Moving to Rowes Bay QLD 4810
What the official numbers say about living in Rowes Bay — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $265 a week, against a median household income of $853 a week.
About 50% of homes are owner-occupied and 27% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the townhouse.
Who you'll be living with
Rowes Bay grew 0% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (539 → 541 people).
Around 42% of households are families, averaging 1.7 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Germany; most spoken languages besides English: Afrikaans, Hindi, Italian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Rowes Bay sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (90% of workers), while 10% work from home.
Nearest train station: Townsville, 4.2 km south-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Magnetic Island Ferries - Townsville Terminal, 4.7 km south-east.
Nearest airport: RAAF Base Townsville;Townsville Airport, 2.9 km south-west.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 1115 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 13 schools · 4 cafes & restaurants · 17 parks · 4 beaches — see them all on the Rowes Bay profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Belgian Gardens State School 1.7 km · Townsville Grammar School 2.4 km · Garbutt State School 2.9 km · Townsville Central State School 3.1 km · Saint Patricks College 3.7 km · Townsville West State School 3.7 km · Saint Josephs School 3.7 km · Townsville Christian College 4.3 km
Parks and reserves: National Servicemen's Memorial Park 750 m · Soroptimist Park 950 m · Hooper Street Park 1.2 km · Rowes Bay Park 1.2 km · Norman Park 1.7 km · Yarrawonga Park 1.8 km · Parade Ground 1.9 km · Brigaider North Park 2 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Rowes Bay, most often seen first: Australian White Ibis · Rainbow Bee-eater · Peaceful Dove · Masked Lapwing · Brown Honeyeater · Great Egret.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Rowes Bay, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowes Bay here | 541 | — | 8/10 | 13% |
| Belgian Gardens | 2,073 | — | 8/10 | 18% |
| Castle Hill | 972 | — | 10/10 | 51% |
| North Ward | 5,073 | — | 7/10 | 14% |
| West End | 3,891 | — | 4/10 | 16% |
| Garbutt | 2,309 | — | 1/10 | 2% |
| Townsville City | 2,945 | — | 9/10 | 8% |
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 4810 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Rowes Bay profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $265 a week, and about 27% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 0% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 539 people to 541. It sits about 1115 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Townsville station is roughly 4.2 km away. Local government is Townsville council, and the federal seat is Herbert.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Rowes Bay vs Belgian Gardens · Rowes Bay vs Castle Hill.
Nearby guides: Belgian Gardens · Castle Hill · North Ward · West End · Garbutt · Townsville City.
Keep an eye on Rowes Bay
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