Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Townsville Council
Picnic Bay, 4819
Est. population · Jun 2025
386
Growth (1 yr)
+1.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+9.0%
Median age
59
Median income
$870/wk
Employment rate
41.1%
Languages at home
4.7%non-English
Most common: Italian
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- National parks
- Café precinct
- Heritage area
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Away from the major hubs, Picnic Bay is a smaller community in Townsville Council with its own quieter rhythm. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. A genuine café and dining culture runs through the area, denser than many peers of a similar size.
Local parks and tree cover add a welcome outdoor dimension to suburban life. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Housing is more affordable than in many parts of the state.
Reported crime has been falling recently. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
Desirability sits below average overall, with community and employment the main drag compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Picnic Bay snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
386
+1.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
30.4%
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
#260
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
22nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
65th
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
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
- 32.4/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5176th in Australia
- State rank
- 1121st in QLD
- Peer rank
- #260 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #627 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 58%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
386(June 2025)
+1.6% annual · +9.0% over 5 years · 65th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.6%
- 5-year growth
- +9.0%
- Change in 1 year
- +6
- Change in 5 years
- +32
- Growth rank in QLD
- 65th 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 (~400), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 367
- Median age
- 59
- Median household income / week
- $870
- Dwelling vacancy
- 30.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 77 of 253
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,469
- Employment rate
- 41.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 134 / 37 / 6
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)
- 11
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 28.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 184 residents
- State safety percentile
- 21.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -18.9%
Most common offence types
- Other Property Damage10
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)14
- Traffic And Related Offences10
- Good Order Offences9
- Unlawful Entry12
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
45 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
3 restaurants · 1 cafes · 1 pubs · 1 playgrounds
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 16/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 2.72
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 13.62
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.72
Food & drink(5)
- The reef bar cafeCafe
- Maggie Island BreweryPub
- AlbysRestaurant
- Mama RomaRestaurant
- R & RRestaurant
Sport & outdoors(4)
- Magnetic Island Country ClubGolf course
- Park
- Playground
- Sports field
Entertainment(5)
- History and Craft CentreMuseum
- Hawkings Point LookoutViewpoint
- Rocky Bay and Picnic Bay LookoutViewpoint
- Rocky Bay LookoutViewpoint
- Rocky Bay Lookout PointViewpoint
Transport(4)
4 bus stops
Other(20)
- ATM
- Bbq
- Free BBQBbq
- Bench (4)
- Bicycle Parking
- Car Rental
- Drinking water
- CstayGuest House
- Picnic Bay HotelHotel
1 The Esplanade, Picnic Bay
- Information
- Magnetic HotelInformation
- Parking (4)
- Magnetic Island PolicePolice
- Post Box
- Public toilets
- National Parks OfficeRanger Station
- Recycling
- Magnetic Island Country ClubSocial Facility
- TelstraTelephone
- Waste Basket (2)
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- Townsville Private Clinic (9.6 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)
- 6
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 15.5
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
- 30° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 680 mm · ~85 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 21°
- Rainfall
- 277 mm · ~35 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 56 mm · ~7 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 20°
- Rainfall
- 125 mm · ~16 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Heritage
1 heritage place
- Magnetic Island Craft ShopState 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
- Herbert
- Member of Parliament
- Phillip THOMPSON (Liberal National Party of Queensland)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 121,280
- Turnout (2025)
- 85.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.6 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 63.4%Labor 36.6%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 11.8 km away).
Coalition 49.3%Labor 50.8%
14.2 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.6 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Nelly BayLabor 54.0% · Coalition 46.0% TPP (2025)2.5 km away
- ArcadiaLabor 48.8% · Coalition 51.2% TPP (2025)3.7 km away
- North WardLabor 42.8% · Coalition 57.2% TPP (2025)8.9 km away
- Belgian GardensLabor 44.1% · Coalition 55.9% TPP (2025)9.8 km away
- Townsville SouthLabor 46.4% · Coalition 53.6% TPP (2025)9.8 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)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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 Townsville Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.