Garbutt
Garbutt's most distinctive feature is a 13.5% vacancy rate alongside a 56.7% renter share, giving its 2,309 residents a more fluid housing market than many owner-led suburbs. The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above the national comparison, while 17.3% were born overseas, 4.3 percentage points lower than nationally. Compared with nearby Currajong and West End, Garbutt reads as a practical, car-oriented suburb, with 80.6% driving to work. The renter base and high vacancy matter because they can widen choice for tenants while tempering landlords' pricing power.
Local council: Townsville
Population
2,309
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,082/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Garbutt suits buyers who value functional housing and car access, but no suburb-level median house price is available, so recent settled sales should be checked address by address. The typical monthly mortgage figure is $1,300 against weekly rent of $220. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income and rent equals 20.3%, with neither indicator flagged as housing stress. Separate houses account for 66.5% and semi-detached homes 32.1%; 43.9% have 3 bedrooms and 27.9% have 2. Compared with a tightly held owner market, 56.7% renting and 18.0% owning outright signal flexibility but also more turnover.
For Buyers
Garbutt suits buyers who value functional housing and car access, but no suburb-level median house price is available, so recent settled sales should be checked address by address. The typical monthly mortgage figure is $1,300 against weekly rent of $220. Mortgage costs equal 27.7% of household income and rent equals 20.3%, with neither indicator flagged as housing stress. Separate houses account for 66.5% and semi-detached homes 32.1%; 43.9% have 3 bedrooms and 27.9% have 2. Compared with a tightly held owner market, 56.7% renting and 18.0% owning outright signal flexibility but also more turnover.
For Investors
Garbutt presents a renter-led investment case, with 56.7% of households renting and weekly rent at $220. That tenant base can support leasing demand, but a 13.5% vacancy rate is high compared with a tight rental market and may limit rent increases or shorten holding periods. Rent growth of 8.7% provides a positive signal, while 22 development matters in the past 12 months could add competition, including a 2-dwelling dual occupancy. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, yet the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so income growth should not be assumed. Compared with a low-vacancy growth suburb, Garbutt calls for conservative cash-flow and exit-price assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Garbutt
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Garbutt State School
Demographics
Garbutt has an older age profile, with a median age of 42, or 2.0 years above the national comparison. University attainment is 17.9%, 12.2 percentage points below the national figure, and overseas-born residents account for 17.3%, 4.3 points below nationally. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 801 people, followed by Irish at 265 and Scottish at 201; Christianity counts 1,021 and no religion 854. Average household size is 2.0, 0.5 below the national comparison. A 28.7% turnover rate and 71.3% staying rate suggest a settled core alongside rental mobility, while one-parent families make up 32.6% of families and increase demand for manageable housing.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.5%
Houses
32.1%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Garbutt's tenure pattern is more rental-heavy than owner-led: 56.7% rent, compared with 24.6% paying a mortgage and 18.0% owning outright. The dwelling mix is mainly separate houses at 66.5%, with 32.1% semi-detached homes and only 0.8% apartments. Smaller formats are common, with 43.9% of homes having 3 bedrooms, 27.9% having 2 and 17.7% having 0 or 1. A 13.5% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly supplied market, while the $220 weekly rent keeps rental outlay visible. No median house price is available, so buyers should compare recent sales with the $1,300 monthly mortgage figure. Compared with the more inner-urban setting of Currajong and West End, Garbutt's mix is practical and low-rise.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $220.
$565
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $565 · units $450
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$643
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.5%
Unoccupied
155
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.0%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
32.6%
Single parent
500
Total families
Economy & Employment
Garbutt's economy is anchored by Healthcare at 20.9% of jobs, Public Administration at 15.0%, Construction at 10.3%, Education at 8.8% and Retail at 6.7%. The occupation mix reinforces this base: Community/Personal roles number 173, Trades 156, Professionals 147, Labourers 104 and Machinery/Drivers 93. Unemployment is 9.1%, participation is 51.4% and full-time work is 62.8%. Household income is $1,082 a week, at the 16.7th percentile and below the midpoint. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sit at decile 5, but economic resources is decile 1 while disadvantage measures are decile 2. That gap matters because employment can coexist with constrained household resources.
Unemployment
9.1%
Labour Force
1,014
Unemployed
92
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
51.4%
Employed
922
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.9%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
17.3%
Dwellings
980
Transport to Work
Garbutt is most convenient for people who drive: 80.6% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.2% using public transport, while 5.3% walk or cycle and 3.6% work from home. This car dependence matters because public transport use is much lower than driving. One local school, Garbutt State School, serves the suburb as a Government sector State School; families should compare enrolment zones and nearby options against the exact address. A 12.29 square kilometre area and density of 187.9 people per square kilometre create a lower-density feel than compact urban areas. Social conditions require attention: IRSAD is decile 2, IER is decile 1 and 10.6% need assistance. Volunteering is 12.4%, but no suburb crime rate is stated, so safety should be checked using current local reports before choosing a street.
Drive
80.6%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
5.3%
Work from Home
3.6%
Growth Outlook
Garbutt is on an aging, slow-growth path. Annual growth is forecast at -0.15%, and population change across the wider area is -6.8% over 10 years, lower than a stable-growth benchmark. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen by 4.7 percentage points while the young share has fallen by 2.1 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, which may refresh demand without reversing the broader pattern. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so compared with an upgrading inner suburb, price pressure should be treated cautiously. Rent growth of 8.7% and improving affordability from 36.8% in 2011 to 30.5% in 2021 add nuance: rental momentum exists, but population direction remains soft.
Population trend: Townsville council area
Garbutt sits in the Townsville council area. These are the council area's residents, not Garbutt's.
Residents 2025
206,260
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
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 Garbutt compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Garbutt a good suburb to live in?
Garbutt can suit residents who value detached and semi-detached housing, car access and comparatively modest household scale. The median age is 42, 2.0 years above the national comparison, and 80.6% drive to work. Compared with more walkable suburbs, transport choice is narrower, so check the exact street before deciding.
What is the median house price in Garbutt?
A median house price is not available for Garbutt. Buyers should compare recent settled sales by street and dwelling type, then test repayments against the $1,300 monthly mortgage figure and $1,082 weekly household income. This is more reliable than comparing unlike homes.
What schools are in Garbutt?
Garbutt has 1 government school, Garbutt State School. Families should compare its catchment, year levels and enrolment process with nearby options, because boundaries can change access within a few streets. Check the exact address before applying.
Is Garbutt safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available, so Garbutt should not be labelled safer or less safe than another suburb from the available information. Compare current Queensland Police information, street conditions and lighting before deciding; 80.6% car use also makes road access an everyday consideration.
Is Garbutt good for property investment?
It can suit a yield-focused investor because 56.7% of households rent and weekly rent is $220. However, the 13.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tight market, and 22 development matters in 12 months may add competing supply. Compare cash flow under conservative vacancy assumptions rather than relying on rent growth alone.
How is Garbutt's population changing?
Garbutt's population direction is soft: annual growth is forecast at -0.15%, while change across the wider area is -6.8% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.7 percentage points and young share down 2.1. Compared with a growth suburb, this points to gradual ageing rather than expansion.
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).
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