Etna Creek
The most striking fact about Etna Creek is its population split: 87.4% of residents are male, far above any typical suburb, pointing to a workforce-driven community centred on mining, agriculture and construction. With 1,029 people spread across 69 square kilometres, the density of 14.9 per km2 is low compared to regional Queensland. Household income sits at the 68.2nd percentile nationally, above the median despite the rural setting, and 46.6% of dwellings are owned outright. Median age is 35, which is 5 years below the national average, consistent with a younger working-age population drawn by employment rather than retirement.
Population
1,029
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,875/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$347K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Etna Creek's estimated median house price of $347,000 in 2025 is well below most Queensland markets, reflecting the rural postcode 4702 setting and thin transaction volume. Every dwelling is a separate house, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 50.7% of stock and 3-bedroom homes at 31.9%, suited to families or workers needing extra rooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing affordability is not a pressure here. With 46.6% of properties owned outright and just 8.2% renting, ownership rates are high compared to state and national norms. Buyers should note the vacancy rate of 12.9% signals a soft resale market with limited competition but also limited liquidity.
For Buyers
Etna Creek's estimated median house price of $347,000 in 2025 is well below most Queensland markets, reflecting the rural postcode 4702 setting and thin transaction volume. Every dwelling is a separate house, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 50.7% of stock and 3-bedroom homes at 31.9%, suited to families or workers needing extra rooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing affordability is not a pressure here. With 46.6% of properties owned outright and just 8.2% renting, ownership rates are high compared to state and national norms. Buyers should note the vacancy rate of 12.9% signals a soft resale market with limited competition but also limited liquidity.
For Investors
A 12.9% vacancy rate is a significant caution signal for investors, higher than the national average and pointing to oversupply relative to local demand. Weekly rent of $200 against an estimated median of $347,000 gives a gross yield near 3.0%, modest but above many coastal Queensland markets. The 8.2% renter share is low, meaning most residents are owner-occupiers, which limits the available tenant pool. Employment in agriculture, mining and construction each contributing 11.2% of local jobs provides some resilience through commodity cycles, but these sectors are also vulnerable to project completions and seasonal downturns. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating negligible new supply pressure but also minimal investor-driven activity.
Demographics
The 87.4% male share is the defining demographic feature of Etna Creek, almost certainly linked to fly-in fly-out or drive-in drive-out work arrangements in mining and agriculture rather than a permanent residential imbalance. The median age of 35 sits 5 years below the national figure, reflecting the working-age employment base. Just 5.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.8 percentage points below the national rate, and languages data show minimal non-English speakers, making this one of the more locally-born communities in regional Queensland. University qualifications at 16.1% are 14 points below the national average, consistent with trade and machinery occupations dominating the local workforce. Average household size is 2.8, slightly above the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Etna Creek is a separate house, with 100% detached stock compared to the national mix that includes apartments and semi-detached. The bedroom profile leans large: 50.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and 31.9% have 3 bedrooms, with smaller dwellings uncommon. Ownership is strong: 46.6% own outright and 45.2% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 8.2%, far below the national renter share. Rent-to-income at 10.7% means the typical renter is not under financial pressure. The estimated median of $347,000 is derived from rent data for 2025 rather than a high-transaction sales series, so price movement cannot be reliably tracked, and buyers should seek recent comparable sales in the broader Central Queensland region.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$200
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$956
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.9%
Unoccupied
11
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
10.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.9%
Couples, no children
177
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture, mining and construction each account for 11.2% of local employment, with manufacturing and retail each at 9.0%, making Etna Creek a genuinely mixed rural-resources economy rather than dependent on a single sector. Machinery and drivers occupy 20 workers, tied with professionals at 21, and managers at 18, reflecting the operational rather than white-collar nature of local work. The full-time employment rate among the working population is 68.5%, and recorded unemployment is zero in Census data, suggesting strong demand for local labour. The participation rate of 13.0% appears low, but 803 residents are listed as not in the labour force, a figure inflated by the specific population composition. Volunteering runs at 25.9%, above average for a small community, indicating active civic engagement.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.5%
Part-time
31.5%
Participation
13.0%
Employed
127
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.1%
Postgraduate
N/A
Born Overseas
5.8%
Dwellings
73
Transport to Work
Car use at 90.6% of commuters is the dominant transport mode, above the national average, which reflects the rural setting with no public transport options recorded. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with children rely on facilities in Rockhampton or other Central Queensland towns accessible via the highway network. Crime statistics are not available for Etna Creek at this geographic level. Rent stress is low at a 10.7% rent-to-income ratio and mortgage stress is below threshold at 21.3%, meaning existing residents are not under financial housing pressure compared to urban markets. The 1.4% needing daily assistance is low, and volunteering at 25.9% suggests a community-minded population relative to its size of 1,029.
Drive
90.6%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
6.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Etna Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Etna Creek a good suburb to live in?
Etna Creek suits workers in mining, agriculture or construction more than lifestyle seekers. Household income sits at the 68.2nd percentile nationally, housing costs are manageable with mortgage-to-income at 21.3%, and car travel at 90.6% covers all local needs. There are no schools recorded in the suburb, so families with children need to travel to Rockhampton or nearby towns.
What is the median house price in Etna Creek?
The estimated median house price is $347,000, derived from rental data for 2025 given the low transaction volume in this 1,029-person suburb. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and rent averages $200 per week. Every dwelling is a detached house, so there is no apartment or unit market.
What schools are in Etna Creek?
No schools are recorded within the Etna Creek suburb boundary. The nearest educational facilities are in Rockhampton, approximately within the postcode 4702 region. University qualifications among residents stand at 16.1%, which is 14 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and resources employment focus.
Is Etna Creek safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Etna Creek at this geographic level. As a broader indicator, housing stress is low with rent-to-income at 10.7% and mortgage-to-income at 21.3%, and only 1.4% of the 1,029 residents need daily assistance. The recorded unemployment rate in the Census is 0, suggesting economic stability.
Is Etna Creek good for property investment?
The 12.9% vacancy rate is the main caution: it signals more supply than tenant demand at current rents of $200 per week. Gross yield against the $347,000 estimated median is near 3.0%. The renter pool is thin at just 8.2% of households, and 0 development applications in the past 12 months indicates no new supply pressure but also limited investor momentum.
How is Etna Creek's population changing?
Etna Creek has a population of 1,029 with a 25.3% five-year household turnover rate, suggesting a significant transient workforce alongside a stable resident core of 74.7% who remained at the same address. The suburb's population trends follow Central Queensland resource sector cycles rather than urban growth patterns. The median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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