Urban Centre · Area profile
Mer (Murray) Island
5 km²
A strong Indigenous presence defines Mer (Murray) Island, where 90.6% of the 406 residents identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This is a remarkably young community with a typical resident aged just 27, far younger than the national figure of 38. Families here tend to be large, with many homes holding six or more people. This youthfulness and the high number of children under 15 help explain why the area feels so distinct from the rest of Queensland.
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The population is very young, and the proportion of children under 15 is well above the national figure at 26.4%. De facto relationships are also far more common here than in the rest of Australia, accounting for 36.8% of residents.
Almost everyone is born in Australia, with only 1.5% born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures.
Language diversity is very high, with 87.9% of people using another language at home. This is far above the national average, and about 21.2% of residents speak little or no English.
Christianity is the dominant faith at 84.7%. Only 10.1% of people report having no religion, which is far below the national figure of 38.9%.
Higher education is uncommon, with only 4.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree. However, more people have completed Year 12 than in 2011, now reaching 40.7%.
Typical incomes are far below the national figures, with the usual family earning $906 a week. No households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is much lower than most areas.
Residents report fewer long-term health conditions than the national average, with only 19.0% affected. Mental health conditions are also well below the national figure at 1.2%.
Service in the Defence Force is more common here than in the rest of Australia at 7.5%. However, volunteering has fallen significantly since 2011 to just 6.6%.
Homes are much larger than usual, with an average of 3.9 people per dwelling. This is well above the national average of 2.5, and 27.6% of households contain six or more people.
Rental is the norm here, with 92.0% of homes rented, and no homes are owned outright. Most homes are large, detached houses with three or more bedrooms, while typical weekly rent is far below the national figure at $150.
Car ownership is low, as 48.2% of homes have no motor vehicle. Because of this, more people walk to work (30.8%) or use public transport (9.9%) compared to the rest of the state.
The community is very stable, with only 22.8% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the rest of the state, at only 33.2%. Public administration and safety is the most common industry, employing 41.8% of the workforce.
The area is considered car-dependent with a walkability score of 0.0. While there are some parks and cultural amenities, there are no groceries, schools, or health services within a 15-minute walk.