If you live on the Gold Coast, you live somewhere with the highest melanoma rate in the world. Queensland tops both the global and national tables for melanoma risk — which makes an annual skin check one of the simplest things you can do for your long-term health.
The numbers that matter
- Queenslanders have a lifetime risk of 2 in 3 of being diagnosed with a skin cancer — BCC, SCC or melanoma.
- More than 3,600 Queenslanders are diagnosed with melanoma every year, and over 350,000 non-melanoma skin cancers are treated annually across the state.
- Queensland’s overall cancer rate is around 13% higher than the national average — driven largely by melanoma.
- Our UV index sits at 3 or above all year round. There’s no “safe season” here.
- When melanoma is caught early, five-year survival is around 94%. Early detection is what makes the biggest difference.
Risk rises with age
Skin cancer risk doesn’t switch on at one age — it builds steadily over a lifetime as sun exposure accumulates. Melanoma incidence keeps climbing right up into the 80s, and the average age at diagnosis is in the early-to-mid 60s.
Melanoma is the most common life threatening cancer in the 15-44 age group and the third most common in both men and women overall.
That means checks matter at every age, but they matter more, not less, the older you get.
Why the risk is higher in Queensland
- Year-round UV — skin damage can start after just 10 minutes on a high-UV day, even in winter.
- Latitude — we sit closer to the equator, meaning more direct, intense sun exposure.
- Outdoor lifestyle — more time at the beach, on the water and outdoors means more cumulative exposure over a lifetime.
- Fair skin prevalence — a large share of the population has UV-sensitive skin, raising baseline risk.
- Repeat risk — anyone who’s had one melanoma has a meaningfully higher chance of a second, which is why ongoing checks matter even after treatment.
Hear from Dr Paul Clarke
Dr Paul Clarke, our General Practitioner, leads our skin cancer medicine service. In the videos below, he answers the questions we hear most often — why an annual skin check, not just a check when you notice something, is one of the most valuable habits for your health.
Watch & learn — tap a question to play
Book your skin check
If it’s been over 12 months since your last check, now’s the time. Call The Coastal Clinic on 07 5683 0820 or email admin@thecoastalclinic.com.au to book with Dr Paul Clarke.
This article is general health information, not individual medical advice. Please speak with your doctor about your personal skin cancer risk.
Sources: Queensland Government Health; Cancer Council Australia; Cancer Australia; Report of the Chief Health Officer Queensland; QIMR Berghofer / Skin Cancer Prevention Queensland.
