Qld’s safest and most dangerous suburbs revealed

Queensland’s southeast and far north are home to the state’s most dangerous suburbs, new figures show, while the safest place to be is just a short drive away from Brisbane.

The Gulf Country, Townsville, Ipswich and Logan are home to the state’s most dangerous suburbs, while the Granite Belt has the safest suburbs.

Data released this week from insurance giant Budget Direct showed of the top 10 most dangerous postcodes in Queensland, three were from Townsville and three from Logan.

Logan had 12 suburbs in the top 50 which are most affected by property crime, with nine at the Gold Coast, eight in Townsville and five in Ipswich.

Seven Brisbane suburbs made the top 50.

In a strange twist, the safe suburb data showed suburban crime across Queensland had been a casualty of the Covid pandemic.

Lockdowns forced many to spend more time at home during the day, with household crime across the state falling by an average of 18 per cent in some of the state’s most dangerous addresses.

The most dangerous postcode in the state was at 4830, which takes in Augustus Downs in the Gulf Country.

There were 627 property crimes in Augustus Downs in 2020, the highest out of 365 suburbs and postcodes surveyed by insurance giant Budget Direct.

Police lead a patrol after a series of crimes in Townsville suburbs. File PHOTO

While the Gulf, dominated by a large cattle station, topped the list, Townsville suburbs got the most rankings in the top 10.

Currajong, Aitkenvale, Belgian Gardens and Alice River were ranked second, third and tenth most dangerous suburbs in Queensland.

There were 4648 crimes committed in Currajong in the suburb’s 8108 households, which was slightly more than the 8868 crimes committed in nearby Aitkenvale’s 16,281 households.

Ipswich’s suburb of Dinmore, home to the local meat works JBS Australia, was named the state’s fourth most dangerous.

Ipswich suburbs made the top 10 list of most dangerous for being hit with property crime.

There were 726 crimes committed in Dinmore’s 1380 households over the year, just above other Ipswich suburbs of Blackstone and Collingwood Park, which came in at 15th and 16th.

Brisbane’s southern neighbour Logan, also fared poorly with Berrinba, Loganlea and Underwood in the top 10 for crimes committed in houses in 2020.

Berrinba, the state’s fifth most dangerous suburb, had 461 property crimes and burglaries over the year.

Loganlea was sixth on the most dangerous suburb list with 1684 property crimes and Underwood had 978 making it the state’s ninth most dangerous address.

Logan Guardian Angels patrol suburban streets to keep crime in check.

Logan’s Guardian Angels, a group which patrols crime in the area, said Logan residents had suffered greatly during the pandemic and anecdotal evidence suggested crime in certain suburbs such as Logan Central and Woodridge had risen over the past year.

Guardian Angel Ed Hornery said the number of used syringes had increased around Woodridge but after Logan City Council action in some spots, numbers had fallen.

For those looking for a safe spot to buy a home and raise a family, 15 of the top 50 safest postcodes in Queensland were on the Darling Downs and Maranoa with nine in the Granite Belt.

Outback Queensland fared well with seven suburbs listed as safest, six in the Fitzroy area, six in Moreton Bay, five in Wide Bay and four on the Sunshine Coast.

In Redland city, residents in at least 15 streets have contracted a private security firm to patrol the streets after dark.

MSE Security is now offering community residential patrol services in Raby Bay and surrounding areas in the Redlands for $5 a street, with a number of residents signing up for a trial.

LOGAN

In Logan, the Safe suburbs are: Bethania (4205); Carbrook (4130); Crestmead (4132); and Kimberley Park (4128).

The most dangerous suburbs where the property crime rate is high are Browns Plains (4118); Kingston (4114); Underwood (4119); Loganlea (4131) and Berrinba (4117)

IPSWICH

The four safest postcodes in Ipswich are Aratula (4309); Marburg (4346); Ashwell (4340); Augustine Heights (4300).

The worst addresses for property crimes were Basin Pocket (4305); Collingwood Park (4301); Blackstone (4304) and Dinmore (4303).

MORETON BAY

The safest postcodes in Moreton Bay Regional Council were Bunya (4055); Biarra (4313); Bellthorpe (4514); Armstrong Creek (4520) and Campbells Pocket (4521)

The highest for property crimes were Lawnton (4501); Mango Hill (4509); Moorina (4506); Kippa-Ring (4021); and Rothwell (4022).

Queensland residents have hired MSE Security Services, directed by Shane Logan to patrol their streets at night. Picture: Steve Pohlner

REDLANDS

The safest postcodes in Redlands were King Island (Erobin) (4160): Thorneside (4158); Coochiemudlo Island (4184); Amity (4183); and Birkdale (4159).

The least safest postcodes in Redland were at

Alexandra Hills (4161); Mt Cotton (4165); Cleveland (4163); and Capalaba (4157).

BRISBANE

Brisbane East

The safest postcodes in Brisbane were at Gumdale (4154); Bulwer (4025); Lota (4179); Balmoral (4171).

The least safest postcodes were at Murarrie (4172): East Brisbane (4169); Cannon Hill (4170); Chandler (4155); and Tingalpa (4173).

Brisbane West

The safest postcodes in Brisbane’s west were at Anstead (4070); The Gap (4061): Bardon (4065); Ironside (4067) (St Lucia); and Brookfield (4069).

Brisbane west’s least safest postcodes were at Baroona Paddington (4064) Doolandella (4077); Chelmer (4068); Darra (4076) and Brisbane Market (4106).

Brisbane North

The safest suburbs in Brisbane’s north were at Bracken Ridge (4017); Fitzgibbon (4018); Bald Hills (4036); Aspley (4034); and Alderley (4051).

The least safest suburbs in Brisbane’s north were at Kedron (4031); Eildon Hill Lutwyche (4030); Northgate (4013): Banyo (4014); and Chermside (4032).

Brisbane South

The safest suburbs where there was a low rate of property crime in the past year were at Ekibin Holland Park (4121); Eight Mile Plains (4113): Calamvale (4116); Griffith University Nathan (4111) and Belmont (4153).

The least safest postcodes in Brisbane south were at Altandi (4109); Burbank (4156); Mansfield (4122); Archerfield (4108); and Acacia Ridge (4110).

Brisbane Inner-City

Ranked safest to least safest:

● 4005 NEW FARM

● 4007 ASCOT

● 4101 HIGHGATE HILL

● 4010 ALBION

● 4102 BURANDA

● 4006 BOWEN BRIDGE

● 4000 BRISBANE

BUDGET DIRECT DATA: HERE