suburb.guide

SA · Kangaroo Island Council

Emu Bay, 5223

Est. population · Jun 2025

102

Growth (1 yr)

+1.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+6.3%

Median age

57

Median income

$1,333/wk

Employment rate

50.7%

University qualified

17.8%

Work from home

0%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Beach
  • Green suburb
  • Remote
What Emu Bay is known for: Beach, Green suburb, Remote

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Emu Bay, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Emu Bay, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 29 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/emu-bay

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Suburb profile

Emu Bay is a remote locality in South Australia, in Kangaroo Island Council. It is close to the Kangaroo Island and the North Cape.

Local amenities is an exceptional strength, well above typical levels for remote localities. Green cover is a relative strength, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, and recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places, with recorded road crashes 100% below the peer median. Trade-offs centre on weaker employment and thinner heritage listings, with employment 20% below the peer median.

Emu Bay is a better fit for people who value local amenities and university qualifications more than employment.

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

  • Green cover is a relative strength
  • Local amenity access is stronger than in most comparable places
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Employment is a relative weakness
  • Heritage listings are a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Emu Bay Beach
  • Kangaroo Island
  • North Cape
  • Cape D'Estaing
  • Point Marsden

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Emu Bay compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$220/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

102

+1.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

55.9%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

28th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

73rd

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

0%

2021 Census tenure

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

102(June 2025)

+1.0% annual · +6.3% over 5 years · 73th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.0%
5-year growth
+6.3%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+6
Growth rank in SA
73th 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 +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
95
Median age
57
Median household income / week
$1,333
Dwelling vacancy
55.9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
38 of 68
Median monthly mortgage
$1,400
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$220
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
60.7% / 39.3% / 0%
Employment rate
50.7%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
0% / 0% / 72.2%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
33 / 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

17.8% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 21.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified17.8% · 22.6% SA
  • Diploma qualified9.6% · 8.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational21.9% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below50.7% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Engineering and related technologies30%
  • Health20%
  • Education16.7%
  • Management and commerce13.3%
  • Agriculture and environment10%
  • Society and culture10%
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

15.1% born overseas

Language at home
79 English only · 0 other
Non-English at home
0%
Born overseas
13 (15.1%)
Australian citizens
84

Religion

50.5%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 50.5%, while Christianity accounts for 34.7%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion50.5%45.2%
Christianity34.7%40%
Other / not stated14.7%14.7%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Anglican13.7%7.2%

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 increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2024–25)
2
Against the person
0
Against property
2
Rate per 1,000 residents
19.6
State crime-rate percentile
28.4th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
17
Increase (daily rate)
+0.3%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
0
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
0

Most common offence types

  • Other Theft1
  • Theft/Illegal Use Of Mv1

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

Amenities

5 mapped amenities

5 beaches

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
Sport & outdoors(5)
  • Beach (5)

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
39%
Woodland / forest cover
39%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
9
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 (11.8 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)
3
Participants per 1,000 residents
29.4

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· 5 proposals

  • July 2026

  • Construction of a detached dwelling (two levels) with undercroft garage and associated earthworks and landscaping
    2 MAXWELL TCE EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

  • June 2026

  • Construction of single storey detached dwelling with attached carport and verandah
    LOT 46 SALTY AIR CCT EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

  • March 2026

  • Construction of an outbuilding (shed)
    16 DUNE RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • January 2026

  • Single storey detached dwelling
    20 MAXWELL TCE EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction colorbond outbuilding (shed)
    LOT 192 WEST GEORGE RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2025· 9 proposals

  • November 2025

  • Construction of an outbuilding (shed) and rainwater tank
    52 KEITH RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of a single storey detached dwelling and associated earthworks, retaining walls and fencing
    18 MAXWELL TCE EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • September 2025

  • Staged development – detached dwelling and two (2) associated habitable family units/cabins and outbuilding (shed/garage)
    13 GAP RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of attached two storey additions comprising a lower level home theatre room and upper bedroom, ensuite and balcony
    23 HAMILTON DR EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • August 2025

  • Land Division to create 12 additional allotments, realignment of boundaries and extension to public road infrastructure
    34 GAP RD EMU BAY SA 5223;LOT 103 PORTER RD EMU BAY SA 5223;LOT 104 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223;LOT 200 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Variation to DA 25007779 - changes to size and siting of outbuilding
    3 ROOKERY RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • July 2025

  • Variation to Development Approval 22034857 - change of location of retaining wall (on boundary) and new internal retaining walls to a maximum height of one (1) metre
    LOT 45 SALTY AIR CCT EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • June 2025

  • Construction of habitable building (ancillary accommodation) in association with the existing dwelling and above-ground rainwater tank
    65 BAYVIEW RD EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

  • January 2025

  • Construction of second storey additions to existing dwelling including front and rear deck and verandah
    25 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2024· 3 proposals

  • December 2024

  • Ancillary accommodation
    19 BAYVIEW RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • July 2024

  • Single storey detached Dwelling, deck two verandahs and 61,000 litre water tank
    9 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • May 2024

  • Construction of additional deck and verandah
    26 MAXWELL TCE EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 11 proposals

  • December 2023

  • Dwelling addition, alterations, carport, deck and new wastewater system.
    6 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • November 2023

  • Construction of a single storey detached dwelling with associated deck, an outbuilding, solar panels and ancillary water storage tank.
    LOT 18 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • October 2023

  • Construction of two storey semi detached buildings for use as tourist accommodation
    57 HAMILTON DR EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • August 2023

  • Construction of single storey detached dwelling with carport under main roof, two (2) x 30 000L water storage tanks and associated earthworks and retaining walls
    LOT 392 SALTY AIR CCT EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • July 2023

  • new shed, rainwater tank and retaining wall up to 1.6m in height
    9 HAMILTON DR EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • June 2023

  • Single storey detached dwelling with carport, garage and rainwater tanks (4 x 22,500L)
    LOT 47 SALTY AIR CCT EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of dwelling additions
    45 HAMILTON DR EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment
  • Variation to DA 520/067/2019 for construction of a two storey dwelling with associated store - removal of bedroom 2 and 3 from ground floor and conversion to additional store floor area, and redesign of upper level addition
    52 KEITH RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • May 2023

  • Installation of new fixed glass window and glass sliding door to the existing dwelling, new external stairs and construction of an attached deck and associated balustrade
    41 BAYVIEW RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • April 2023

  • Two storey detached dwelling with deck and carport
    29 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • January 2023

  • Dwelling alteration and addition and deck forward of the dwelling
    27 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2022· 8 proposals

  • December 2022

  • Construction of new public toilet facility with associated water tank
    LOT 384 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Shed
    35 KEITH RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • November 2022

  • Construction of a 214,7000 litre freestanding watertank for firefighting water supply purposes.
    LOT 202 EMU BAY RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • September 2022

  • Change of land use from existing health tourism retreat and accommodation to new tourist accommodation pods, converted staff accommodation, distilling academy, internal building works and above ground 76.5 KL water tank, and upgrade to existing road
    105 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

  • August 2022

  • New Outbuilding - shed for trailer boat storage
    15 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • July 2022

  • Single-storey detached dwelling, deck (maximum height 300 mm), water storage tanks (one (1) x 95,000 litres and one (1) x 5,000 litres) and associated earthworks
    LOT 192 WEST GEORGE RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • June 2022

  • Retaining walls and fencing
    15 HAMILTON DR EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • April 2022

  • Construction of a domestic outbuilding - garage
    27 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2021· 4 proposals

  • November 2021

  • Construction of a domestic outbuilding
    62 PORTER RD EMU BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

  • October 2021

  • Construction of a shed (store) including demolition of existing shed (store)
    118 BATES RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • May 2021

  • Dwelling
    52 KEITH RD EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of a two-storey detached dwelling
    11 HAWTHORN AV EMU BAY SA 5223Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Cape D'Estaing to Emu Bay (west) and Emu Bay (east) to Boxing Bay Coastline [Designated as a place of palaeontological significance]EMU BAYState 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 72.0 km away).

Coalition 63.6%Labor 36.4%

18.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -17.5 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)10.1 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)10.6 km away
  • American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)29.0 km away
  • ParndanaLabor 21.6% · Coalition 78.4% TPP (2025)34.6 km away
  • PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)37.1 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)
6/10
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.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.