SA · Unincorporated SA Council
Penong, 5690
Current weather
13.5°CLight drizzle
76% humidity · 24.2 km/h wind · 15.3° / 11.7° today · 3.4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Penong is a quieter smaller community in Unincorporated SA, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Remote from the metro area in the best sense: quiet streets, big skies and a town that runs on its own timetable. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state.
A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker growth momentum and housing affordability relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 280
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,100
- Dwelling vacancy
- 37.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 69 of 186
- Median monthly mortgage
- $835
- Employment rate
- 55.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 7 / 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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2024–25)
- 7
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 25
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 280 residents
- State safety percentile
- 36.2th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 289
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -12.3%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Obtain Benefit By Deception1
- Other Property Damage And Environmental1
- Other Theft3
- Receive Or Handle Proceeds Of Crime1
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury1
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Period: 2023-24 → 2024-25; 2024-25 · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2 (1 schools, 1 preschools)
- Median school ICSEA
- 870
- Penong PreschoolEyre HighwayPreschools
- Penong Primary SchoolPrimary · ICSEA 870
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- Government education sites register — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site · Static register
- School ICSEA (ACARA) — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
16 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
March 2026
- Land division (1 allotment into 3)LOT 55 STIGGANTS RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
2025· 1 proposal
July 2025
- Single storey dwelling with an associated verandah and deck (retrospective), and shedLOT 59 NORTH TCE PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
2024· 4 proposals
December 2024
- Two storey detached dwelling, swimming pool and associated fencingLOT 11 MILLER ST SEACOMBE GARDENS SA 5047Under Assessment
July 2024
- Retrospective shed and carportLOT 52 ROBERTS RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
- Construct a single level dwelling with attached deck and verandahLOT 52 ROBERTS RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
May 2024
- Detached dwelling with septic system, uncovered carpark area, 1 of 22,500L and 1 of 30,000L rainwater tank, shed with roof mounted solar, decking and pergola.LOT 1 GYPSUM MINE RD PENONG SA 5690Under Assessment
2023· 4 proposals
December 2023
- Land division - 1 into 10 allotmentsLOT 62 STIGGANTS RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
August 2023
- Land division 1 (existing) into 2 (proposed)LOT 24 POINT SINCLAIR RD PENONG SA 5690;LOT 25 POINT SINCLAIR RD PENONG SA 5690;LOT 26 POINT SINCLAIR RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to existing dwelling (including an attached deck and verandah)864 FREDRICKSTAD RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to existing dwelling including verandah and alfresco1 GYPSUM MINE RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
2020· 4 proposals
November 2020
- CONSTRUCTION OF A SHED (OUTBUILDING)LOT 85 EYRE HWY PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
- Single-storey detached dwelling including verandahLOT 2 EYRE HWY PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
October 2020
- Construction of shed for storage/workshop and installation of a 22,500L rainwater tank.LOT 70 GYPSUM MINE RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
September 2020
- Construction of 5m x 5m x 3m treated pine frame shed with 100mm concrete floor to be plumbed into a 11,500L rainwater tankLOT 70 GYPSUM MINE RD PENONG SA 5690Decision Made
Other· 2 proposals
- AMPOL AUSTRALIA PETROLEUM PTY LTDHydrocarbon and ChemicalEPA licence
- CHEETHAM SALT LIMITEDHydrocarbon and ChemicalEPA licence
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 5
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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 features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 22.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6383rd in Australia
- State rank
- 644th in SA
- Peer rank
- #138 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #231 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 77%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Obtain Benefit By Deceptioncrime1
- Other Property Damage And Environmentalcrime1
- Other Theftcrime3
- Receive Or Handle Proceeds Of Crimecrime1
- Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injurycrime1
- AMPOL AUSTRALIA PETROLEUM PTY LTDplanningHydrocarbon and ChemicalEPA licence
- Alterations and additions to existing dwelling (including an attached deck and verandah)planning864 FREDRICKSTAD RD PENONG SA 5690Lodged 05 Jul 2023 · Decision Made
- Alterations and additions to existing dwelling including verandah and alfrescoplanning1 GYPSUM MINE RD PENONG SA 5690Lodged 05 Apr 2023 · Decision Made
- CHEETHAM SALT LIMITEDplanningHydrocarbon and ChemicalEPA licence
- CONSTRUCTION OF A SHED (OUTBUILDING)planningLOT 85 EYRE HWY PENONG SA 5690Lodged 27 Nov 2020 · Decision Made
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Updated on site
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
More in Unincorporated SA Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of South Australia.