Urban Centre · Area profile
Gawler
5 km²
Tucked away in the Central Coast region of Tasmania, Gawler (L) is a small, car-dependent settlement where every home is a separate house. It is a place of significant change, with the population shrinking by 37% since 2011 to just 277 people. The community has a strong Indigenous presence and a growing number of children, though it remains noticeably older than the national average. Most residents own their homes outright and live in large family properties.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 9.0% of the population, which is well above the state and national figures. While the typical resident is 46, the area has seen a rise in children under 15, who now make up 19.5% of the community.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 93.5% born here. Only 2.5% of residents were born overseas, a figure far below the national average.
English is the primary language for almost everyone, with 96.0% using it at home. Only 3.6% of people use another language, and no one in the area speaks little or no English.
Over half of the population (52.7%) now report having no religion, a figure that has risen by 31 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
Schooling levels are much lower than most areas, with only 30.9% of residents completing Year 12. However, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher has risen to 10.7% since 2011.
Typical household weekly income is $1,406, which is about the same as the state average. Higher earners are fewer here, with only 4.9% of people earning $2,000 or more per week.
Long-term health struggles are common, as 39.7% of people have a long-term condition, far above the national figure. Additionally, 10.1% of residents need help with daily activities, which is much higher than most areas.
Local participation is high, with 21.0% of people volunteering and 30.8% providing unpaid childcare, which is well above the national average.
Families tend to be larger here, with 2.5 people per home. Very few people live alone (16.5%) or in one-parent families (9.3%) compared to other areas.
Housing is dominated by large, owned properties, with 95.1% of homes having three or more bedrooms and 53.4% owned outright. Renting is very rare, accounting for only 3.9% of households.
The area is entirely dependent on cars; every single home has at least one motor vehicle and no one commutes by public transport.
The population is relatively stable, with 29.8% of people moving in the last five years, which is far below the national average. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas.
More adults are working or looking for work than in 2011, though full-time employment has fallen to 49.6%. Common industries for locals include retail and health care.
The area is considered car-dependent with a walkability score of 0.9. There are no schools, parks, or grocery stores within a 15-minute walk for any resident.