Moving to Black River QLD 4818
What the official numbers say about living in Black River — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $320 a week, against a median household income of $1,883 a week.
About 89% of homes are owner-occupied and 10% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Black River shrank 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,522 → 1,493 people).
Around 80% of households are families, averaging 2.7 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, United States; most spoken languages besides English: Italian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Black River sits around the national average (decile 4 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (88% of workers), while 11% work from home.
Nearest airport: RAAF Base Townsville;Townsville Airport, 15 km east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1124 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 1 school — see them all on the Black River profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Saint Anthonys Catholic College 3.9 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Black River, most often seen first: Peaceful Dove · Masked Lapwing · Magpie-lark · Rainbow Lorikeet · Yellow Honeyeater · Black Kite.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Black River, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black River here | 1,493 | — | 4/10 | 28% |
| Jensen | 1,797 | — | 6/10 | 23% |
| Mount Low | 5,488 | — | 6/10 | 21% |
| Deeragun | 4,273 | — | 2/10 | 20% |
| Bushland Beach | 6,641 | — | 7/10 | 31% |
| Burdell | 7,171 | — | 7/10 | 23% |
| Bluewater | 1,085 | — | 4/10 | 41% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Townsville — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Herbert — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4818 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Black River profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $320 a week, and about 10% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,522 people to 1,493. It sits about 1124 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line. Local government is Townsville council, and the federal seat is Herbert.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Black River vs Jensen · Black River vs Deeragun.
Nearby guides: Jensen · Mount Low · Deeragun · Bushland Beach · Burdell · Bluewater.
Keep an eye on Black River
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