Mackay vs Sarina

Mackay and Sarina are two Queensland areas with very different layouts. Mackay is a somewhat walkable hub where 63% of homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 81.1% are near public transport. In contrast, Sarina is mostly car-dependent, with only 22% of homes near groceries and 21.6% near public transport. Mackay also has a far larger First Nations population, with 5,772 people compared to 857 in Sarina.

These two areas are almost identical when it comes to First Nations incomes, with typical personal incomes sitting at $699 in Sarina and $699 in Mackay. While they share this economic similarity, their access to services remains far apart. Mackay has far more amenity types within a short walk, and its First Nations Year 12 completion rate of 46.5% is well higher than the 41.1% seen in Sarina.