suburb.guide

NT · MacDonnell Council

Finke, 0872

Est. population · Jun 2025

227

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+0.9%

Median age

28

Median income

$850/wk

Employment rate

23.2%

University qualified

6.5%

Work from home

0%

Languages at home

87.3%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Remote
What Finke is known for: Remote

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Finke, NT suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Finke, NT suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Finke, NT Suburb Guide”, updated 15 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/nt/finke

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Suburb profile

Finke is a remote locality in the Northern Territory, in MacDonnell Council. It is close to the Finke River and Lake Eyre.

Local amenities is an exceptional strength, well above typical levels for remote localities. Health access is another area where the suburb performs particularly well. Local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median. University qualifications are a relative strength, with university qualifications 41% above the peer median. The clearer weaknesses are weaker population growth and lower socio-economic advantage, with population growth 79% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising school quality and local amenities over population growth.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Remote locality · compared with remote localities in Northern Territory (174)

Strengths

  • Local school ICSEA scores sit well above the peer median
  • Local amenity access is stronger than in most comparable places
  • Health access is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining
  • Socio-economic advantage is a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Large Aboriginal community with Indigenous languages spoken at home
  • Finke River
  • Lake Eyre

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Finke compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$75/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

227

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.7%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Pop. growth

10th

percentile in NT

Rented dwellings

100%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

1/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

1st

percentile among schools with ICSEA

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Population

Estimated resident population

227(June 2025)

0.0% annual · +0.9% over 5 years · 10th percentile in NT

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
+0.9%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
+2
Growth rank in NT
10th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~200), extrapolated at -0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
191
Median age
28
Median household income / week
$850
Dwelling vacancy
7.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
4 of 52
Median monthly mortgage
$0
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$75
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
0% / 0% / 100%
Employment rate
23.2%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
0% / 0% / 12.5%
Walked or cycled to work
84.4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
46 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

6.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.4% across Northern Territory. 3.6% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified6.5% · 21.4% NT
  • Diploma qualified2.2% · 7.5% NT
  • Trade / vocational3.6% · 16.1% NT
  • Year 12 or below87.7% · 55% NT

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce40%
  • Society and culture36%
  • Agriculture and environment12%
  • Health12%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$39,563

0th percentile in NT · -33% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$38,164

0th percentile in NT · -41% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
5.0%

0th percentile in NT · -64% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$6,179

0th percentile in NT · -90% vs Australia

Residents with business income
3.0%

6th percentile in NT · -71% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 0872 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
4,215
Taxpayers reporting net rent
214
Median net rent
-$2,724
Taxpayers reporting business income
115
Taxable income vs state median
-41%
Salary / wages vs state median
-47%
Rental investment vs state median
-64%
Super vs state median
-88%
Business income vs state median
-57%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in NT, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

87.3% speak a language other than English at home; 1.6% born overseas

Language at home
23 English only · 158 other
Non-English at home
87.3%
Born overseas
3 (1.6%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
179 (93.7%)
Australian citizens
190
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
1

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Australian Indigenous languages90 · 100%

Religion

60.2%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 60.2%, while 8.9% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion8.9%38.1%
Christianity60.2%40.5%
Other / not stated30.9%21.5%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Seventh-day Adventist35.1%0.3%
Uniting Church11%3.7%
Catholic10.5%16.9%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
678
Median ICSEA percentile
1th
School list
  • Finke SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 678 · 1th percentile · LBOTE 100% · 39 students · Top SEA quarter 2% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

11 mapped amenities

1 sports centres · 1 petrol stations · 1 post offices

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Shopping(1)
  • Aputula StoreConvenience store
Everyday services(2)
  • Petrol station
  • Post office
Community(1)
  • Aputula Community Primary SchoolSchool
Health & services(1)
  • Finke Health CentreClinic
Sport & outdoors(2)
  • Sports centre
  • Sports field
Other(4)
  • Finke Railway StationAttraction
  • Finke Police StationPolice

    Kwngelye Street

  • Shelter
  • Track

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
36°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
2
Nearest hospital
Alice Springs Hospital (219.3 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
GP clinics in suburb
2
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 2

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

  • Finke Health CentreClinic
  • Finke Health CentreClinic

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
3
Participants per 1,000 residents
13.2

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
36° / 22°
Rainfall
74 mm · ~9 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
28° / 14°
Rainfall
50 mm · ~6 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
20° / 6°
Rainfall
37 mm · ~5 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
30° / 15°
Rainfall
46 mm · ~6 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via state planning hazard mapping. Flood cover uses inundation polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Lingiari
Member of Parliament
Marion SCRYMGOUR (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
76,817
Turnout (2025)
62.2%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+6.5 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 41.9%Labor 58.1%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 1256.7 km away).

Coalition 45.2%Labor 54.8%

3.4 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +7.2 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • IlparpaLabor 36.2% · Coalition 63.8% TPP (2025)216.1 km away
  • GillenLabor 54.8% · Coalition 45.2% TPP (2025)219.1 km away
  • Alice SpringsLabor 64.0% · Coalition 36.0% TPP (2025)219.3 km away
  • SadadeenLabor 64.2% · Coalition 35.8% TPP (2025)219.3 km away
  • LarapintaLabor 57.3% · Coalition 42.7% TPP (2025)221.4 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
1/10
IRSD decile (2021)
1/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

More in MacDonnell Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Northern Territory.