Median house price
—
No data available
SA · Kangaroo Island Council
Ballast Head, 5221
Est. population · Jun 2025
22
Growth (1 yr)
0.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.8%
Median age
45
Median income
$2,249/wk
Employment rate
68.8%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
- Green suburb
- Heritage area
Suburb profile
In Kangaroo Island Council, Ballast Head keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. It sits a long way from Adelaide and other major hubs, so daily life runs on a self-contained, local timetable. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout.
With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Green space punches above what many comparable suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.
Housing sits in the middle of the local market: neither cheap nor premium. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
At a glance
Ballast Head snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
22
0.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
66.7%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Pop. growth
7th
percentile in SA
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
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
22(June 2025)
0.0% annual · +4.8% over 5 years · 7th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- 0.0%
- 5-year growth
- +4.8%
- Change in 1 year
- 0
- Change in 5 years
- +1
- Growth rank in SA
- 7th 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 (~0), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 21
- Median age
- 45
- Median household income / week
- $2,249
- Dwelling vacancy
- 66.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 6 of 9
- Median monthly mortgage
- $0
- Employment rate
- 68.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs 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
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Family & Lifestyle
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 23
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Kangaroo Island Health Service (16.1 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Public Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 1
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 45.5
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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
- 23° / 15°
- Rainfall
- 55 mm · ~7 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 129 mm · ~16 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 14° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 260 mm · ~32 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 135 mm · ~17 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
1 planning-related records
2025· 1 proposal
March 2025
- Decommission of existing dwelling and change to outbuilding, and construction of new detached dwelling (earth-sheltered dwelling) with associated earthworks280B BALLAST HEAD RD BALLAST HEAD SA 5221Decision Made
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · 2020–2026 · Updated
Heritage
2 heritage places
- Dwelling - Jacob Seaman's Hut Site (Ruin)Point Morrison BALLAST HEADState heritage
- Fish Canning Factory SiteLierich Drive BALLAST HEADState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · current · Updated
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Mayo
- Member of Parliament
- Rebekha SHARKIE (Centre Alliance)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 137,818
- Turnout (2025)
- 94.2%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +3.4 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 45.0%Labor 55.0%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 61.1 km away).
Coalition 57.5%Labor 42.5%
12.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -6.0 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
- PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)15.2 km away
- Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)16.4 km away
- KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)16.9 km away
- DelamereLabor 46.0% · Coalition 54.0% TPP (2025)43.6 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Kangaroo Island Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.