Blackwater
Mining is the defining fact of Blackwater: 47.2% of industry employment is in mining, while the suburb has 4,702 residents and a 31.8% vacancy rate. The resident base is young at a median age of 31, which is 9.0 years below the national average, yet household income sits at the 89.5th percentile. Compared with Emerald's broader regional-centre role, Blackwater is more tightly tied to resource-town conditions, with 92.7% separate houses and 62.4% renters. Local job cycles, rental demand and housing turnover therefore matter more than conventional lifestyle measures.
Local council: Central Highlands (Qld)
Population
4,702
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,358/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
For buyers, Blackwater is primarily a detached-house market: 92.7% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 4.9% apartments and 2.1% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is practical, with 58.4% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 33.7% having 4 or more. A median house price is not stated, so current sales evidence matters more than a headline estimate. The $1,083 monthly mortgage figure equals 10.6% of household income, lower than the 62.4% renting share, while rent is $220 a week. Buyers should test commute costs and job resilience because mining accounts for 47.2% of employment.
For Buyers
For buyers, Blackwater is primarily a detached-house market: 92.7% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 4.9% apartments and 2.1% semi-detached homes. The bedroom mix is practical, with 58.4% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 33.7% having 4 or more. A median house price is not stated, so current sales evidence matters more than a headline estimate. The $1,083 monthly mortgage figure equals 10.6% of household income, lower than the 62.4% renting share, while rent is $220 a week. Buyers should test commute costs and job resilience because mining accounts for 47.2% of employment.
For Investors
Blackwater can suit investors seeking a low-rent entry point, but the risk profile is unusual. Weekly rent is $220 and 62.4% of households rent, higher than the 23.1% with a mortgage or 10.9% owning outright. The 31.8% vacancy rate is the central warning: tenant demand can weaken sharply when mining employment or workforce movements change. There were 0 developments in the past 12 months, limiting new-supply pressure but also signalling a small construction pipeline. A 30.4% turnover rate and 69.6% staying rate point to a settled base alongside a mobile workforce. Compare leasing history, property condition and employer exposure before buying.
Schools in Blackwater
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Blackwater State High School
Blackwater North State School
Blackwater State School
Demographics
Blackwater has a young, work-oriented population: the median age is 31, or 9.0 years below the national average, and university attainment is 12.3%, 17.8 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 12.0%, 9.6 points below the national figure, while average household size is 2.6, only 0.1 above the national measure. English ancestry is the largest listed response, with 1,506 people, followed by Irish ancestry at 410 and Scottish ancestry at 371. No religion counts 1,968 people versus 1,818 identifying with Christianity. Compared with Emerald, the profile is less metropolitan and more shaped by local industry.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.7%
Houses
2.1%
Townhouse
4.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Blackwater's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 92.7% separate houses, higher than the 4.9% apartment share and the 2.1% semi-detached share. Tenure is renter-heavy: 62.4% rent, compared with 23.1% paying a mortgage and 10.9% owning outright. Three-bedroom homes account for 58.4% of dwellings, while 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 33.7%, so larger family layouts are more common than 2-bedroom homes at 7.0%. No median house price is stated; the $220 weekly rent and $1,083 monthly mortgage figure provide the clearest affordability markers. Mortgage costs equal 10.6% of household income, while rent equals 9.3%, both below the 62.4% renter share.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $220.
$425
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $425
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$1,268
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.8%
Unoccupied
697
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
9.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.3%
Couples with children
35.3%
Couples, no children
16.8%
Single parent
1,070
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining supplies 47.2% of industry employment, far higher than education at 10.1%, hospitality at 6.6%, construction at 5.7% and healthcare at 5.4%. That concentration helps explain why machinery and drivers are the largest occupation group at 678 people, ahead of trades at 465 and labourers at 282. The labour force includes 2,426 participants, with a 67.3% participation rate and 4.9% unemployment; 1,642 people are employed full-time versus 480 part-time. Household income is $2,358 a week at the 89.5th percentile, a higher position than the 12.3% university-attainment rate alone would suggest. Economic resilience depends on mining remaining the anchor while other industries broaden the base.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
2,426
Unemployed
120
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
71.2%
Part-time
20.8%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
2,306
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.3%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
12.0%
Dwellings
1,496
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent: 71.3% travel as car drivers, compared with 8.3% using public transport, 5.8% walking or cycling and 3.6% working from home. Vehicle access is therefore important for work, shopping and regional trips across a 657.32 sq km suburb. Blackwater has 3 government schools, including state primary and state high-school options; families should check the exact enrolment zone because boundaries can cut across addresses. Crime-rate figures are not stated, so use current Queensland Police information before judging safety. Volunteering is 17.3%, higher than the 3.6% working-from-home share, suggesting community participation is more visible than remote work.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.8%
Work from Home
3.6%
Growth Outlook
Blackwater's near-term growth case is constrained by 0 developments in the past 12 months and a 31.8% vacancy rate, both pointing to limited housing pressure despite mining-led employment. The suburb has 4,702 residents, while 69.6% stayed at the same address and 30.4% moved, so residential stability is higher than turnover. Growth is more likely to follow workforce demand than broad-based construction because mining represents 47.2% of industry employment. Compared with Emerald, Blackwater is more exposed to resource-cycle shifts and less likely to rely on diversified urban expansion. Track mine employment, rental occupancy and approvals before assuming population acceleration.
Population trend: Central Highlands (Qld) council area
Blackwater sits in the Central Highlands (Qld) council area. These are the council area's residents, not Blackwater's.
Residents 2025
29,481
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blackwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackwater a good suburb to live in?
Blackwater may suit households who value mining access, detached homes and a younger population. The median age is 31, 92.7% of dwellings are separate houses and 71.3% commute by car, so lifestyle decisions should include transport and employment-cycle considerations.
What is the median house price in Blackwater?
A median house price is not stated for Blackwater. For a current purchase view, compare recent sales with the $220 weekly rent, $1,083 monthly mortgage figure and the 92.7% separate-house share rather than relying on an outdated headline number.
What schools are in Blackwater?
Blackwater has 3 government schools: Blackwater North State School, Blackwater State High School and Blackwater State School. The mix includes state primary and high-school options, but families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address.
Is Blackwater safe?
A definitive safety comparison needs current Queensland Police updates and local checks. Blackwater has 4,702 residents and a 17.3% volunteering rate, but those figures do not measure crime, so inspect the immediate street and ask local authorities about current conditions.
Is Blackwater good for property investment?
Blackwater can work for an investor targeting workforce rental demand, but 31.8% vacancy is a major caution beside $220 weekly rent. Mining represents 47.2% of industry employment and 0 developments were recorded in the past 12 months, so returns depend on occupancy and resource-sector conditions.
How is Blackwater's population changing?
Blackwater's current population is 4,702. Residential stability is relatively strong, with 69.6% staying at the same address versus 30.4% turnover, while 0 developments and 31.8% vacancy suggest growth may be uneven and closely tied to mining employment rather than broad construction.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Blackwater on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map