Julia Creek
QLD 4823 • Queensland
About Julia Creek
Julia Creek is a remote outback town and locality in the McKinlay Shire of Queensland's Gulf Country, situated approximately 138 kilometres east of Cloncurry and 1,600 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. Despite covering an extraordinarily large area of over 6,184 square kilometres of semi-arid Mitchell grass plains, the town itself has a compact population of 549 at the 2021 Census. The economy is driven primarily by the vast cattle stations that characterise this corner of northwest Queensland, with the town serving as an essential service hub for the surrounding pastoral region.
Julia Creek is perhaps best known as the home of the annual Dirt 'N' Dust Triathlon, which draws hundreds of competitors from across Australia to this remote setting each year. The town has a pub, essential services, a school, and a hospital, providing the basics for the resilient community of station workers, families, and long-term locals. The locality also lies along the Inlander rail route between Townsville and Mount Isa, and the Burke Developmental Road links it to the region's cattle industry.
Julia Creek falls under postcode 4823 and is governed by the McKinlay Council (Local Government Area). For federal elections, residents vote in the electorate of Kennedy, while state elections fall under the Traeger electorate.
Location
Ad
Income
ATO taxable income Postcode 4823
Median taxable income for individual taxpayers in postcode 4823 for the 2023–24 financial year (2019–20 data not published for this postcode).
Source: ATO Taxation Statistics 2023–24, Individuals Table 8 (median & average taxable income by postcode). Covers all individuals who lodged a return in postcode 4823; postcodes with fewer than 200 lodgments are suppressed by the ATO.
Transport & Commute
Nearest Train Stations
Bus Services
- Greyhound Australia (limited outback services) — Mount Isa / Townsville Approx. 2h to Cloncurry; 4h+ to Mount Isa
Commute to Brisbane CBD
🛣️ Julia Creek Airport provides occasional charter flights; Cloncurry Airport (~138km) has regular flights to Mount Isa and Townsville
Small outback town where basic errands are possible on foot in the town centre, but the remote location means a vehicle is essential for most needs
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
-
Burke Street
Demographics
Population Growth
Gender Distribution (Census 2021)
Crime Statistics LGA-wide
These are the latest rates for the McKinlay Local Government Area, which contains Julia Creek. Rates are per 100,000 residents for calendar year 2025; trends compare 2 and 10 year periods.