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Far West and Orana · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Far West and Orana

How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.

Fewer residents in Far West and Orana have completed high school or university compared to other parts of the country. Only 37.1% of people finished Year 12, which is far below the national figure. While schooling and degree rates have risen since 2011, the region still faces significant educational gaps.

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📍 Far West and Orana, Region (SA4)

Where Far West and Orana sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

13.5% ▲ +46.2%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Far West and Orana — lower than 74% of areas.

Far West and Orana13.5%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is far below the New South Wales and national figures, though it rose 7.2 percentage points since 2011 to reach 37.1%. Many residents stopped after Year 10, with 28.8% listing that as their highest year of school.

Completed Year 12

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37.1% ▲ +24.0%

Lower than 87% of region (sa4) areas.

Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.

Highest year of school

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In Far West and Orana, the largest group is Year 12 at 43%, followed by Year 10 (33%) and Year 9 or below (16%).

Year 12 37.1% Year 10 28.8% Year 9 or below 14.0% Year 11 6.4%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 13.5% of the population, which is far below the New South Wales rate of 27.8%. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 32.7% of people.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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13.5% ▲ +46.2%

Lower than 74% of region (sa4) areas.

Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).

Highest qualification level

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In Far West and Orana, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 47%, followed by Bachelor degree (24%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (17%).

Certificate III / IV 32.7% Bachelor degree 16.8% Advanced diploma / diploma 11.6% Postgraduate degree 4.2% Certificate I / II 2.5% Graduate diploma / certificate 2.5%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study for those with qualifications are management and commerce at 13.8%, followed by engineering and related fields at 13.1%. Health and society and culture are also frequent choices.

Schools

Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).

There are 109 schools serving 18,608 students, which is among the highest number of schools per 1,000 children in similar areas. These schools tend to be small, with an average size of 174 students and an average advantage score among the lowest at this level.

Average school ICSEA

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894

Lower than 96% of region (sa4) areas.

Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).

Schools in and around Far West and Orana — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Far West and Orana

109 schools — 18,608 students, average ICSEA 894.

By sector: Government 79 · Catholic 22 · Independent 8

By type: Primary 66 · Combined 27 · Secondary 16
St Johns College Dubbo, Dubbo Catholic Secondary — 941 1,004
Dubbo College South Campus, Dubbo Government Secondary — 687 864
Dubbo Christian School, Dubbo Independent Combined — 671 1,049
Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, Dubbo Independent Combined — 664 1,040
Dubbo College Senior Campus, Dubbo Government Secondary — 651 929
Orana Heights Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 614 900
Dubbo South Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 570 911
Willyama High School, Broken Hill Government Secondary — 570 903
Dubbo Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 520 972
Dubbo College Delroy Campus, Dubbo West Government Secondary — 468 804
Buninyong Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 436 787
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Dubbo, Dubbo Catholic Primary — 429 1,003
Broken Hill High School, Broken Hill Government Secondary — 411 892
St John's Catholic Primary School Dubbo, Dubbo Catholic Primary — 409 998
Wellington Public School, Wellington Government Primary — 405 816
Lightning Ridge Central School, Lightning Ridge Government Combined — 311 790
Coonabarabran High School, Coonabarabran Government Secondary — 298 898
Dubbo West Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 293 772
Morgan Street Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 290 960
Wellington High School, Wellington Government Secondary — 284 792
Dubbo North Public School, Dubbo Government Primary — 276 850
Alma Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 255 875
Narromine Public School, Narromine Government Primary — 237 832
Cobar Public School, Cobar Government Primary — 228 849
Warren Central School, Warren Government Combined — 228 783
Narromine High School, Narromine Government Secondary — 223 787
Burrabadine Christian Community School, Dubbo Independent Combined — 215 996
Cobar High School, Cobar Government Secondary — 214 865
St Laurence's Catholic Primary School Dubbo, Dubbo Catholic Primary — 211 1,043
Broken Hill North Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 206 864
Burke Ward Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 200 858
Coonabarabran Public School, Coonabarabran Government Primary — 200 856
Gilgandra Public School, Gilgandra Government Primary — 198 815
St Mary's Catholic School Wellington, Wellington Catholic Combined — 196 956
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Coonamble, Coonamble Catholic Primary — 191 941
Sacred Heart Parish School, Broken Hill Catholic Primary — 190 990
Coonamble Public School, Coonamble Government Primary — 186 701
Gilgandra High School, Gilgandra Government Secondary — 185 849
Dubbo School of Distance Education, Dubbo Government Combined — 183 888
St Pius X Catholic Primary School Dubbo, Dubbo Catholic Primary — 183 963
Narromine Christian School, Narromine Independent Primary — 177 946
Trangie Central School, Trangie Government Combined — 167 852
Broken Hill Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 162 881
Coonamble High School, Coonamble Government Secondary — 161 733
Central West Leadership Academy, Dubbo Independent Combined — 158 1,072
Coolah Central School, Coolah Government Combined — 148 896
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Gilgandra, Gilgandra Catholic Primary — 148 1,006
St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School Coonabarabran, Coonabarabran Catholic Primary — 146 959
Bourke Public School, Bourke Government Primary — 145 702
Nyngan High School, Nyngan Government Secondary — 144 845
Bourke High School, Bourke Government Secondary — 134 714
St Joseph's Primary School, Walgett Catholic Primary — 134 879
Nyngan Public School, Nyngan Government Primary — 131 765
St Mary's Parish School, Warren Catholic Primary — 127 1,014
Railway Town Public School, Broken Hill Government Primary — 124 868
Brewarrina Central School, Brewarrina Government Combined — 122 652
School of the Air, Broken Hill Government Primary — 120 985
St John's Parish School, Cobar Catholic Primary — 114 941
St Joseph's Parish School, Nyngan Catholic Primary — 114 956
Gulargambone Central School, Gulargambone Government Combined — 104 693
Baradine Central School, Baradine Government Combined — 101 785
Walgett Community College - Primary School, Walgett Government Primary — 97 672
Mendooran Central School, Mendooran Government Combined — 91 889
St Ignatius' Parish School, Bourke Catholic Primary — 90 826
St Augustine's Parish School, Narromine Catholic Primary — 87 993
Walgett Community College - High School, Walgett Government Secondary — 83 677
Wellington Christian School, Wellington Independent Primary — 78 859
Yeoval Central School, Yeoval Government Combined — 75 858
Menindee Central School, Menindee Government Combined — 74 760
Collarenebri Central School, Collarenebri Government Combined — 68 625
Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia Government Combined — 65 673
Yawarra Community School, Dubbo Government Combined — 50 867
Bourke-Walgett School of Distance Education, Bourke Government Primary — 47 993
Binnaway Central School, Binnaway Government Combined — 44 815
St John's Catholic Primary School Baradine, Baradine Catholic Primary — 43 951
Wongarbon Public School, Wongarbon Government Primary — 42 973
St Patrick's Parish School, Brewarrina Catholic Primary — 37 770
Burren Junction Public School, Burren Junction Government Primary — 36 969
Geurie Public School, Geurie Government Primary — 33 860
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Coolah, Coolah Catholic Primary — 31 996
Brewarrina Christian School, Gongolgon Independent Combined — 30 756
St Columba's Catholic Primary School Yeoval, Yeoval Catholic Primary — 30 1,008
St John's Parish School, Trangie Catholic Primary — 30 823
Ivanhoe Central School, Ivanhoe Government Combined — 29 747
Goodooga Central School, Goodooga Government Combined — 28 629
St Therese's Community Parish School, Wilcannia Catholic Primary — 25 740
Mian School, Dubbo Government Combined — 24 706
Tooraweenah Public School, Tooraweenah Government Primary — 23 947
Rowena Public School, Rowena Government Primary — 20 944
Carinda Public School, Carinda Government Primary — 18 1,017
White Cliffs Public School, White Cliffs Government Primary — 17 873
Euabalong West Public School, Euabalong West Government Primary — 15 759
Girilambone Public School, Girilambone Government Primary — 14 915
Lincoln School, Dubbo Government Secondary — 14 695
Ballimore Public School, Ballimore Government Primary — 13 923
Hermidale Public School, Hermidale Government Primary — 13 874
Enngonia Public School, Enngonia Government Primary — 11 600
Eumungerie Public School, Eumungerie Government Primary — 11 879
Stuart Town Public School, Stuart Town Government Primary — 11 722
Mumbil Public School, Mumbil Government Primary — 10 807
Louth Public School, Louth Government Primary — 8 923
Marra Creek Public School, Nyngan Government Primary — 8 974
Quambone Public School, Quambone Government Primary — 8 826
Wanaaring Public School, Wanaaring Government Primary — 7 851
Weilmoringle Public School, Weilmoringle Government Primary — 5 —
Tibooburra Outback Public School, Tibooburra Government Primary — 4 —
Koinonia Christian Academy, Bourke Independent Combined — 3 —
Wambangalang Environmental Education Centre, Dubbo Government Combined — — —
Warrumbungle National Park Environmental Education Centre, Coonabarabran Government Combined — — —

Sources

  • Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
  • Australian Schools List — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025 (CC BY 4.0).

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Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Far West and Orana [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/105/far-west-and-orana/topic/education