suburb.guide

SA · Kangaroo Island Council

Macgillivray, 5223

Est. population · Jun 2025

126

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

+5.9%

Median age

37

Median income

$1,937/wk

Employment rate

70.7%

University qualified

17%

Work from home

34.4%

Languages at home

3.9%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Green suburb
  • Agricultural
  • Remote
What Macgillivray is known for: Green suburb, Agricultural, Remote

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Macgillivray, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Cite this suburb snapshot

Suburb Guide, “Macgillivray, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/macgillivray

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Suburb profile

Macgillivray is a remote locality in South Australia, in Kangaroo Island Council.

Local amenities are a relative strength, with local amenities 50% above the peer median. Green cover is a relative strength, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, and household incomes sit well above the peer median, with household incomes 48% above the peer median, and mapped flood cover is another area where the suburb performs particularly well, and population has been growing faster than in comparable places.

Macgillivray is a better fit for people who value university qualifications and local amenities.

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
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Household incomes sit well above the peer median
  • Mapped flood cover is a relative strength
  • Population has been growing faster than in comparable places
  • Local amenities are a relative strength

Weaknesses

No relative weaknesses against comparable places.

What stands out

Nothing distinctive beyond the usual profile.

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Macgillivray compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$150/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

126

+0.8% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

18.2%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

5th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

66th

percentile in SA

Rented dwellings

24%

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

126(June 2025)

+0.8% annual · +5.9% over 5 years · 66th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+5.9%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+7
Growth rank in SA
66th 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 (~150), extrapolated at +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
117
Median age
37
Median household income / week
$1,937
Dwelling vacancy
18.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
8 of 44
Median monthly mortgage
$1,095
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$150
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
20.6% / 55.9% / 23.5%
Employment rate
70.7%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
34.4% / 0% / 40.6%
Walked or cycled to work
9.4%
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

17% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 11.7% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified17% · 22.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational11.7% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below71.3% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Food, hospitality and personal services20%
  • Agriculture and environment14.3%
  • Engineering and related technologies14.3%
  • Society and culture14.3%
  • Management and commerce11.4%
  • Education8.6%
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

Seasonal & agricultural work

40.6% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 17.7× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 3.8% across South Australia.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
40.6%

80th percentile in SA · +1665% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
26
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 5223

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers22

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 5223 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for South Australia - South East (SA4 407), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12134,568
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12143,627
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 84151,363
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 12121,073
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412992
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211833
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 8413346
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8416308
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 8419301
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110

South Australia - South East is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 64 · AFF share +968% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

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

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

3.9% speak a language other than English at home; 7.2% born overseas

Language at home
98 English only · 4 other
Non-English at home
3.9%
Born overseas
7 (7.2%)
Australian citizens
95

Religion

63.2%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 63.2%, while Christianity accounts for 16.2%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion63.2%45.2%
Christianity16.2%40%
Other / not stated20.5%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

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2023–24)
1
Against the person
0
Against property
1
Rate per 1,000 residents
7.9
State crime-rate percentile
5.3th (higher = more crime)
Family & domestic abuse offences
17
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
7
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
55.56

Most common offence types

  • Theft From Motor Vehicle1

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

3 mapped amenities

1 campgrounds

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(2)
  • Cape Gantheaume Conservation ParkNature reserve
  • Cape Gantheaume Wilderness Protection AreaNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(1)
  • Murray Lagoon CampgroundCampground

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
52.3%
Woodland / forest cover
52.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
125
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 (32.6 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
23.8

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 (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.

11 planning-related records

2024· 1 proposal

  • February 2024

  • Torrens Title Land Division - 1 Allotment into 2
    1342 ROWLAND HILL HWY MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 3 proposals

  • June 2023

  • Construction of single storey detached dwelling and ancillary water tanks
    1730 BIRCHMORE RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • February 2023

  • Construction of domestic outbuilding.
    1984 THREE CHAIN RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • January 2023

  • Construction of a agricultural building for storage of farming machinery.
    LOT 112 SEAGERS RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made
2022· 3 proposals

  • August 2022

  • Erection of implement shed, 24m x 12m x 3.6mheight
    1605 BIRCHMORE RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • April 2022

  • Construction of a domestic outbuilding
    1669A THREE CHAIN RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • January 2022

  • Construction of an agricultural building including demolition of existing agricultural building
    1342 ROWLAND HILL HWY MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made
2021· 4 proposals

  • October 2021

  • Construction of a 14 megalitre dam including associated earthworks
    919 TIMBER CREEK RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • July 2021

  • Land division (2 into 3)
    317 SOUTH COAST RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223;703 WILLSONS RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

  • May 2021

  • Extension to existing personal services establishment (massage room)
    1948 SOUTH COAST RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • Construction of an extension to an existing single-storey dwelling, comprising an ensuite, bedroom, laundry and living area.
    329 LADES RD MACGILLIVRAY SA 5223Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

2 heritage places

  • Former "Hawks Nest" homesteadSeagers Road MACGILLIVRAYLocal heritage
  • Former Faulding's Eucalyptus Plantation522 South Coast Road MACGILLIVRAYState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
99.6% 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 92.3 km away).

Coalition 65.5%Labor 34.5%

20.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -11.3 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • ParndanaLabor 21.6% · Coalition 78.4% TPP (2025)23.0 km away
  • American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)31.2 km away
  • KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)31.5 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)31.7 km away
  • PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)46.0 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)
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 (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.