St Pauls (Moa Island) vs Iama (Yam) Island

St Pauls (Moa Island) and Iama (Yam) Island are two distinct island communities in the Torres Strait. Iama (Yam) Island has a much stronger connection to traditional language, with 98.3% of people speaking a First Nations language, compared to 83.1% in St Pauls (Moa Island). Education levels are also far higher in Iama (Yam) Island, where 60.7% of First Nations people finished Year 12, while the figure is 43.6% in St Pauls (Moa Island). In contrast, typical personal income for First Nations people is well higher in St Pauls (Moa Island) at $541, compared to $346 in Iama (Yam) Island.

Both areas have almost identical numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with 242 in St Pauls (Moa Island) and 240 in Iama (Yam) Island. They are both car-dependent and lack basic amenities like schools, groceries, or health services within a 15-minute walk. Iama (Yam) Island is more compact, with a higher number of street intersections and a higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park.