Yabulu

About Yabulu

Yabulu is a coastal town and locality in the City of Townsville, located approximately 25 kilometres north-west of the Townsville CBD along the Bruce Highway, with its north-eastern boundary fronting Halifax Bay on the Coral Sea. The locality covers 35 square kilometres and recorded a population of 719 at the 2021 Census, with a median household income of 7,479 reflecting a workforce centred around industry. Yabulu is dominated by a major nickel and cobalt refinery — one of the largest of its kind in Australia — which has defined the character and economy of the locality for decades.

Yabulu's identity is shaped primarily by its industrial heritage, with the refinery providing the economic backbone for much of the local working population and the nearby coastal fringe of Halifax Bay offering some recreational relief. The Bruce Highway runs through the locality and provides direct road access to Townsville's suburbs, schools, and services, including the major Stockland Townsville and Castletown Shoppingworld centres. The North Coast railway line passes through Yabulu with local stations, though regular passenger services are limited and most residents commute by car; the surrounding coastal setting with access to Halifax Bay and proximity to the natural beauty of the north Queensland coast adds to the lifestyle appeal beyond the industrial character.

Yabulu falls under postcode 4818 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Townsville electorate.

Nearby Suburbs

• Beach Holm, QLD 4818
• Black River, QLD 4818
• Bluewater, QLD 4818
• Bluewater Park, QLD 4818
• Bohle, QLD 4818
• Burdell, QLD 4818