Gulliver
A compact, detached-house suburb, Gulliver has 2,884 residents across 1.83 square kilometres, producing a density of 1,577.8 people per square kilometre. Its median age of 39 is 1 year below the national comparison, while household income sits at the 34.2nd percentile. The housing pattern is clear: 88.8% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.3% apartments. Gulliver also has a slow-growth profile, with a forecast annual trend of -0.36% and a 10-year population change of -6.4%. Compared with nearby Currajong and Pimlico, it is best approached as a practical, car-oriented residential pocket rather than a high-turnover lifestyle market.
Local council: Townsville
Population
2,884
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,343/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
For buyers, the absence of a reliable median house price means property-by-property comparison matters more than a headline suburb figure. Gulliver's stock is weighted toward separate houses at 88.8%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 56.1% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 21.2%, so the suburb suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,300 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 22.4% of household income, lower than the 33.3% renting share. Ownership is split between 29.8% outright and 36.2% with a mortgage. Compared with an apartment-led search, Gulliver's 2.3% apartment share points to a narrower but more consistent detached-home choice.
For Buyers
For buyers, the absence of a reliable median house price means property-by-property comparison matters more than a headline suburb figure. Gulliver's stock is weighted toward separate houses at 88.8%, with 3-bedroom homes making up 56.1% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 21.2%, so the suburb suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts. Mortgage repayments are listed at $1,300 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 22.4% of household income, lower than the 33.3% renting share. Ownership is split between 29.8% outright and 36.2% with a mortgage. Compared with an apartment-led search, Gulliver's 2.3% apartment share points to a narrower but more consistent detached-home choice.
For Investors
Investor demand is likely to be shaped by affordability and tenant turnover rather than premium pricing. Weekly rent is $270, the vacancy rate is 7.5%, and 33.3% of occupied dwellings are rented, compared with 36.2% mortgaged households. Rent growth is recorded at 10.0%, which can support income-focused assessment, although the relatively high vacancy rate calls for careful street-level checking. Sixteen development matters were recorded over 12 months, but the examples are mainly minor or single-dwelling works rather than a large project pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, so tenant demand may be more responsive to regional labour conditions than to gentrification, which is scored 0 and labelled Not gentrifying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
17
Last 12 Months
17
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 Gulliver
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Pimlico State High School
Currajong State School
Demographics
Gulliver's demographic profile is older and less university-qualified than the national comparison, but only modestly so on age: the median is 39, or 1 year below national, while university attainment is 20.3%, 9.8 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 11.3%, 10.3 points below national, and average household size is 2.3, 0.2 below national. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 996, 348 and 305 respectively, while Christianity has 1,342 adherents and no religion 1,181. Compared with nearby Currajong and Pimlico, Gulliver reads as a low-rise, established community because 77.3% of residents stayed at the same address and 38.1% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.8%
Houses
8.5%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Gulliver's tenure mix is relatively even across owners, mortgagors and renters: 29.8% own outright, 36.2% have a mortgage and 33.3% rent. That balance matters because the suburb is overwhelmingly detached housing, with 88.8% separate houses, versus 2.3% apartments and 8.5% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.1%, followed by 4-plus-bedroom homes at 21.2% and two-bedroom homes at 20.7%, giving the stock a family-house bias. The $270 weekly rent and 22.4% mortgage-to-income ratio suggest different affordability pressures by tenure, while the 20.1% rent-to-income ratio is lower than the mortgage share. Compared with nearby Currajong and Pimlico, buyers should focus on dwelling condition and block attributes because no suburb median sale price is available.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $270.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $550 · units $440
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$728
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.0%
Couples with children
38.1%
Couples, no children
24.4%
Single parent
729
Total families
Economy & Employment
Gulliver's employment base is led by healthcare, which accounts for 23.2% of jobs, followed by education at 14.3%, construction at 12.4%, public administration at 11.1% and other services at 5.5%. The occupation mix is similarly practical, with 220 professionals, 206 trades workers, 193 community and personal service workers, 145 labourers and 141 clerical or administrative workers. The labour-force participation rate is 57.2%, unemployment is 5.8% and 62.8% of employed residents work full time. Personal income is $728 weekly and household income $1,343 weekly, with the latter at the 34.2nd percentile. Despite health and education strengths, all four SEIFA measures sit in decile 2, below higher-advantage areas, so job presence does not translate into broad area-wide advantage.
Unemployment
5.8%
Labour Force
1,335
Unemployed
77
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
30.9%
Participation
57.2%
Employed
1,258
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.3%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
11.3%
Dwellings
1,125
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car dependent: 83.7% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.6% using public transport, while 3.8% walk or cycle and 5.0% work from home. Two nearby government schools cover primary and secondary stages: Currajong State School and Pimlico State High School. Check enrolment zones against the exact address, since school boundaries can cross suburb edges. Gulliver's IRSAD and IRSD scores are both in decile 2, below higher-advantage locations, which may affect access to household resources. A suburb-level crime rate is not published, so review current police statistics and inspect streets at different times before making a safety decision. The compact 1.83 square kilometre area and density of 1,577.8 people per square kilometre make local destinations relatively close, but the travel mix still favours cars.
Drive
83.7%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
5.0%
Growth Outlook
Gulliver is an established, slow-growth market rather than a clear expansion story. The forecast annual trend is -0.36%, while population change across the wider area is -6.4% over 10 years. Its trajectory is labelled Mixed, and overseas migration is the primary driver, meaning demand can be uneven even while some arrivals support rentals. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so uplift from a rapid demographic or investment shift is not the base case. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 42.6 in 2011 to 36.5 in 2021, while rent growth reached 10.0%. Compared with a growth suburb, Gulliver suits buyers prioritising established streets and current amenity over rapid population expansion.
Population trend: Townsville council area
Gulliver sits in the Townsville council area. These are the council area's residents, not Gulliver'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 Gulliver compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulliver a good suburb to live in?
Gulliver can suit buyers wanting a predominantly detached, established suburb. It has 2,884 residents, 88.8% separate houses and 83.7% car commuters, so it is more practical for households comfortable with driving than for transit-first living.
What is the median house price in Gulliver?
A reliable median house price is not available. Three-bedroom homes account for 56.1% of dwellings, 88.8% are separate houses and weekly rent is $270, so compare current listings rather than relying on a single suburb estimate.
What schools are in Gulliver?
Two nearby government schools are Currajong State School and Pimlico State High School, covering primary and secondary stages. Check the exact address against current enrolment zones, because school access can differ across 1.83 square kilometres.
Is Gulliver safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not published, so current police statistics and an on-site visit are important. Gulliver has 2,884 residents and an 8.3% need-assistance rate, but those figures provide social context rather than a direct safety comparison.
Is Gulliver good for property investment?
It can suit an income-focused investor, but the signals are mixed. Weekly rent is $270, vacancy is 7.5% and rent growth is 10.0%; compare those figures with the 33.3% renting share and the 16 development matters recorded over 12 months before buying.
How is Gulliver's population changing?
Population conditions are soft rather than expansionary: the forecast annual trend is -0.36% and 10-year population change is -6.4%. The trajectory is Mixed, with overseas migration the primary driver, while gentrification scores 0 and is labelled Not gentrifying.
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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