Median house price
—
No data available
QLD · Torres Council
Thursday Island, 4875
Est. population · Jun 2025
2,800
Growth (1 yr)
+0.1%
Growth (5 yr)
-2.8%
Median age
30
Median income
$2,136/wk
Employment rate
60.6%
Languages at home
53.6%non-English
Most common: Australian Indigenous languages, Punjabi, Samoan
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- Heritage area
- Café precinct
- National parks
Suburb profile
Away from the major hubs, Thursday Island is a mid-sized suburb in Torres Council with its own quieter rhythm. A younger crowd gives the area energy, with plenty of young families in the mix. This is a strongly multicultural suburb: overseas-born and multilingual households make up much of the community.
Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Purchase and rent costs sit on the more affordable side of the local range.
Reported crime has been rising recently. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer community and employment, plus transport and access relative to similar regional towns.
At a glance
Thursday Island snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
2,800
+0.1% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
15.0%
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
#142
among Country & regional · Established
Safety
71st
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
23rd
percentile in QLD
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
9th
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
- 35.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4651st in Australia
- State rank
- 997th in QLD
- Peer rank
- #142 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #531 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 66%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
2,800(June 2025)
+0.1% annual · -2.8% over 5 years · 23th percentile in QLD
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.1%
- 5-year growth
- -2.8%
- Change in 1 year
- +4
- Change in 5 years
- -80
- Growth rank in QLD
- 23th 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 (~2,800), extrapolated at +0.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 2,805
- Median age
- 30
- Median household income / week
- $2,136
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 131 of 875
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,408
- Employment rate
- 60.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 424 / 221 / 79 (+ 8 other)
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)
- 165
- Against the person
- 70
- Against property
- 41
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 58.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 40 residents
- State safety percentile
- 71.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate, partial year)
- +55.6%
Most common offence types
- Drug Offences76
- Good Order Offences52
- Other Property Damage49
- Assault114
- Traffic And Related Offences41
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)
- 830
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 9th
School list
- Tagai State CollegeCombined · Government · ICSEA 742 · 2th percentile · LBOTE 92% · 1,261 students · Top SEA quarter 2% · 0.4 km awayView on My School →
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School WaibenPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 918 · 15th percentile · LBOTE 49% · 131 students · Top SEA quarter 15% · 0.7 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
43 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
3 pubs · 2 supermarkets · 1 libraries · 1 places of worship · 1 swimming pools · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Walkability proxy
- 31/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 1.07
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0.71
Food & drink(3)
- Federal HotelPub
- Grand HotelPub
6 Victoria Parade, Thursday Island
- Jardine MotelPub
Shopping(2)
- IBIS RosehillSupermarket
60 Waiben Esplanade, Thursday Island
- Supermarket
Community(5)
- Torres Shire Municipal LibraryLibrary
Douglas Street
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart SchoolSchool
- Tagai State CollegeSchool
- Tagai State College Primary CampusSchool
- Tagai State College Secondary CampusSchool
Sport & outdoors(7)
- ANZAC ParkPark
- Park
- Bayo BeachPicnic area
- Ken Brown Memorial Playing FieldSports field
- Sports field
- TI Bowls ClubSports field
- Swimming pool
Entertainment(2)
- Green Hill Fort MuseumMuseum
- Lion's LookoutViewpoint
Other(18)
- TurtleArtwork
- Thursday Island Boat ClubAttraction
- NABBank
- Bbq
- Drinking water
- Gab Titui Cultural CentreGallery
- R&F Self Service StoreLaundry
- Parking (4)
- Picnic Table
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsPlace of worship
6 Stephen Street, Thursday Island
- Police
- Thursday Island LPOPost office
- Public toilets
- TSIRCPublic toilets
- Recycling
- Shelter (4)
- Star of the Sea (Aged Care)Social Facility
- James Cook UniversityUniversity
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
- ANZAC ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 7
- 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
Places of worship
1 places of worship within ~1.5 km
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
6 Stephen Street, Thursday Island
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Bamaga Hospital (39.5 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)
- 54
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 19.3
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
- 945 mm · ~90 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 30° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 680 mm · ~85 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 23°
- Rainfall
- 70 mm · ~9 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 31° / 24°
- Rainfall
- 91 mm · ~11 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
4 heritage places
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart ChurchState heritage place
- Quetta Memorial PrecinctState heritage place
- Thursday Island Cemetery (incorporating the Japanese Cemetery & the Grave of the Hon. John Douglas)State heritage place
- Thursday Island Customs HouseState 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
- 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 484.8 km away).
Coalition 16.4%Labor 83.6%
27.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +20.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Thursday IslandLabor 82.8% · Coalition 17.2% TPP (2025)0.7 km away
- TamwoyLabor 85.1% · Coalition 14.9% TPP (2025)0.8 km away
- Horn IslandLabor 78.4% · Coalition 21.6% TPP (2025)3.8 km away
- BamagaLabor 81.0% · Coalition 19.1% TPP (2025)39.1 km away
- WeipaLabor 56.4% · Coalition 43.6% TPP (2025)230.3 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
More in Torres Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile elsewhere in Queensland or interstate.