Urban Centre · Area profile
Mabuiag Island
6 km²
A dramatic shift in identity has seen Mabuiag Island (L) become almost entirely Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander since 2011. This small community of 253 people is now remarkably young, with a typical resident aged just 21. It is a place of large families and a strong cultural presence, where most residents speak a language other than English at home. The island is defined by these deep cultural roots and a population that is far younger than the rest of Australia.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 94.1% of the population, a figure that rose 89 points since 2011. This shift helps explain why the community is so young, with 32.4% of residents being children under 15 and the typical age being just 21.
The population is almost entirely Australian-born, with 94.9% born here and no overseas births reported in 2021.
Language diversity is very high, with 79.1% of people using another language at home, a massive increase from just 2.4% in 2011. About 10.3% of residents speak little or no English, which is well above the national figure.
Christianity is the main faith for 75.9% of the community, while 20.6% of residents report no religion, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
While only 5.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree, school completion is relatively high, with 49% of residents finishing Year 12—a 23 point increase since 2011.
Weekly incomes are much lower than the national average, with the typical personal income falling to $351 since 2011. Only 5.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
The community is generally healthy, with only 2.0% of people needing help with daily activities and 15.4% reporting a long-term health condition, both far below the state and national figures.
Unpaid care for children is common, with 34.9% of people providing this support, though only 11.4% of residents volunteer, which is lower than most other areas.
Families here are large, with 4.3 people per home and 39.2% of households containing six or more people. One-parent families are also common, making up 30.9% of households.
Housing consists almost entirely of separate houses, 84.3% of which are rented. While 96.1% of homes have three or more bedrooms, no homes are owned outright.
The community is largely without cars, as 66.7% of homes have no motor vehicle. Most people get to work by walking, which accounts for 56.6% of commutes.
The population is very stable, with only 12.3% of people moving in the last five years, far lower than the national figure of 40.7%.
Job opportunities are limited, with only 36.1% of adults working or looking for work and an unemployment rate of 11.7%. Many of those employed work in public administration, safety, or education.
The area is very car-dependent with a walkability score of 0.8. Almost no homes are within a 15-minute walk of a school, health service, or grocery store.