Remoteness Area · Area profile
Remote Australia
265,322 km²
A car-dependent way of life defines Remote Australia, where most people live in detached houses and rely on vehicles for almost everything. It is a sparsely populated region of about 71,000 people that has seen a slight population drop since 2011. The community is notably young and diverse, with a much higher proportion of First Nations people and children than the national average. This creates a distinct regional character where traditional family structures and a strong connection to the land are common.
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First Nations people make up 17.2% of the population, which is far above the national figure. The area is also younger than usual, with 20.2% of residents being children under 15.
Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (10.6%) compared to the national average of 27.7%.
English is the primary language for the vast majority, and the 7.9% who use another language at home is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Over half the population identifies as Christian, though the number of people with no religion has risen sharply since 2011 to reach 33.4%.
Education levels are lower than the national average, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher, though Year 12 completion rose to 41.7% since 2011.
Typical personal weekly income is about $826, which is almost the same as the national figure. However, the area has a higher-than-usual proportion of people earning $2,000 or more per week.
Residents generally report fewer long-term health conditions than the rest of Australia, with 23.0% having a chronic condition compared to the national 27.7%.
The area has a higher rate of volunteering than most other regions, with 17.7% of people contributing their time, although this is down from 2011.
First Nations people in the region are younger and more likely to speak a traditional language (17.5%) than the national average, but they face a higher unemployment rate of 15.8%.
Homes are often larger, with 2.5 people per household. There are also more people living alone (29.2%) and more one-parent families (16.4%) than is typical across Australia.
Detached houses are very common at 85.7%. While typical weekly rent is far below the national average at $200, the region has a much higher proportion of renters (36.0%) than most areas.
Car use is dominant, with 55.1% of people driving to work and only 1.9% using public transport. Working from home is less common here than across the rest of the country.
Recent arrivals from overseas are more common here than in most other areas, though the proportion of people who have moved in the last five years is lower than the national average.
Full-time employment is much higher here than nationally at 68.3%. The workforce is heavily concentrated in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining.
The region is highly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 2.0. No homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, and only about a quarter of residents can walk to groceries.