South-Eastern NSW vs Mount Isa

South-Eastern NSW and Mount Isa are both vast regional areas, but they differ sharply in how people get around and their First Nations populations. Public transport is far more accessible in South-Eastern NSW, where 65.2% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of a stop, compared to 0.0% in Mount Isa. However, Mount Isa has much better access to schools, with 69.8% of homes within a 15-minute walk compared to 41.2% in South-Eastern NSW. South-Eastern NSW has a far larger First Nations population at 17,504 people, and these residents generally have higher typical personal incomes ($584) and better Year 12 completion rates (33.0%) than those in Mount Isa.

Both areas are mostly car-dependent, with walkability scores that are very similar. They also share a similar profile for First Nations residents, as the typical age in both places is around 24 or 25 years old. While Mount Isa has a higher share of people who speak a First Nations language (7.8% compared to 3.7%), the gap in First Nations unemployment is notable, with the rate being well higher in Mount Isa at 15.9%.