SA · Kangaroo Island Council

Seal Bay, 5223

Est. population · Jun 2025

8

Growth (1 yr)

+14.3%

Growth (5 yr)

+14.3%

Median age

45

Median income

$1,125/wk

Employment rate

71.4%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • National parks
  • Green suburb
What Seal Bay is known for: National parks, Green suburb

Suburb profile

Seal Bay offers a slower smaller community life in Kangaroo Island Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. It sits a long way from Adelaide and other major hubs, so daily life runs on a self-contained, local timetable. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a community of people who commute and work locally.

Everyday basics may be close by, but bigger shopping and services typically require a trip to a nearby centre. Green space punches above what many comparable suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

Homes are neither a bargain nor a premium buy against the wider market. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

At a glance

Seal Bay snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

8

+14% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

75.0%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Pop. growth

100th

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

8(June 2025)

+14.3% annual · +14.3% over 5 years · 100th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+14.3%
5-year growth
+14.3%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+1
Growth rank in SA
100th 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 +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
7
Median age
45
Median household income / week
$1,125
Dwelling vacancy
75%
Unoccupied private dwellings
3 of 4
Median monthly mortgage
$735
Employment rate
71.4%
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 ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian 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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Seal Bay Conservation Park

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
6
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

Health access

Nearest hospital
Kangaroo Island Health Service (44.8 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

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
24° / 14°
Rainfall
55 mm · ~7 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 12°
Rainfall
144 mm · ~18 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
15° / 9°
Rainfall
278 mm · ~35 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 10°
Rainfall
131 mm · ~16 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.

3 planning-related records

2025· 2 proposals
  • October 2025

  • Boundary Realignment - 2 allotments into 2
    3115 SOUTH COAST RD SEAL BAY SA 5223;3283 SOUTH COAST RD SEAL BAY SA 5223Decision Made
  • June 2025

  • Construction of a storage building (store) and two (2) above-ground rainwater tanks
    3115 SOUTH COAST RD SEAL BAY SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 1 proposal
  • January 2023

  • Tourist accommodation development comprising 25 accommodation units/cabins and associated landscaping, rainwater tanks (5 x 150KL tanks) and upgrade to road junction - staged development (5 stages)
    58 SEAL BAY RD SEAL BAY SA 5223Under Assessment

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

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

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 108.2 km away).

Coalition 69.2%Labor 30.8%

24.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -10.4 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • ParndanaLabor 21.6% · Coalition 78.4% TPP (2025)21.0 km away
  • KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)45.7 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)45.9 km away
  • American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)47.2 km away
  • PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)61.9 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 (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

More in Kangaroo Island Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.