Mount Isa vs Port Augusta

Mount Isa and Port Augusta are distant regional hubs with very different layouts and social profiles. Port Augusta has a much larger First Nations presence, with 30.4% of people speaking a First Nations language compared to 7.8% in Mount Isa. Infrastructure also differs; 52.4% of Port Augusta homes are within a 10 minute walk of public transport, while Mount Isa has 0.0%. Conversely, Mount Isa is more walkable for basic needs, with 69.8% of homes within a 15 minute walk of a school and 75.2% near a park.

Both areas have similar populations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, around 8,300 each, and both are mostly car-dependent. The gap in First Nations outcomes varies, with Mount Isa seeing higher typical household incomes of $1,303 compared to $1,020 in Port Augusta. While the two towns are far apart, the gap in their general walkability scores has remained small, with both sitting well below the national figure.