Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Livingstone Council
The Caves, 4702
Est. population · Jun 2025
780
Growth (1 yr)
+3.9%
Growth (5 yr)
+15.4%
Median age
40
Median income
$1,926/wk
Employment rate
61.3%
Languages at home
2.1%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Education hub
- National parks
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
The Caves offers a slower smaller community life in Livingstone Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with family life visible on every street. Local eateries and coffee spots give the area a friendly, everyday social rhythm.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.
Purchase and rent costs sit on the more affordable side of the local range. An emerging neighbourhood feel is building here, with new households gradually reshaping local life.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
The Caves snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
780
+3.9% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
12.3%
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
#185
among Country & regional · Emerging
Safety
52nd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
93rd
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
29th
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
- 30.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5575th in Australia
- State rank
- 1214th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #185 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #710 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
780(June 2025)
+3.9% annual · +15.4% over 5 years · 93th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +3.9%
- 5-year growth
- +15.4%
- Change in 1 year
- +29
- Change in 5 years
- +104
- Growth rank in QLD
- 93th 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 (~850), extrapolated at +1.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 680
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $1,926
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 30 of 244
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,500
- Employment rate
- 61.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 213 / 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 · 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)
- 34
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 17
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 43.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 113 residents
- State safety percentile
- 51.7th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
- -3.2%
Most common offence types
- Assault148
- Drug Offences144
- Other Theft (Excl. Unlawful Entry)306
- Traffic And Related Offences226
- Unlawful Entry133
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 961
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 29th
School list
- The Caves State SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 961 · 29th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 60 students · Top SEA quarter 4% · 0.5 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
Amenities
16 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 pubs
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb
- Walkability proxy
- 4/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 2.94
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.94
Food & drink(2)
- Pub
- The Caves PubPub
Shopping(1)
- Caves Country StoreConvenience store
Community(1)
- The Caves State SchoolSchool
Sport & outdoors(2)
- Caves ParkPark
- Park
Other(7)
- Self-guided trail (600m)Attraction
- Parking (3)
- Post Box
- The Caves Recreational HallPublic Building
- Public toilets
- Shelter (2)
- Telephone
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Caves ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- Hillcrest Private Hospital (22.7 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)
- 29
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 37.2
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
- 32° / 22°
- Rainfall
- 403 mm · ~50 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 18°
- Rainfall
- 198 mm · ~25 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 24° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 89 mm · ~11 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 29° / 17°
- Rainfall
- 147 mm · ~18 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
- Overlay applies
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
- Capricornia
- Member of Parliament
- Michelle LANDRY (Liberal National Party of Queensland)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 115,141
- Turnout (2025)
- 88.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +0.8 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 55.8%Labor 44.2%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 21.0 km away).
Coalition 64.9%Labor 35.1%
9.0 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -4.6 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- The CavesLabor 35.0% · Coalition 65.0% TPP (2025)0.7 km away
- ParkhurstLabor 43.2% · Coalition 56.8% TPP (2025)16.3 km away
- KawanaLabor 53.1% · Coalition 46.9% TPP (2025)18.6 km away
- Norman Gardens NorthLabor 49.8% · Coalition 50.2% TPP (2025)18.6 km away
- Norman Gardens SouthLabor 49.0% · Coalition 51.0% TPP (2025)20.0 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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 Livingstone Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Queensland.