Forest Lake, QLD 4078 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Forest Lake is a master-planned suburb in Brisbane's south-west, ~23km from the CBD, centred around a large artificial lake with surrounding parks and Forest Lake Shopping Centre. It houses a family-oriented community of around 23,000 residents with a median age in the 30s-40s. Housing is predominantly detached family homes.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 22,676
- Median age
- 37 years
- Median household income
- $1,921 /week
- Median personal income
- $801 /week
- Median family income
- $2,140 /week
- Average household size
- 2.8
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Brisbane
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Ipswich
- Remoteness classification
- Major Cities of Australia
- Federal electorate
- Oxley
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $650 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,690
- Median house price
- $955,000
- Rent share of household income
- 34%
Schools
- Grand Avenue State School
- Forest Lake State High School
- Forest Lake State School
- St John's Anglican College
Transport
- Bus routes to Brisbane CBD and Ipswich
- Richlands train station nearby
Lifestyle & amenities
Family-focused master-planned suburb developed in the 1990s, home to around 23,000 people including many young families and multicultural households. Key landmarks include the 11-hectare central lake for recreation, extensive parklands, and Forest Lake Shopping Centre serving daily needs.
- 4 restaurants
- 1 pub or bar
- 49 parks and reserves
- 2 gyms and fitness centres
- 23 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (30.4°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (22.0°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 1065 mm
- Reference station: Brisbane, 17.2 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fibre to the Node serves 36.0% of the 8,474 resolvable premises in Forest Lake. 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: 33.0%
- Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial: 31.0%
- Fibre to the Node: 36.0%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 157,985 across the Brisbane LGA in the year to April 2026 (up 5% on the prior year).
- Most common categories: 85,479 theft, 20,639 drug offences, 15,880 break-ins.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Forest Lake?
Forest Lake (QLD 4078) had 22,676 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 37. It sits within the Brisbane local government area.
What is the median rent in Forest Lake?
The median advertised rent in Forest Lake is $650/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Forest Lake?
Yes — 4 schools are listed within or near Forest Lake. Nearest include: Grand Avenue State School, Forest Lake State High School, Forest Lake State School. School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Forest Lake?
Forest Lake is predominantly served by Fibre to the Node (36% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Forest Lake?
Across the surrounding area, 157,985 offences were recorded in the 12 months to APR26. The most common offence categories were theft (85,479), drug offences (20,639), break-ins (15,880). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Forest Lake?
In Forest Lake, mean daily temperatures range from 16.5°C to 26.7°C and annual rainfall is 1,065 mm measured at the Brisbane weather station (17.2 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
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: