Remoteness Area · Area profile
Very Remote Australia
2,244,264 km²
A strong First Nations presence defines Very Remote Australia, where 29.1% of the population is Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This is a notably young community, with a typical resident aged 35 and many children under 15. Life here is often characterised by larger households and a high proportion of renters. While the area is sparsely populated across a massive landscape, it maintains a distinct identity rooted in cultural heritage and a workforce heavily tied to the mining industry.
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The population is much younger than the national figure, with a typical age of 35 and a high proportion of children. De facto relationships are also common, at 20.0%, which is well above the Australian average of 11.5%.
Most residents were born in Australia (66.0%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born people (15.0%) than the national average of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries reported.
Language diversity is high, with 19.4% of people using a language other than English at home. However, the proportion who speak little or no English is 1.9%, which is a little below the national figure.
About 38.1% of people report no religion, a figure that is about the same as the national average. This has seen a significant increase of 14 percentage points since 2011.
Educational attainment is far below the national level, with only 10.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also much lower than most areas at 36.4%.
Personal incomes are a little above the national figure, with a typical weekly pay of $996. However, there is a wide gap in wealth, as 30.2% of people earn under $650 a week.
Residents report far better health than the national average, with only 16.9% having a long-term health condition. Similarly, the 2.6% who need help with daily activities is well below the national figure of 5.8%.
Unpaid care for children is common at 25.7%, which is about the same as the national figure. Other forms of community support, such as general unpaid care, are much lower than in most other areas.
First Nations people make up a significant part of the community, with 44.2% speaking a First Nations language. This group faces challenges, with a much lower typical household income ($995) and a higher unemployment rate (20.4%) compared to the national figures.
Homes here are often larger, with 2.7 people per dwelling. There is also a higher rate of one-parent families (20.2%) and people living alone (29.3%) compared to the rest of the country.
Rentals are very common, with 56.9% of households renting, which is far above the national average of 30.6%. Conversely, typical weekly rents are much lower at $120, far below the national figure of $375.
Transport is dominated by cars, though 15.7% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national average. Working from home is very rare at 5.0%, far below the 21.0% seen across Australia.
Recent arrivals from overseas are more common here than in most areas, at 18.5%. However, this figure has fallen by 8.3 percentage points since 2011.
The workforce is heavily concentrated in mining (25.8%) and technicians and trades. Full-time employment is far above the national average at 71.2%, though the overall percentage of adults working or looking for work is lower.
The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.3. While many homes are within a 15-minute walk of a park, very few are near public transport.