Nelly Bay
A 22.2% vacancy rate stands out in Nelly Bay, alongside a median age of 56 and a population of 1,213 across 4.67 square kilometres. The suburb is older than the national profile by 16 years, while its 82.3% separate-house share gives it a clearly detached character compared with nearby Picnic Bay and Arcadia. Ownership is relatively established, with 47.3% owning outright, but household income at the 12.8th percentile and a 33.8% mortgage-to-income ratio narrow affordability for some buyers. The result is a small island centre with an older-resident, high-vacancy profile rather than a conventional mainland growth suburb.
Local council: Townsville
Population
1,213
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,003/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Homebuyers face a pricing-information gap because no median house price is available, so the clearest cost anchors are a $1,470 monthly mortgage and $300 weekly rent. Nelly Bay is predominantly detached, with 82.3% separate houses versus 9.4% apartments and 46.8% three-bedroom dwellings. Ownership is split between 47.3% outright owners and 23.8% mortgage holders, while the 33.8% mortgage-to-income measure is above the 29.9% rent-to-income measure. Compared with a unit-focused choice set, the detached mix may suit buyers seeking a conventional home, but the 22.2% vacancy rate warrants close inspection of insurance, maintenance and body-corporate costs. Nearby Picnic Bay and Arcadia provide useful local comparisons when checking asking prices and property type.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a pricing-information gap because no median house price is available, so the clearest cost anchors are a $1,470 monthly mortgage and $300 weekly rent. Nelly Bay is predominantly detached, with 82.3% separate houses versus 9.4% apartments and 46.8% three-bedroom dwellings. Ownership is split between 47.3% outright owners and 23.8% mortgage holders, while the 33.8% mortgage-to-income measure is above the 29.9% rent-to-income measure. Compared with a unit-focused choice set, the detached mix may suit buyers seeking a conventional home, but the 22.2% vacancy rate warrants close inspection of insurance, maintenance and body-corporate costs. Nearby Picnic Bay and Arcadia provide useful local comparisons when checking asking prices and property type.
For Investors
Investors need to price for income stability rather than rely on rent alone. Weekly rent is $300 and 28.0% of households rent, but vacancy is 22.2%, a higher risk signal than a tightly occupied market because empty periods can erase gross yield. Hospitality is the largest industry at 17.1%, or 57 workers, followed by education at 13.5% and healthcare at 11.7%, linking rental demand to local service employment. Five development applications in 12 months indicate some pipeline activity, including lot creation, but not a large construction wave. Compared with lower-vacancy markets, Nelly Bay requires conservative assumptions for vacancy, maintenance and insurance, especially for detached homes representing 82.3% of stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
7
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 Nelly Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Magnetic Island State School
Demographics
Nelly Bay has an older resident base: the median age is 56, or 16 years above the national figure, and average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below the national level. That age structure helps explain the 47.3% labour-force participation rate and 449 people not in the labour force. University attainment is 33.1%, 3 percentage points above the national comparison, while 29.5% were born overseas, 7.9 points above the national level. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry count 514, 197 and 134 people respectively. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 599, ahead of Christianity at 420. Residential stability is notable: 69.3% stayed, against 30.7% turnover, giving Nelly Bay a more settled profile than a highly mobile coastal market.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.3%
Houses
6.8%
Townhouse
9.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached homes dominate Nelly Bay, accounting for 82.3% of dwellings, while apartments make up 9.4% and semi-detached homes 6.8%. Three-bedroom stock is the largest category at 46.8%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 31.9%; only 16.5% have four or more bedrooms. Tenure is more owner-oriented than rental-led, with 47.3% owning outright, 23.8% paying a mortgage and 28.0% renting. The $300 weekly rent is an important affordability anchor because the median house price is unavailable, but the 22.2% vacancy rate makes advertised availability and lease timing important. Compared with nearby Picnic Bay and Arcadia, buyers should compare tenure, dwelling type and vacancy rather than assume island-wide averages apply to Nelly Bay.
Mortgage / mo
$1,470
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$634
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
22.2%
Unoccupied
138
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.4%
Couples with children
64.5%
Couples, no children
14.0%
Single parent
299
Total families
Economy & Employment
Nelly Bay's employment base is concentrated in local services. Hospitality accounts for 17.1% of jobs, or 57 workers, ahead of education at 13.5% and 45, healthcare at 11.7% and 39, public administration at 8.4% and 28, and professional and technical work at 8.1% and 27. The occupation mix is led by professionals at 106 and managers at 88, followed by trades at 74, community and personal services at 67 and sales at 55. Unemployment is 4.8% among a labour force of 516, while participation is 47.3%. Household income sits at the 12.8th percentile, below the national median position, which helps explain why local spending power may be more constrained than in higher-income areas.
Unemployment
4.8%
Labour Force
516
Unemployed
25
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.1%
Part-time
41.8%
Participation
47.3%
Employed
491
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.1%
Postgraduate
10.0%
Born Overseas
29.5%
Dwellings
487
Transport to Work
Nelly Bay is more walkable for local trips than its public-transport share suggests. Only 3.0% use public transport, compared with 43.6% who drive, yet 24.6% walk or cycle and 21.7% work from home. That pattern suits residents who can combine short errands with home-based work, but a car remains important for many daily journeys. Magnetic Island State School is the local government state-school option; families should check enrolment zones and ferry or road access against the exact address. With one nearby school, 2.0-person households and a median age of 56, the suburb may suit quieter routines more than families seeking broad school choice. A current crime rate and SEIFA decile are not available, so safety and socioeconomic comparisons should be checked independently rather than inferred from age or tenure.
Drive
43.6%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
24.6%
Work from Home
21.7%
Growth Outlook
Near-term growth signals are limited but not absent. Five development applications were lodged in 12 months, including lot creation and civil works, while 69.3% of residents stayed at the same address and 30.7% moved, indicating a settled base rather than rapid churn. The current population is 1,213, and the 22.2% vacancy rate is well above what a tightly occupied market would show, so additional lots may not translate directly into sustained demand. Compared with higher-turnover island markets, Nelly Bay's trajectory is more likely to depend on employment, tourism conditions and the release of existing vacant stock than on large-scale residential expansion. The five-application pipeline should therefore be treated as modest activity, not proof of accelerated growth.
Population trend: Townsville council area
Nelly Bay sits in the Townsville council area. These are the council area's residents, not Nelly Bay'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 Nelly Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nelly Bay a good suburb to live in?
Nelly Bay can suit residents who value island living, detached housing and a slower pace. The median age is 56, 24.6% walk or cycle, and 21.7% work from home, but only 3.0% use public transport. Check ferry access, services and the exact address before deciding.
What is the median house price in Nelly Bay?
A reliable median house price is not available for Nelly Bay. Use current comparable sales and listings instead, then test the budget against the $300 weekly rent, $1,470 monthly mortgage reference and 22.2% vacancy rate. Prices can vary materially by dwelling type and island access.
What schools are in Nelly Bay?
Magnetic Island State School is the named local option, and it is a government-sector state school. Confirm the current catchment, year levels and travel arrangements for the exact address, because island access can affect the practical school run. The local school count is 1.
Is Nelly Bay safe?
No suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 residents is available, so a definitive safety rating would be unsupported. Check current Queensland Police information and visit at different times before making a decision. Nelly Bay's population is 1,213, but population size alone does not establish safety.
Is Nelly Bay good for property investment?
Nelly Bay may suit an investor who can tolerate variability, but the risk profile is important: rent is $300 a week, 28.0% of households rent and vacancy is 22.2%. Five development applications were recorded in 12 months. Model longer vacancies, insurance, maintenance and seasonal demand before comparing the suburb with lower-vacancy markets.
How is Nelly Bay's population changing?
The suburb has 1,213 residents today. Residential stability is relatively strong, with 69.3% staying at the same address and 30.7% turnover. Five development applications in 12 months suggest some land and infrastructure activity, but that activity does not establish a rapid population increase. Track approvals, occupancy and local employment for the next update.
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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