suburb.guide

NT · Tiwi Islands Council

Wurrumiyanga, 0822

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,676

Growth (1 yr)

+0.4%

Growth (5 yr)

+0.8%

Median age

32

Median income

$715/wk

Employment rate

24.1%

University qualified

6.6%

Work from home

0%

Languages at home

91.2%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages, Vietnamese

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

36.9/100
Below average

Top 44% of Northern Territory's suburbs

Verified 73% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Coastal
  • Remote
What Wurrumiyanga is known for: Coastal, Remote

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Wurrumiyanga, NT suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Wurrumiyanga, NT Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/nt/wurrumiyanga

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Suburb profile

Wurrumiyanga is a remote locality in the Northern Territory, in Tiwi Islands Council. It is close to the Bathurst Island and the Melville Island.

The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities. Dining and cafés are a relative strength. Health access is an exceptional strength, with health access 100% above the peer median. School access is exceptionally strong, with school access 100% above the peer median. The clearer weaknesses are household incomes and weaker population growth, with household incomes 44% below the peer median.

Overall, Wurrumiyanga suits people prioritising school access and walkability 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

  • School access is exceptionally strong
  • The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places
  • Dining and cafés are a relative strength
  • Health access is a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Household incomes sit below the peer median
  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining

What stands out

  • Large Aboriginal community with Indigenous languages spoken at home
  • Bathurst Island
  • Melville Island

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Wurrumiyanga compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$80/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

1,676

+0.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

10.2%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#1

among Coastal & beach · Established

Pop. growth

31st

percentile in NT

Rented dwellings

90%

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

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
36.9/100 — Below average
State standing
Top 44% of Northern Territory's suburbs
National rank
5220th in Australia
State rank
70th in NT
Peer rank
#1 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#4 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
73%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

1,676(June 2025)

+0.4% annual · +0.8% over 5 years · 31th percentile in NT

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.4%
5-year growth
+0.8%
Change in 1 year
+6
Change in 5 years
+14
Growth rank in NT
31th 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 (~1,650), extrapolated at -0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,421
Median age
32
Median household income / week
$715
Dwelling vacancy
10.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
41 of 403
Median monthly mortgage
$607
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$80
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
8.1% / 2.2% / 89.7%
Employment rate
24.1%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
0% / 0% / 32.8%
Walked or cycled to work
59%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
294 / 19 / 39

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

6.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.4% across Northern Territory. 4% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified6.6% · 21.4% NT
  • Diploma qualified1.4% · 7.5% NT
  • Trade / vocational4% · 16.1% NT
  • Year 12 or below88% · 55% NT

Highest qualification field

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

  • Education31.7%
  • Society and culture19.4%
  • Health17.3%
  • Management and commerce9.4%
  • Architecture and building8.6%
  • Engineering and related technologies6.5%
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)
$44,592

12th percentile in NT · -24% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$44,638

9th percentile in NT · -31% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
8.0%

18th percentile in NT · -42% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$12,837

6th percentile in NT · -80% vs Australia

Residents with business income
6.0%

35th percentile in NT · -42% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 0822 — 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
7,656
Taxpayers reporting net rent
648
Median net rent
-$1,272
Taxpayers reporting business income
445
Taxable income vs state median
-34%
Salary / wages vs state median
-38%
Rental investment vs state median
-43%
Super vs state median
-76%
Business income vs state median
-14%

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

91.2% speak a language other than English at home; 2.7% born overseas

Language at home
117 English only · 1,214 other
Non-English at home
91.2%
Born overseas
36 (2.7%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
1,209 (85.1%)
Australian citizens
1,292
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
2

Top languages other than English

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

  • Australian Indigenous languages565 · 99.3%
  • Vietnamese4 · 0.7%

Religion

83.5%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 83.5%, while 4.6% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion4.6%38.1%
Christianity83.5%40.5%
Other / not stated11.9%21.5%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic82.1%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
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
660
Median ICSEA percentile
1th
School list
  • Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 684 · 1th percentile · LBOTE 94% · 167 students · Top SEA quarter 1% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
  • Xavier Catholic CollegeSecondary · Catholic · ICSEA 636 · 0th percentile · LBOTE 94% · 92 students · Top SEA quarter 1% · 1.6 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

  • kindergartenkindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Childcare centres per 1,000 residents

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated

Amenities

10 mapped amenities

1 supermarkets · 1 fast food · 1 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
27/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.7
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink(1)
  • Fast food
Shopping(1)
  • Piliyamanyirra SupermarketSupermarket
Community(1)
  • Xavier Catholic CollegeSchool
Sport & outdoors(2)
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool
Other(2)
  • Parking
  • Shelter (4)

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
0.1%
Woodland / forest cover
0.1%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
1
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
31°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
4
Nearest hospital
Julanimawu Health Care Centre (1.6 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
On site
GP clinics in suburb
3
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 3
Aged-care services
2
Residential aged-care places
22

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

  • Tiwi IslandsBATHURST ISLANDShort-Term Restorative Care (STRC)
  • Julanimawu Health Care CentreClinic
  • Julanimawu Health Care CentreClinic
  • Julanimawu Health Care CentreHospital
  • Wurrumiyanga Well Being CentreClinic
Aged-care services
  • Mulakunya Flexible Aged Care Service (Nguiu)NGUIUNational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Program

Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
81
Participants per 1,000 residents
48.3

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
31° / 25°
Rainfall
1,010 mm · ~90 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
31° / 24°
Rainfall
491 mm · ~61 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
30° / 20°
Rainfall
8 mm · ~1 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
32° / 24°
Rainfall
171 mm · ~21 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
No overlay at centroid

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 350.7 km away).

Coalition 58.5%Labor 41.5%

16.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.5 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • Wagait BeachLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)76.8 km away
  • Howard SpringsLabor 37.1% · Coalition 62.9% TPP (2025)94.1 km away
  • CoolalingaLabor 35.3% · Coalition 64.7% TPP (2025)96.4 km away
  • Bees CreekLabor 33.8% · Coalition 66.2% TPP (2025)99.0 km away
  • Humpty DooLabor 37.6% · Coalition 62.4% TPP (2025)105.5 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

This suburb ranks highly for

More in Tiwi Islands Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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