QLD · Torres Strait Island Council
Mer Island, 4875
Current weather
25.6°CMainly clear
80% humidity · 38.7 km/h wind · 26.2° / 25.3° today · 0.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Mer Island is a quieter smaller community in Torres Strait Island, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Distance from the capital is part of the appeal, with wide open surrounds and a self-contained community rhythm. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
A younger crowd gives the area energy, with family life visible on every street. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns.
Population
- Population
- 406
- Median age
- 27
- Median household income / week
- $1,262
- Dwelling vacancy
- 17.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 19 of 107
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,084
- Employment rate
- 30%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 0 / 0
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 · 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 Jul 2026)
- 19
- Against the person
- 9
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 46.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 45 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61.8th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +51.6%
Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Assault98
- Drug Offences52
- Good Order Offences43
- Other Property Damage33
- Traffic And Related Offences30
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- QPS Online Crime Map — Queensland Police Service · Period: Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Jul 2026; Jan 2026 to Jul 2026 · Updated on site · Calendar-year aggregates
Amenities
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Mer Community HallCommunity centre
- Mer AirportParking
- Place of worship
- Mer State SchoolSchool
- IBISSupermarket
- Mer Council OfficesTownhall
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 26.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5843rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1340th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #458 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #829 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 48%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- IBISamenitiessupermarket
- Mer Airportamenitiesparking
- Mer Community Hallamenitiescommunity_centre
- Mer Council Officesamenitiestownhall
- Mer State Schoolamenitiesschool
- Place of worshipamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Assaultcrime98
- Drug Offencescrime52
- Good Order Offencescrime43
- Other Property Damagecrime33
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
More in Torres Strait Island Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.