919
Lower than 58% of indigenous area areas.
The number of people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Great Sandy Desert · Indigenous Area
First Nations in Great Sandy Desert
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities — how many people identify as First Nations, and how they fare on age, schooling, work, income and language. From the ABS 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Profile; the ABS notes these counts are an undercount.
An overwhelming 84.9% of First Nations people in Great Sandy Desert speak a traditional language, far above the national figure. While the area has a young population of 919 First Nations residents, it faces severe challenges with very low typical incomes and high unemployment.
919
- 1–1: 8 areas
- 1–2: 0 areas
- 2–3: 0 areas
- 3–4: 1 area
- 4–6: 1 area
- 6–9: 0 areas
- 9–12: 3 areas
- 12–18: 0 areas
- 18–25: 1 area
- 25–36: 0 areas
- 36–52: 1 area
- 52–74: 0 areas
- 74–106: 0 areas
- 106–151: 5 areas
- 151–217: 5 areas
- 217–310: 9 areas
- 310–444: 33 areas
- 444–636: 49 areas
- 636–910: 60 areas
- 910–1,302: 78 areas
- 1,302–1,864: 44 areas
- 1,864–2,668: 53 areas
- 2,668–3,819: 28 areas
- 3,819–5,466: 23 areas
- 5,466–7,823: 15 areas
- 7,823–11,198: 6 areas
- 11,198–16,027: 6 areas
- 16,027–22,940: 1 area
All indigenous area areas, 2021. The marker is Great Sandy Desert — lower than 58% of areas.
| Great Sandy Desert | 919 |
|---|---|
| Western Australia | 88,693 |
Population & age
How many people identify as First Nations, and the typical age.
The typical First Nations resident is 25, which is a little older than the state and national figures.
25 yrs
Older than 57% of indigenous area areas.
Median age of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — half are older, half younger.
Education
School completion among First Nations people.
Year 12 completion is very low here, with only 16.7% of First Nations people finishing school, far below the national figure of 37%.
16.7%
Lower than 89% of indigenous area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Work
Engagement with the labour force.
Unemployment for First Nations people is among the highest for similar areas at 56%, which is far above the Australian rate of 12.3%.
56.0%
Higher than 99% of indigenous area areas.
Unemployed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a share of the First Nations labour force (aged 15+).
Income
Personal and household incomes.
Typical incomes are among the lowest in the country, with household income at $788 and personal income at $281, both far below Western Australian figures.
$281
Lower than 95% of indigenous area areas.
Median total personal income per week for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15+.
$788
Lower than 99% of indigenous area areas.
Median total weekly income for households with one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members.
Language & culture
Use of an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Language is a strong point of culture here, as 84.9% of First Nations people speak a traditional language, far above the 12.3% seen across Australia.
84.9%
Higher than 95% of indigenous area areas.
Share of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use an Australian Indigenous language at home.
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Great Sandy Desert
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). First Nations in Great Sandy Desert [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/iare/IARE504002/great-sandy-desert/topic/first-nations