Dysart is a Bowen Basin coal town in the Isaac Region, about 240 km south-west of Mackay. It was built from 1973, 25 km south of the Saraji mine, as a home for the workforce of the Saraji and Norwich Park mines. Norwich Park closed in 2012. Several coal mines still operate near town, including BHP Mitsubishi Alliance's Saraji mine.
Housing in Dysart
Dysart is a town of houses: in the 2021 Census, 91.8% of occupied homes were separate houses. Most were rented (60.3%), and only about one home in six (15.9%) had a mortgage. On Census night 38.3% of private dwellings were unoccupied. The Census median rent was $100 a week and the median mortgage repayment $672 a month. These are 2021 figures and describe the town, not today's prices.
Work in Dysart
Coal mining employed 41.1% of working residents in 2021, and labour supply services (labour hire) a further 5.8%. A third of workers (33.1%) were machinery operators and drivers. If you're on labour hire or a new contract, the lender you choose matters as much as the income itself.
Roster income
Base pay is the easy part. Overtime, shift penalties, site and travel allowances, bonuses, labour hire and contracting are where lenders differ, and two lenders can count quite different amounts from the same payslips. Our free Mining & FIFO Borrower Pack has a printable document checklist and a plain-English guide to how lenders usually look at each part of your pay.
Buying in Dysart: what lenders look at
Lenders don't all treat 4745 the same way. Some limit lending in some regional and mining-town postcodes, for example by asking for a bigger deposit or lending a smaller share of the value; others are comfortable lending there. Policies change, so we check current lender policy for 4745 before you apply, not after.
First home buyers in Dysart
- Queensland First Home Owner Grant: $30,000 for first home buyers who buy or build a new home valued under $750,000 (including land), for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. It doesn't apply to established homes.
- Transfer duty (stamp duty): first home buyers pay no duty on a new home, or on vacant land to build one, for contracts from 1 May 2025, with no value cap. On an established home there's no duty up to $700,000, and partial relief for homes valued under $800,000.
- Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme: buy with a 5% deposit and no lenders mortgage insurance, through a participating lender. The price cap for Dysart is $700,000. The higher $1,000,000 cap in Queensland applies only to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
- Residency: for contracts from 1 August 2026, Queensland's home and first home duty concessions are generally limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and specified foreign retirees.
Each program has its own rules, set by the Queensland Revenue Office or the Australian Government, and the rules can change. The grant only applies to new homes, so in a town of mostly established houses like Dysart it's most likely to matter if you build. Our first home buyer check shows which ones you may be able to use.
How we work with Dysart clients
Our office is at 68 Sydney Street in Mackay. We work by phone, video and electronic signing, so most clients never need to come in. On roster? Text or WhatsApp 0458 773 002 and we'll call when you're off shift.
Common questions about Dysart
Can I get a home loan to buy in Dysart?
Often, yes, but the lender matters. Some lenders limit lending in some mining-town postcodes or ask for a bigger deposit, and others are comfortable lending in 4745. We check current policy before you apply. General information only – speak to a broker about your situation.
I work at a Dysart mine through a labour hire company. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily. Some lenders treat a long-running labour hire placement much like permanent work; others want a longer history or treat it more like casual income. Your contract, payslips and work history all help.
What is the 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in Dysart?
$700,000. In Queensland, the higher $1,000,000 cap applies only to Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.
I live in Mackay and drive in to Dysart. Can you help?
Yes. We help DIDO and FIFO workers buy in Mackay, near site, or both. We work around your roster with calls, texts and electronic signing.
General information only – speak to a broker about your situation. Census figures are from the ABS 2021 Census of Population and Housing and describe the area in August 2021, not today's prices.
Sources
- ABS 2021 Census QuickStats: Dysart (Qld) SAL30913
- Dysart State High School (Queensland Government): our local area
- Isaac Regional Council: Dysart
- Queensland Places (University of Queensland): Dysart
- Queensland Government: First home owner grant ($30,000 for new homes, contracts from 1 July 2026)
- Queensland Revenue Office: First home concession (established homes)
- Queensland Revenue Office: First home (new home) concession
- Queensland Revenue Office: State Budget 2026 (residency from 1 August 2026)
- firsthomebuyers.gov.au: 5% Deposit Scheme property price caps
More areas: all the towns we help with.