Cardwell, QLD 4849 — Suburb Profile

Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team

In short

Cardwell is a suburb of Queensland, postcode 4849, home to 1,320 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Cassowary Coast local government area (Very Remote Australia) and roughly 1249 km from the Brisbane CBD.

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Snapshot

Median rent$250 /wk
Population1,320
Median age60
Area31.6 km²
To CBD1249 km
LGACassowary Coast

Demographics

Population
1,320
Median age
60 years
Median household income
$846 /week
Median personal income
$508 /week
Median family income
$1,172 /week
Average household size
1.9
Persons per bedroom
0.8
Local government area
Cassowary Coast
Statistical region (SA4)
Cairns
Remoteness classification
Very Remote Australia
Federal electorate
Kennedy
Source: ABS QuickStats
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Property & cost of living

Median rent
$250 /week
Median monthly mortgage
$1,278
Rent share of household income
30%

Schools

  • Cardwell State School Primary · Government

Transport

Transport data refreshes monthly from state GTFS feeds.

Lifestyle & amenities

  • 4 cafés
  • 3 restaurants
  • 2 pubs and bars
  • 8 parks and reserves
  • 1 library
  • 1 supermarket
  • 2 playgrounds

Counts within roughly 5 km of the suburb centre. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Climate

Climate normals from the Bureau of Meteorology.

NBN & connectivity

Fibre to the Node serves 70.4% of the 1,151 resolvable premises in Cardwell. Most premises here connect via fibre to a street cabinet, then copper into the home. Speeds depend heavily on the copper run length — NBN 100 is rarely achievable on long runs.

  • Fibre to the Premises: 29.2%
  • Fibre to the Node: 70.4%
  • Fixed Wireless: 0.1%
  • Sky Muster (Satellite): 0.3%

Snapshot 2026-04-28. Tech mix from Luke Prior's NBN upgrade map (MIT licensed). Verify any specific address on NBN Co's address tool.

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Safety

  • Recorded offences: 3,064 across the Cassowary Coast LGA in the year to April 2026 (up 10% on the prior year).
  • Most common categories: 1,185 theft, 600 drug offences, 503 violent offences.

Figures cover the whole Cassowary Coast — suburb-level data is not published for QLD.

Other suburbs in Cassowary Coast

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Cardwell?

Cardwell (QLD 4849) had 1,320 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 60. It sits within the Cassowary Coast local government area.

What is the median rent in Cardwell?

The median advertised rent in Cardwell is $250/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.

Are there schools in Cardwell?

Yes — 1 school is listed within or near Cardwell covering government sectors. Nearest include: Cardwell State School (0.1 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.

What NBN technology is available in Cardwell?

Cardwell is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (70.4% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.

How safe is Cardwell?

Across the surrounding area, 3,064 offences were recorded in the 12 months to APR26. The most common offence categories were theft (1,185), drug offences (600), violent (503). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.

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Sources & methodology

Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.

Additional sources for this profile: