QLD · Townsville Council

Rosslea, 4812

Est. population · Jun 2025

2,063

Growth (1 yr)

+1.3%

Growth (5 yr)

+7.2%

Median age

35

Median income

$1,332/wk

Employment rate

62.8%

Languages at home

10.8%non-English

Most common: German, Tagalog, Spanish

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

36.9/100
Below average

922nd in QLD

Verified 56% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Rosslea is known for: Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Rosslea offers a slower smaller community life in Townsville Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield.

Property prices are middling for the area: fair relative to what is nearby. An emerging neighbourhood feel is building here, with new households gradually reshaping local life.

The overall desirability read is below average, pulled by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus safety compared with similar regional towns, though schools and education remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Rosslea snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

$435/wk

Population (ERP)

2,063

+1.3% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

12.4%

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

#136

among Country & regional · Emerging

Safety

93rd

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

57th

percentile in QLD

Advantage (IRSAD)

4/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

45th

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
36.9/100 — Below average
National rank
4320th in Australia
State rank
922nd in QLD
Peer rank
#136 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#470 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
56%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (Mar 2026)
$435

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

Population

Estimated resident population

2,063(June 2025)

+1.3% annual · +7.2% over 5 years · 57th percentile in QLD

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.3%
5-year growth
+7.2%
Change in 1 year
+27
Change in 5 years
+139
Growth rank in QLD
57th 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 (~2,150), extrapolated at +0.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,903
Median age
35
Median household income / week
$1,332
Dwelling vacancy
12.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
127 of 1,025
Median monthly mortgage
$1,517
Employment rate
62.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
297 / 379 / 215

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian 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)
252
Against the person
47
Against property
131
Rate per 1,000 residents
122.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 40 residents
State safety percentile
92.9th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate, partial year)
+2.2%

Most common offence types

  • Assault242
  • Drug Offences429
  • Other Property Damage170
  • Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)641
  • Unlawful Entry262

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

  • QPS Online Crime MapQueensland 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
5
Median school ICSEA (5 schools)
995
Median ICSEA percentile
45th
School list
  • St Joseph's Catholic SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1078 · 78th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 356 students · Top SEA quarter 33% · 1.2 km awayView on My School →
  • Oonoonba State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 995 · 45th percentile · LBOTE 17% · 525 students · Top SEA quarter 17% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
  • Mundingburra State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 965 · 31th percentile · LBOTE 24% · 506 students · Top SEA quarter 15% · 1.4 km awayView on My School →
  • Southern Cross Catholic CollegeCombined · Catholic · ICSEA 1048 · 68th percentile · LBOTE 7% · 1,479 students · Top SEA quarter 22% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
  • William Ross State High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 955 · 27th percentile · LBOTE 10% · 862 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

12 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

2 swimming pools · 1 petrol stations

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
5/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Sport & outdoors(3)
  • Townsville Golf ClubGolf course
  • Swimming pool (2)
Transport(3)

3 bus stops

Other(6)
  • Monte Carlo Motor InnMotel
  • Pelican CourtMotel
  • Parking
  • Puma RossleaPetrol station

    79 Bowen Road

  • Australia PostPost Box
  • TelstraTelephone

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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Health access

Nearest hospital
Mater Misericordiae Hospital (1.9 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
80
Participants per 1,000 residents
38.8

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

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 normalsWorldClim 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 overlaysState 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 3.3 km away).

Coalition 55.1%Labor 44.9%

8.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +0.5 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Hermit Park SouthLabor 47.8% · Coalition 52.2% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
  • MundingburraLabor 48.0% · Coalition 52.0% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
  • Oonoonba (Herbert)Labor 41.9% · Coalition 58.1% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
  • PimlicoLabor 44.4% · Coalition 55.6% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
  • Hermit ParkLabor 46.4% · Coalition 53.6% TPP (2025)2.0 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
4/10
IRSD decile (2021)
4/10

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

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.