Remoteness Area · Area profile
Very Remote Australia
1,249,587 km²
Far more than most similar areas, Very Remote Australia is defined by its First Nations population, which makes up 72.5% of the community. It is a remarkably young place where the typical resident is only 29, far below the national figure of 38. These factors contribute to a unique social landscape where large families are common and traditional languages are still widely spoken. While the total population shrank nearly 10% since 2011, the area remains a distinct cultural heartland.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 72.5% of the population, which is far above the national figure. The community is very young, with children under 15 representing 24.6% of residents, while seniors over 65 account for only 5.1%.
The area is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 86.7% born here. Only 5.3% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national average of 27.7%.
Language diversity is very high, with 66.7% of people using another language at home, far above the national figure of 22.3%. About 9.6% of residents speak little or no English, a rate well above the Australian average.
Christianity is the most common faith at 53.9%. Those reporting no religion make up 24.5% of the population, which is far below the national figure of 38.9% and among the lowest for similar areas.
Education levels are much lower than the national average, with only 27.6% of people completing Year 12. Just 7.6% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, far below the Australian figure of 26.3%.
Incomes are very low, with a typical personal weekly income of $333, far below the national figure of $805. Typical family incomes are also far below the national average at $851 per week.
Residents report fewer health issues than most areas, with only 17.2% having a long-term health condition, far below the national figure of 27.7%. Only 2.7% report a mental health condition.
Unpaid care for children is very common here, with 46.6% of people providing this support, far above the national figure of 26.3%. However, volunteering is well below the national average at 7.7%.
The First Nations community is strong, with 86.3% speaking a First Nations language, far above the national figure. However, the unemployment rate for First Nations people is 30.4%, which is far above the national average of 12.3%.
Homes are much larger than usual, with an average of 3.8 people per home. One-parent families are very common at 24.9%, far above the national figure of 14.1%.
Renting is very common at 69.6%, far above the national average of 30.6%. Homes are often crowded, with 1.4 people per bedroom, far above the national figure of 0.8.
Many homes lack a vehicle, with 38.4% having no motor vehicle, far above the national figure of 7.4%. Because of this, 32.3% of people walk to work.
People are less likely to move here than in other areas, with only 24.5% moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas are well above the national average at 23.7%.
While 67% of workers are employed full-time, the unemployment rate is 16.2%, which is far above the national figure of 5.1%. Many people work in education, public administration, and health.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.1. No homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, though many are within 15 minutes of a school or park.