Question 1

Is Mareeba a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Mareeba sits on the Atherton Tablelands as an inland tropical service town surrounded by orchards, coffee country and cattle properties. The centre has a compact main street of shops and cafes, while housing ranges from older timber cottages and suburban blocks to larger rural lots and acreage. Nearby granite outcrops, national park country and waterfalls make the area popular for bushwalking, birdwatching and farm-based lifestyles. The community numbers 11,825 people, with a median age of 41 and a median household income of $1,282 a week; families are prominent, with couple families without children (44.5%) and with children (34.8%) together accounting for 79.3% of families.

Mareeba is the focus of a council-led CBD renewal and a number of local infrastructure upgrades, and Mareeba Airport plus the Kennedy Highway provide links to the coast and outback. That mix of rural lifestyle, a compact town centre and a community weighted towards owner-occupation means Mareeba will suit people seeking agricultural connections and easy access to bushwalking and other outdoor pursuits; whether it fits you depends on what you want.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Mareeba?

Accepted Answer

At about $598,000, a house in Mareeba 4880 works out to roughly 9.0 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, which places buying a house well above local incomes. Renting a house at about $550 a week would use about 42.9% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, a large share, while renting a unit at about $380 a week would take about 29.6% of that weekly income, a moderate share. On these figures, renting, particularly a unit, looks more manageable than buying for someone on a typical local household income at the last Census.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Question 3

Is Mareeba a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

The standout over the past 12 months in Mareeba is unit rents, which jumped 25.4%. Unit values also rose strongly, up 17.8%, while house values climbed 14.8% and house rents increased 10.0% over the year. The value figures point to notable capital growth for both houses and units this year, and the rent figures show that the income a unit would earn has risen more sharply than its price. If rental income is your priority the unit side is the clearest mover; how that fits your goals and circumstances is for you to weigh up.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	$598K	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	14.8%	17.8%
Sold Past 3 months	48	3
Median days on market Past 12 months	32	36
Average rent Past 12 months	$550	$380
Change in rent Past 12 months	10.0%	25.4%

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