Mapoon vs Weipa

Mapoon and Weipa are two Queensland towns located about 68km apart, but they differ sharply in their economic and social profiles. Weipa has far higher First Nations household incomes, with a typical $2,910 compared to $911 in Mapoon. This economic gap is seen in the job market, where the First Nations unemployment rate is far higher in Mapoon at 33.7% compared to just 4.1% in Weipa. Education and language also differ, with Year 12 completion far higher in Weipa (59.2% versus 21.6% in Mapoon), while Mapoon has a far higher share of people speaking a First Nations language at 42.6%.

Both towns are essentially car-dependent, with 0.0% of homes in either place sitting within a 15-minute-city walkshed. This lack of walkable access is most extreme in Mapoon, where no homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, health service, or grocery store. Weipa provides more local access, with 62.5% of homes within walking distance of a school and 21.3% near health services. Weipa also has a far larger First Nations population, with 814 people compared to 338 in Mapoon.