Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Cairns Council
Freshwater, 4870
Est. population · Jun 2025
1,668
Growth (1 yr)
+0.5%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.2%
Median age
42
Median income
$1,867/wk
Employment rate
70.3%
Languages at home
9.4%non-English
Most common: Japanese, German, Australian Indigenous languages
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Education hub
- Green suburb
- Café precinct
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Away from the major hubs, Freshwater is a smaller community in Cairns Council with its own quieter rhythm. Regional towns and local services do more of the everyday heavy lifting than the city. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Buses serve the suburb. Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs.
This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Desirability lands around average here: softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus safety weighing on the result versus similar regional towns, even with community and employment holding up better.
At a glance
Freshwater snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$620/wk
Population (ERP)
1,668
+0.5% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
8.5%
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
#78
among Country & regional · Established
Safety
94th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
29th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
8/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
69th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
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
- 45.4/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 41% of Queensland's suburbs
- National rank
- 2856th in Australia
- State rank
- 613th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #78 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #238 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 73%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- RTA bond statistics — Residential Tenancies Authority (Queensland) · Mar 2026 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
1,668(June 2025)
+0.5% annual · +2.2% over 5 years · 29th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.5%
- 5-year growth
- +2.2%
- Change in 1 year
- +9
- Change in 5 years
- +36
- Growth rank in QLD
- 29th 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 (~1,700), extrapolated at +0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- 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)
- 502 / 66 / 304
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)
- 243
- Against the person
- 63
- Against property
- 111
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 145.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 34 residents
- State safety percentile
- 94th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +0.3%
Most common offence types
- Assault1421
- Drug Offences1831
- Good Order Offences1465
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)2862
- Unlawful Entry1021
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 1,052.5
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 69th
School list
- Freshwater State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1064 · 73th percentile · LBOTE 21% · 594 students · Top SEA quarter 30% · 0.3 km awayView on My School →
- Freshwater Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1041 · 65th percentile · LBOTE 19% · 562 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated
Amenities
41 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 restaurants · 1 cafes · 1 supermarkets · 2 playgrounds · 3 swimming pools · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Decent local green space — 3 parks in suburb, 2 playgrounds nearby
- Reasonable bus and transport access — 8 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 43/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0.47
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.4
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.4
Food & drink(3)
- LimberlostCafe
- Davinas Butchery TakeawayRestaurant
- Thai Wunon TakeawayRestaurant
Shopping(1)
- IGASupermarket
Community(3)
- Freshwater Qld Country Women's Association HallCommunity centre
- Kindergarten
- Freshwater State SchoolSchool
10 Corkill Street
Sport & outdoors(9)
- Bugeja ParkPark
- Ryan Weare ParkPark
- Savina ParkPark
- Playground (2)
- Sports field
- Swimming pool (3)
Transport(8)
8 bus stops
Other(9)
- Drinking water
- LimberlostGarden Centre
- Information
- Parking (6)
- Picnic Table (2)
- Australia Post - Freshwater LPOPost office
227 Kamerunga Road, Freshwater
- Public toilets
- Shelter
- Waste Basket (3)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
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
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 · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Cairns North Community Health Facility (5.0 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)
- 33
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 19.8
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
- 31° / 25°
- Rainfall
- 1,038 mm · ~90 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 925 mm · ~92 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 164 mm · ~20 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 22°
- Rainfall
- 188 mm · ~24 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
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
- Leichhardt
- Member of Parliament
- Matt SMITH (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 122,757
- Turnout (2025)
- 83.0%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +9.5 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 43.9%Labor 56.1%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 4.3 km away).
Coalition 41.0%Labor 59.0%
3.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +8.0 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- FreshwaterLabor 59.3% · Coalition 40.7% TPP (2025)0.4 km away
- BrinsmeadLabor 56.1% · Coalition 43.9% TPP (2025)1.7 km away
- KamerungaLabor 56.1% · Coalition 43.9% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
- StratfordLabor 61.1% · Coalition 38.9% TPP (2025)2.2 km away
- RedlynchLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)3.5 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)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Cairns Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.