SA · Kangaroo Island Council

Cygnet River, 5223

Est. population · Jun 2025

77

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+5.5%

Median age

40

Median income

$949/wk

Employment rate

68.5%

University qualified

18.9%

Work from home

7.7%

Languages at home

7.5%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Beach
  • Green suburb
  • River access
  • Remote
What Cygnet River is known for: Beach, Green suburb, River access, Remote

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Cygnet River, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Cygnet River, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/cygnet-river

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Suburb profile

Cygnet River is a remote locality in South Australia, in Kangaroo Island Council. The Kangaroo Island is part of the surrounding geography.

The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities. Local amenities are a relative strength, with local amenities 50% above the peer median. University qualifications are more common than in comparable places, and green cover is stronger than in comparable places, and heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places, with heritage listings 100% above the peer median. Household incomes are a relative weakness, with household incomes 28% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising walkability and university qualifications.

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 South Australia (321)

Strengths

  • The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Green cover is stronger than in comparable places
  • Heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places
  • Local amenities are a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Household incomes are a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Cygnet River Beach
  • Kangaroo Island

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Cygnet River compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$230/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

77

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

17.5%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

40th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

15th

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

10%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

8/10

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

77(June 2025)

0.0% annual · +5.5% over 5 years · 15th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
+5.5%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
+4
Growth rank in SA
15th 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 +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
72
Median age
40
Median household income / week
$949
Dwelling vacancy
17.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
7 of 40
Median monthly mortgage
$1,465
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$230
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
46.7% / 43.3% / 10%
Employment rate
68.5%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
7.7% / 0% / 79.5%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
28 / 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

18.9% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 9.4% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified18.9% · 22.6% SA
  • Diploma qualified13.2% · 8.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational9.4% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below58.5% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Engineering and related technologies32%
  • Management and commerce24%
  • Health20%
  • Agriculture and environment12%
  • Education12%
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)
$45,076

14th percentile in SA · -23% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$48,477

17th percentile in SA · -25% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
16.0%

88th percentile in SA · +16% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$65,968

32nd percentile in SA · +4% vs Australia

Residents with business income
18.0%

99th percentile in SA · +73% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 5223 — 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
2,370
Taxpayers reporting net rent
376
Median net rent
$2,981
Taxpayers reporting business income
427
Taxable income vs state median
-17%
Salary / wages vs state median
-16%
Rental investment vs state median
+33%
Super vs state median
-15%
Business income vs state median
+64%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in SA, 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

7.5% speak a language other than English at home; 6% born overseas

Language at home
62 English only · 5 other
Non-English at home
7.5%
Born overseas
4 (6%)
Australian citizens
67

Religion

75%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 75%, while Christianity accounts for 19.4%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion75%45.2%
Christianity19.4%40%
Other / not stated5.6%14.7%

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.

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2025–26)
2
Against the person
0
Against property
2
Rate per 1,000 residents
26
State crime-rate percentile
40.3th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
17
Decrease (daily rate)
-59.9%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
9
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
116.88

Most common offence types

  • Damage Or Destroy Property1
  • Theft From A Person1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

2 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Hog Bay Rd - East side (Kangaroo Island Racecourse)
  • Hog Bay Rd - West side (Kangaroo Island Racecourse)

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

3 mapped amenities

1 beaches · 1 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
3/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Sport & outdoors(2)
  • Beach
  • Cygnet Estuary Conservation ParkNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(1)
  • Duck LagoonCampground

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
6.6%
Woodland / forest cover
6.6%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
24
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
23°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

Nearest hospital
Kangaroo Island Health Service (10.9 km)
Nearest hospital type
Public Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

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

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
26.0

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
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 (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register and EPA licensed activities.

2026· 2 proposals
  • September 2026

  • Extension to existing building (shed 3) for warehouse/storage use in association with wool processing mill (industry) and ancillary retail space and interactive tourist facility
    1159 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
  • June 2026

  • Attached verandah and alterations to dwelling
    301 GUM CREEK RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2025· 3 proposals
  • December 2025

  • Construction of aircraft hanger at Kangaroo Island Airport
    415 ARRANMORE RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • September 2025

  • Dwelling additions and alterations
    1137 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • March 2025

  • Variation of DA 23014769 - Addition to outbuilding
    733 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
2024· 4 proposals
  • July 2024

  • Carport to front of dwelling, verandah attached to side of existing shed, and new storage shed
    1386 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • March 2024

  • To erect a machinery shed 9m x 12m x 3.9 m to store farm machinery
    11 MELVELLE TRK CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • February 2024

  • Electrical Vehicle Charging Facility
    431 ARRANMORE RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • January 2024

  • New Shadeport Structure
    95 HOG BAY RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 10 proposals
  • October 2023

  • Construction of an outbuilding and associated watertanks
    1097 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • September 2023

  • Torrens Title Land Division - 1 Allotment into 2
    1097 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • August 2023

  • Construction of an aircraft hanger building
    431 ARRANMORE RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • July 2023

  • Construction of domestic outbuilding
    52 DUCK LAGOON RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • June 2023

  • Construction of an enclosed pool structure, swimming pool, associated safety barrier and storage shed.
    733 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
  • Construction of enclosed storeroom and unenclosed verandah to existing commercial laundry
    1097 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • April 2023

  • Construction of a freestanding carport
    1130 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • Alterations and additions to existing dwelling, including in-ground swimming pool and additional double garage.
    705 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • Change of use from an existing tourist accommodation to a wine tasting room/cellar door, ancillary office and store.
    6 BOXER RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • January 2023

  • Construction of fourty stables in one row, associated with existing racecourse.
    95 HOG BAY RD CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2022· 4 proposals
  • August 2022

  • Single storey dwelling with associated garage, swimming pool and rainwater tank
    1097 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • March 2022

  • Two verandahs will be erected on the south and north side of the flat.
    539 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of three (3) buildings for use as a small-scale wool processing mill (industry) with ancillary retail space and interactive tourist facility together with ablutions, water tanks, car parking and landscaping
    1159 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
  • February 2022

  • Alterations and additions to existing single storey detached dwelling
    1130 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2021· 2 proposals
  • August 2021

  • Alterations and additions to existing shearing shed including the change of use to a shop to be used in association with the primary production use of the land (Kangaroo Island Wood)
    1159 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
  • May 2021

  • Construction of an agricultural building for use as a storage and distribution facility
    705 PLAYFORD HWY CYGNET RIVER SA 5223Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

4 heritage places

  • Arranmore - ruinArranmore Road CYGNET RIVERLocal heritage
  • Former school buildingPlayford Highway CYGNET RIVERLocal heritage
  • Dwelling & Eucalyptus Oil Distillery RuinsCYGNET RIVERState heritage
  • Farm and Eucalyptus Oil Distillery Ruins, Duck LagoonDuck Lagoon Road CYGNET RIVERState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
100% of suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Flood cover is the share of the suburb boundary overlapping current SA Planning flood overlays (flooding and evidence required). Safer places from CFS designated locations.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

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 76.6 km away).

Coalition 63.9%Labor 36.1%

18.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -17.1 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)10.0 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)10.4 km away
  • American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)22.8 km away
  • ParndanaLabor 21.6% · Coalition 78.4% TPP (2025)27.2 km away
  • PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)35.2 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)
8/10
IRSD decile (2021)
8/10

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 Kangaroo Island Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.