Moving to Sarina QLD 4737
What the official numbers say about living in Sarina — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $300 a week, against a median household income of $1,605 a week.
About 72% of homes are owner-occupied and 26% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Sarina shrank 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (5,730 → 5,619 people).
Around 74% of households are families, averaging 2.6 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: New Zealand, England, Philippines; most spoken languages besides English: Afrikaans, Tagalog, Filipino.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Sarina scores below the national average (decile 2 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (88% of workers), while 6% work from home.
Nearest train station: Sarina, 1000 m south-east.
Nearest railway halt: Jilalan, 3.9 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Mackay Airport, 27.9 km north.
The Brisbane CBD is roughly 776 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 3 schools · 3 cafes & restaurants · 2 supermarkets · 5 parks — see them all on the Sarina profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Sarina State High School 250 m · St Annes Catholic Primary School 700 m · Sarina State Primary School 900 m
Groceries: IGA 750 m · Woolworths 1 km
Parks and reserves: Anzac Square 600 m · Visitor Information Centre 1 km · Field of Dreams Historical Centre 1.2 km · Apex Park 1.4 km · Lando Street Park 1.8 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Sarina, most often seen first: Magpie-lark · Rainbow Lorikeet · Torresian Crow · Australasian Figbird · Masked Lapwing · Willie Wagtail.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Sarina, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarina here | 5,619 | — | 2/10 | 38% |
| Grasstree Beach | 717 | — | 4/10 | 40% |
| Hay Point | 1,306 | — | 3/10 | 20% |
| Bakers Creek | 1,590 | — | 4/10 | 18% |
| Paget | 339 | — | 1/10 | 11% |
| Ooralea | 3,691 | — | 7/10 | 3% |
| South Mackay | 6,918 | — | 2/10 | 9% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Mackay — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Capricornia — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 4737 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Sarina profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $300 a week, and about 26% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 5,730 people to 5,619. It sits about 776 km from the Brisbane CBD in a straight line, and Sarina station is roughly 1 km away. Local government is Mackay council, and the federal seat is Capricornia.
Weighing up alternatives?
Nearby guides: Grasstree Beach · Hay Point · Bakers Creek · Paget · Ooralea · South Mackay.
Keep an eye on Sarina
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