Median house price
—
No data available
SA · Kangaroo Island Council
Western River, 5223
Est. population · Jun 2025
17
Growth (1 yr)
0.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+6.3%
Median age
41
Median income
$1,624/wk
Employment rate
62.5%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
- Green suburb
- River access
Suburb profile
Western River 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. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life.
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. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.
Homes are neither a bargain nor a premium buy against the wider market. A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
At a glance
Western River snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
17
0.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
50.0%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Pop. growth
44th
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
17(June 2025)
0.0% annual · +6.3% over 5 years · 44th percentile in SA
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- 0.0%
- 5-year growth
- +6.3%
- Change in 1 year
- 0
- Change in 5 years
- +1
- Growth rank in SA
- 44th 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 +0.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 16
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $1,624
- Dwelling vacancy
- 50%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 6 of 12
- Median monthly mortgage
- $997
- Employment rate
- 62.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 10 / 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 · Updated
The 2026 Census runs 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
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian 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 insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 33
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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 — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Kangaroo Island Health Service (63.6 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 normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
15 planning-related records
2025· 1 proposal
September 2025
- Alterations to existing homestead and change of use to tourist accommodation, 2 x 1-bed tents (tourist accommodation), new outbuilding and extension to existing shed, convert existing rainwater tank to swimming pool with safety fence, and re-roof existing outbuilding (ruin) - Re-notification742 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
2024· 1 proposal
October 2024
- Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of a replacement single storey detached dwelling and associated earthworks and landscaping6644 NORTH COAST RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 3 proposals
December 2023
- 1 into 3 land division105 COLMANS RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
August 2023
- Single storey detached dwelling, shed and 50,000 litre water tank.LOT 41 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
February 2023
- Prescribed Earthworks (retrospective) and Water Tanks84 SHERIDAN RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2022· 8 proposals
November 2022
- Construction of agricultural building for storage of farming machinery and equipment.LOT 701 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
- Construction of an agricultural building.6644 NORTH COAST RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
September 2022
- new detached dwelling601 COLMANS RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
August 2022
- Construction of single storey dwelling and outbuilding (domestic shed)1172 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
May 2022
- Construction of an outbuilding (boat and implement storage)300 SHERIDAN RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
March 2022
- Construction of an agricultural building for machinery storage.601 COLMANS RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
- Telecommunications Facility - comprising a slim-line lattice tower supported by 3 anchored guy wires, 2.3 metre high security fenced compound and 2x equipment cabinets, ground-mounted solar array and protective barriers428 COLMANS RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
January 2022
- Temporary accommodation in an area affected by bushfire and construction of a carport976 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Maintenance dredging including repairs to existing western sea wall of private harbour (measuring 40 metres)84 SHERIDAN RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Decision Made
August 2021
- Construction of a detached dwelling, tourist accommodation building and outbuilding including associated earthworks and landscapingLOT 100 WESTERN RIVER RD WESTERN RIVER SA 5223Under Assessment
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · 2020–2026 · Updated
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 · current · Updated
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 129.1 km away).
Coalition 68.8%Labor 31.1%
23.8 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -10.3 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- ParndanaLabor 21.6% · Coalition 78.4% TPP (2025)29.9 km away
- KingscoteLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)63.0 km away
- Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)63.5 km away
- American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)76.0 km away
- PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)89.4 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Kangaroo Island Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.