Silkwood
QLD 4856 • Queensland
About Silkwood
Silkwood is a small rural town in the Cassowary Coast Region of Far North Queensland, situated on the Bruce Highway roughly halfway between Tully and Innisfail, approximately 25 kilometres south of Innisfail and 90 kilometres south-east of Cairns. The locality covers approximately 23 square kilometres of flat coastal lowlands and had a population of 407 people at the 2021 census. The name Silkwood derives from a timber-covered hill in the area, featuring silkwood trees native to north Queensland and prized for their fine furniture timber. The town sits in a region of high annual rainfall, lush tropical vegetation, and some of Australia's most productive sugar cane country.
Silkwood is deeply connected to Queensland's sugar industry, with the surrounding district given over almost entirely to sugar cane farming. The town has a notable Italian-Australian heritage, reflected in the annual Feast of the Three Saints celebration, a vibrant cultural tradition brought by Italian migrant workers who came to the region in the early twentieth century. Local amenities include a primary school, community hall, hotel, and basic services, with Innisfail providing the nearest full range of shops, medical facilities, and secondary schools. The Cassowary Coast is renowned for its tropical rainforests, beaches, and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area nearby.
Silkwood falls under postcode 4856 and is governed by the Cassowary Coast Council (Local Government Area). For federal elections, residents vote in the electorate of Kennedy, while state elections fall under the Hill electorate.
Location
Ad
Income
ATO taxable income Postcode 4856
Median taxable income for individual taxpayers in postcode 4856 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 4856; postcodes with fewer than 200 lodgments are suppressed by the ATO.
Transport & Commute
Bus Services
- TransLink / Greyhound coaches on Bruce Highway — Innisfail / Cairns / Townsville 25 min to Innisfail; ~1.5 hrs to Cairns
Commute to Cairns CBD
🛣️ Innisfail (~25 km) is the main service town. Cairns Airport is the nearest major airport, approx. 1 hr drive.
Small rural town where most errands require a car. Limited local services within the townsite; Innisfail provides full services.
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
No schools listed for this postcode.
Demographics
Population Growth
Gender Distribution (Census 2021)
Crime Statistics LGA-wide
These are the latest rates for the Cassowary Coast Local Government Area, which contains Silkwood. Rates are per 100,000 residents for calendar year 2025; trends compare 2 and 10 year periods.