- Kamerunga Road near Freshwater RoadBus stop
- Kamerunga Road near Old Smithfield RoadBus stop
- Lavis Road near Valley StreetBus stop
- Old Smithfield Road at Le Grande StreetBus stop
- Old Smithfield Road at Simon StreetBus stop
- Old Smithfield Road near Cassowary StreetBus stop
- Old Smithfield Road near Le Grande StreetBus stop
- LimberlostCafe
- Freshwater Qld Country Women's Association HallCommunity centre
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
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bugeja ParkPark
- Ryan Weare ParkPark
- Savina ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 44.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #400 among Metro Brisbane suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Bugeja Parkgovernmentpark
- Ryan Weare Parkgovernmentpark
- Savina Parkgovernmentpark
- Freshwater State SchoolschoolsPrimary
- Assaultcrime1144
- Drug Offencescrime1424
- Good Order Offencescrime1179
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)crime2334
- Unlawful Entrycrime884
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.