Victoria exc. Melbourne vs Cairns - Atherton

Victoria exc. Melbourne and Cairns - Atherton are both expansive regional areas, but they differ sharply in their First Nations populations and layout. In Cairns - Atherton, 22.1% of people speak a First Nations language, which is far higher than the 4.3% in Victoria exc. Melbourne. This difference is reflected in the First Nations unemployment rate, which is well higher in Cairns - Atherton at 18.2% compared to 10.4% in Victoria exc. Melbourne. In contrast, Victoria exc. Melbourne is more connected for pedestrians, with a far higher share of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport (64.2% versus 46.8%).

Both areas share very similar typical First Nations household incomes, which sit at $1,371 in Victoria exc. Melbourne and $1,338 in Cairns - Atherton. While Victoria exc. Melbourne generally has better access to schools and health services within a 15-minute walk, both areas are described as somewhat walkable. They also both have high proportions of homes within a short walk of a park, with figures sitting at 79.0% and 76.0% respectively.