Torres Strait vs Alice Springs

Torres Strait and Alice Springs are both regional hubs with large First Nations populations, but they differ sharply in their layout and education. Torres Strait has far higher First Nations Year 12 completion at 52.8%, compared to 23.4% in Alice Springs. Language use is also much more common in Torres Strait, where 82.4% of people speak a First Nations language, compared to 36.5% in Alice Springs. In contrast, Alice Springs is far more walkable, with a score of 4.9 (somewhat walkable), while Torres Strait is 2.1 (mostly car-dependent).

These two areas have tracked similarly since 2011, maintaining a close gap in typical First Nations personal incomes, which sit at $470 in Torres Strait and $452 in Alice Springs. Life in Alice Springs is more centralised, with 86.4% of homes within a 10 minute walk of public transport, while no homes in Torres Strait have that same access. This accessibility helps explain the gap in local amenities, as Alice Springs has far higher shares of homes within a 15 minute walk of schools and groceries.