Council (LGA) · Area profile
Shark Bay
24,202 km²
A vast area of 24,201 square kilometres, Shark Bay is a remote coastal community with a population that grew 20% to reach 1,031 people. It is an older community than the national average, where nearly 21% of residents are seniors. The area is notable for its high proportion of recent overseas arrivals and a strong presence of First Nations people. This mix of backgrounds creates a distinctive regional hub where a large number of residents live alone or in smaller households.
Shark Bay is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The typical resident is 43, which is noticeably older than the state and national figure of 38. About 9.8% of the population is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a figure that is well above the national average and has risen since 2011.
While 62.2% of people were born in Australia, 21.3% were born overseas, though this is far below the state average. Australian and English ancestries are the most common, making up 36.2% and 34.0% respectively.
English is the main language for 74% of the community. The proportion of people using another language at home rose 6.5 percentage points since 2011 to reach 9.4%, although this remains far below the national figure.
Almost half of the population (48.0%) reported having no religion, which is well above the national average. This represents a significant shift in the community, with the figure rising 17 percentage points since 2011.
Fifteen percent of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national average. Year 12 completion is also much lower than most areas, sitting at 39.2%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,187, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.2% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a result that is much lower than most other areas.
Residents are generally healthier than those in other areas, with only 22.3% reporting a long-term health condition. Those needing help with daily activities are also much lower than the national average at 3.2%.
Volunteering is common here, with 20.3% of people helping out, which is well above the national figure. The area also has a higher-than-average rate of former Defence Force members at 3.9%.
First Nations residents are far older than the national average with a typical age of 41. While the unemployment rate for this group is among the lowest at 0.0%, household income is well below the national figure.
Many people live alone here—38.1% of households—which is far above the national average. Because of this, the average home contains only 2.1 people, much lower than most other areas.
Renters make up 35% of the community, which is well above the national average. Weekly rent is lower than most areas at $220, and 34.7% of homes are owned outright.
The community relies almost entirely on cars, with no public transport routes or stops available. About 23.4% of people walk to work, which is a high proportion compared to most areas.
The area sees significant movement, with 42.5% of people having moved in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas have risen 17 percentage points since 2011 to reach 29.1%.
Full-time employment is higher than the national average at 63.8%, and the unemployment rate is among the lowest at 2.1%. Many locals work in accommodation and food services or mining.
The area has seen strong population growth of 11.7% since 2021. However, its overall advantage score of 942 is lower than the national average.
The climate is hot and dry, with average maximum temperatures of 29.6 degrees. Annual rainfall is among the lowest for its level at 198mm.
The area is surprisingly walkable for its size, with 76.5% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services. This is far above the state average, though there is no public transport within walking distance.