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Home loans in Sarina.

A sugar town about 30 km south of Mackay, near the Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay coal terminals. We look for a lender whose policy fits how you earn.

  • First home grants and schemes checked
  • Shift, port and mining income
  • Local Mackay brokers
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2-minute home loan check

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What would you like to do?
A few quick questions
When are you hoping to move?
How do you earn your income?
Deposit saved, as a share of the price
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No credit check. No broker fee for most home loans. We're usually paid commission by the lender, and we disclose it in our Credit Guide before we help you with a loan.

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5.023 Google reviews, Oct 2026
Banks & specialist lendersOne conversation, many options
68 Sydney St, MackayLocal office, local knowledge
Life-of-loan serviceAnnual rate reviews included
Updated 26 October 2026

Sarina is a sugar town on the Bruce Highway about 30 km south of Mackay, home to the Plane Creek sugar mill and its ethanol plant. The Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay coal export terminals are to the north-east of town. Mackay Regional Council's growth profiles projected the Sarina and beaches area to grow by about 1,889 residents by 2036.

Housing in Sarina

Sarina is mostly houses and mostly owner-occupied. In the 2021 Census, 91.2% of occupied homes were separate houses; 35.7% were owned with a mortgage, 34.1% owned outright and 25.6% rented. The Census median rent was $300 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month (2021 figures, not today's prices).

Work in Sarina

Sarina's workforce is spread across mining, transport and agriculture. In 2021, coal mining employed 9.7% of working residents, rail freight 4.4% and sugar manufacturing 4.1%. The 2021 Census counted technicians and trades workers (20.3%) and machinery operators and drivers (17.8%) as the two largest occupations.

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. Seasonal crushing work at a sugar mill is another case where lenders look closely at how regular the income is. 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.

First home buyers in Sarina

  • 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 Sarina 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. Sarina is under the $700,000 5% Deposit Scheme cap that applies across the Mackay region. Our first home buyer check shows which ones you may be able to use.

How we work with Sarina 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 Sarina

What is the 5% Deposit Scheme price cap in Sarina?

$700,000. Sarina falls under the cap for Queensland outside Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. General information only – speak to a broker about your situation.

I do seasonal work at the sugar mill. Will lenders count it?

It depends on the lender and your history. Lenders usually want to see the income has been regular, often across more than one season, and some average it over a longer period. Payslips and income statements help.

I work shifts at the coal terminals. Do lenders count shift penalties?

Most count some. Rostered penalties are often treated much like base pay, while overtime and allowances vary more between lenders. We look for a lender whose policy fits your payslips.

Do I need to come into Mackay?

No. We work by phone, video and electronic signing, and our Sydney Street office is a short drive if you'd like to meet.

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

More areas: all the towns we help with.

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First home buyersQLD grants, $0 stamp duty on new homes and 5% deposit options.Construction loansLand and build, progress payments managed.Mining & FIFO loansRoster pay, overtime and allowances, matched to the right lender.