QLD · Torres Strait Island Council

Poruma Island, 4875

Est. population · Jun 2025

125

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.6%

Median age

31

Median income

$1,399/wk

Employment rate

54.1%

Languages at home

96.8%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages

2021 Census · usual residence

    What Poruma Island is known for:

    Suburb profile

    In Torres Strait Island Council, Poruma Island keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Far from Brisbane, it rewards people who want real remove from the city rather than a long-commute suburb. Young professionals and new households shape much of the local mix, with family life visible on every street.

    Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

    Housing is more affordable than in many parts of the state. Reported crime has been rising recently.

    At a glance

    Poruma Island snapshot

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

    Median house price

    No data available

    Median rent

    No data available

    Population (ERP)

    125

    +0.8% annual growth

    Dwelling vacancy

    14.8%

    Census unoccupied dwellings

    How it compares

    Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

    Safety

    69th

    percentile in state (higher = safer)

    Pop. growth

    37th

    percentile in QLD

    Advantage (IRSAD)

    1/10

    national SEIFA decile

    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

    125(June 2025)

    +0.8% annual · -1.6% over 5 years · 37th percentile in QLD

    Growth figures & methodology
    Annual growth
    +0.8%
    5-year growth
    -1.6%
    Change in 1 year
    +1
    Change in 5 years
    -2
    Growth rank in QLD
    37th 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 (~100), extrapolated at -0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

    2021 Census figures

    2021 Census

    Population
    164
    Median age
    31
    Median household income / week
    $1,399
    Dwelling vacancy
    14.8%
    Unoccupied private dwellings
    8 of 54
    Median monthly mortgage
    $0
    Employment rate
    54.1%
    Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
    45 / 0 / 0

    Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

    Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

    Data sources & freshness

    • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

    • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

    Community & culture

    No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

    Data sources & freshness

    • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

    Crime & safety

    Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.

    Offence counts & rates
    Total offences (Jan 2026 to Aug 2026)
    7
    Against the person
    3
    Against property
    2
    Rate per 1,000 residents
    56
    Person-crime prevalence
    About 1 in 55 residents
    State safety percentile
    69th (lower crime is better)
    Increase (daily rate, partial year)
    +41.9%

    Most common offence types

    • Drug Offences76
    • Good Order Offences52
    • Other Property Damage49
    • Assault114
    • Traffic And Related Offences41

    Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

    Crime rate and year-on-year trend

    Data sources & freshness

    • QPS Online Crime MapQueensland Police Service · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Aug 2026; Jan 2026 to Aug 2026 · Updated · Calendar-year aggregates

    Family & Lifestyle

    Amenities

    2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

    1 libraries

    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
    Community(1)
    • Poruma Indigenous Knowledge CentreLibrary
    Sport & outdoors(1)
    • Sports field

    Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.

    Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

    Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

    Data sources & freshness

    • Local amenity insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
    • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

    Health access

    Nearest hospital
    Saibai Island Primary Health Care Centre (89.4 km)
    Nearest hospital type
    Hospital
    Nearest hospital emergency
    Emergency department

    Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

    Hospitals and GP clinics

    Data sources & freshness

    NDIS participation

    NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
    2
    Participants per 1,000 residents
    16.0

    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
    32° / 25°
    Rainfall
    851 mm · ~90 rainy days

    Autumn (Mar–May)

    Usual max / min
    31° / 25°
    Rainfall
    673 mm · ~84 rainy days

    Winter (Jun–Aug)

    Usual max / min
    28° / 24°
    Rainfall
    64 mm · ~8 rainy days

    Spring (Sep–Nov)

    Usual max / min
    30° / 24°
    Rainfall
    103 mm · ~13 rainy days

    Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

    Temperature and humidity comfort

    Data sources & freshness

    • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

    Future & Planning

    Hazards

    Bushfire planning zone
    No overlay at centroid

    Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Queensland Bushfire Prone Area mapping.

    Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

    Bushfire hazard overlays

    Data sources & freshness

    • Hazard planning overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

    Politics & representation

    Federal electorate
    Leichhardt
    Member of Parliament
    Matt SMITH (Australian Labor Party)
    Results from
    2025 federal election
    Electorate enrolment (2025)
    122,757
    Turnout (2025)
    83.0%
    Swing since 2022 (2025)
    +9.5 pp toward Labor

    Two-party preferred (2025)

    Coalition 43.9%Labor 56.1%

    Estimated suburb voting profile

    Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 561.7 km away).

    Coalition 20.1%Labor 79.9%

    23.8 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

    Estimated swing since 2022: +21.5 pp toward Labor

    Nearest polling places

    • Horn IslandLabor 78.4% · Coalition 21.6% TPP (2025)108.1 km away
    • Thursday IslandLabor 82.8% · Coalition 17.2% TPP (2025)110.7 km away
    • TamwoyLabor 85.1% · Coalition 14.9% TPP (2025)110.8 km away
    • BamagaLabor 81.0% · Coalition 19.1% TPP (2025)119.1 km away
    • Lockhart RiverLabor 60.2% · Coalition 39.8% TPP (2025)305.6 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 (5%)

    Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

    Data sources & freshness

    More in Torres Strait Island Council

    Other suburbs in the same local government area.

    Comparable suburbs

    Similar population and socio-economic profile elsewhere in Queensland or interstate.