Moving to Brinsmead QLD 4870
What the official numbers say about living in Brinsmead — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $450 a week, against a median household income of $2,190 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Brinsmead grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (5,234 → 5,537 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Japan; most spoken languages besides English: Japanese, Korean, Cantonese.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Brinsmead sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (82% of workers), while 17% work from home.
Nearest train station: Freshwater, 2.3 km north.
Nearest bus interchange: Airport Connect Terminal 2, 5 km north-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Reef Fleet Terminal, 7.3 km east.
Nearest airport: Cairns Airport, 4.6 km north-east.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1395 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 14 schools · 14 cafes & restaurants · 7 supermarkets · 42 parks — see them all on the Brinsmead profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Freshwater Christian College 1.1 km · St. Andrews Catholic College 1.6 km · Whitfield State School 1.9 km · Redlynch State College 2.3 km · Freshwater State School 2.3 km · Edge Hill State School 3 km · Holy Spirit College 3.4 km · Peace Lutheran College 3.7 km
Groceries: Coles 1.8 km · Woolworths 1.8 km · IGA 2.4 km · Lyke's Mini Mart 2.4 km · IGA X-Press 2.6 km · Friendly Grocer 2.8 km · Peries IGA 2.9 km
Parks and reserves: Matheson Drive Park 400 m · Chapel Close Park 500 m · Glenoma Park 750 m · Brinsmead Park Reserve 800 m · Loridan Drive Reserve 800 m · Chesterfield Close Park 950 m · Samuel Christensen Park 1000 m · Ryan Park 1000 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Brinsmead, most often seen first: Common Myna · Magpie-lark · Willie Wagtail · Rainbow Lorikeet · Orange-footed Scrubfowl · Masked Lapwing.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Brinsmead, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brinsmead here | 5,537 | — | 8/10 | 66% |
| Whitfield | 4,262 | — | 7/10 | 75% |
| Freshwater | 2,142 | — | 8/10 | 70% |
| Kanimbla | 2,827 | — | 9/10 | 63% |
| Redlynch | 10,571 | — | 9/10 | 78% |
| Edge Hill | 4,088 | — | 7/10 | 48% |
| Manoora | 6,175 | — | 1/10 | 28% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Cairns — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Leichhardt — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4870 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Brinsmead profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $450 a week.
The population grew 6% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 5,234 people to 5,537. It sits about 1395 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Freshwater station is roughly 2.3 km away. Local government is Cairns council, and the federal seat is Leichhardt.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Brinsmead vs Whitfield · Brinsmead vs Freshwater.
Nearby guides: Whitfield · Freshwater · Kanimbla · Redlynch · Edge Hill · Manoora.
Keep an eye on Brinsmead
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