suburb.guide

SA · Kangaroo Island Council

Willoughby, 5222

Est. population · Jun 2025

12

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+9.1%

Median age

54

Median income

$1,874/wk

Employment rate

75%

University qualified

54.5%

Work from home

0%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Beach
  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • Remote
What Willoughby is known for: Beach, Green suburb, National parks, Remote

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Willoughby, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Willoughby, SA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Willoughby, SA Suburb Guide”, updated 18 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/sa/willoughby-sa

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Suburb profile

Willoughby is a remote locality in South Australia, in Kangaroo Island Council. It is close to the Kangaroo Island and Cape Willoughby Lighthouse.

Employment is stronger than in comparable places, with employment 18% above the peer median. University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities, and mapped flood cover is another of the suburb's defining strengths, and green cover is another area where the suburb performs particularly well, and population growth is an exceptional strength, and recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places, with recorded road crashes 100% below the peer median.

Willoughby is a better fit for people who value university qualifications and 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

  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
  • Mapped flood cover is a relative strength
  • Green cover is a relative strength
  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places
  • Employment is a relative strength

Weaknesses

No relative weaknesses against comparable places.

What stands out

  • Willoughby Beach
  • Kangaroo Island
  • Cape Willoughby Lighthouse
  • Cape Willoughby
  • Cape Willoughby Conservation Park
  • Dudley Peninsula

Housing, growth and risk

How Willoughby compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

12

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

100.0%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Pop. growth

45th

percentile in SA

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Population

Estimated resident population

12(June 2025)

0.0% annual · +9.1% over 5 years · 45th percentile in SA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
+9.1%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
+1
Growth rank in SA
45th 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 +1.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
11
Median age
54
Median household income / week
$1,874
Dwelling vacancy
100%
Unoccupied private dwellings
4 of 4
Median monthly mortgage
$0
Employment rate
75%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
0% / 0% / 40%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
0 / 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

54.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 22.6% across South Australia. 27.3% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified54.5% · 22.6% SA
  • Trade / vocational27.3% · 17.5% SA
  • Year 12 or below18.2% · 51.2% SA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Management and commerce57.1%
  • Engineering and related technologies42.9%
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)
$44,359

11th percentile in SA · -24% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$41,823

6th percentile in SA · -36% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
19.0%

97th percentile in SA · +38% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$82,073

56th percentile in SA · +30% 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 5222 — 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
489
Taxpayers reporting net rent
95
Median net rent
$3,729
Taxpayers reporting business income
88
Taxable income vs state median
-18%
Salary / wages vs state median
-27%
Rental investment vs state median
+58%
Super vs state median
+5%
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

41.7% born overseas

Language at home
11 English only · 0 other
Non-English at home
0%
Born overseas
5 (41.7%)
Australian citizens
6

Religion

MeasureSuburbState
Other / not stated100%100%

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
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
0
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
0

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

2 mapped amenities

1 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(2)
  • Beach
  • Cape Willoughby Conservation ParkNature reserve

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

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Cape Willoughby Conservation Park

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
33.7%
Woodland / forest cover
33.7%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
21
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 (45.6 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

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· 1 proposal

  • September 2026

  • Dwelling additions and alterations
    2615 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Under Assessment
2025· 2 proposals

  • October 2025

  • Construction of shed
    2575 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

  • August 2025

  • Change to occupancy of existing tourist accommodation units from single units to twin/double units (Acacia, Banksia, Osprey and Kestrel Villas) and buildings alterations and additions to villas
    2575 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Under Assessment
2024· 5 proposals

  • October 2024

  • Tourist accommodation comprising 12 cabins, a plantation (Leptospermum scoparium) and hives for honey production, construction of a mixed use building (shed) for honey production, tourist experience and shop (honey production education), fire refuge and storage of agricultural machinery and implements and associated driveways, rainwater tanks and landscaping - staged development
    LOT 1 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Under Assessment

  • July 2024

  • Construction of public viewing platform and walking trail
    LOT 52 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

  • May 2024

  • Construction of a tourist accommodation facility comprising 12 cabins, a storage shed, rainwater tanks and associated driveway access, earthworks and landscaping - Amended Proposal
    LOT 51 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

  • January 2024

  • Construction of single storey dwelling with associated rainwater tanks for domestic and fire fighting water supply
    LOT 1 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made
  • Additions and alterations to existing tourist retreat facilities comprising 11 new accommodation suits/units, administration office, raised decking and new car parking - staged development (Amended to Stage 1 only - all other stages are to be removed)
    2575 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Under Assessment
2023· 3 proposals

  • May 2023

  • Construction of a shed for storage (outbuilding) in association with tourist accommodation
    LOT 390 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Under Assessment

  • February 2023

  • Construction of a shed for storage in association with tourist accommodation
    LOT 390 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

  • January 2023

  • Alterations and additions to existing tourist accommodation building creating five (5) self contained suites, common dining and kitchen facilities , and construction of extensions of existing north-facing deck
    2575 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made
2022· 2 proposals

  • July 2022

  • Tourist Accommodation comprising nine (9) retreat style cabins and associated infrastructure including site and civil works
    LOT 390 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

  • May 2022

  • Alterations and additions to existing tourist accommodation building to create three (3) tourist accommodation units - internal modifications (including removal of kitchen/lounge) and construction of external decks
    2575 CAPE WILLOUGHBY RD WILLOUGHBY SA 5222Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

2 heritage places

  • Farmhouse ('Freshfields') and GravesOff Willoughby Road ANTECHAMBER BAYState heritage
  • Cape Willoughby Lighthouse Tower (excluding modern lantern), Cape Willoughby Conservation ParkWilloughby Road CAPE WILLOUGHBYState heritage

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
98.2% 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 55.2 km away).

Coalition 52.3%Labor 47.7%

7.3 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -4.5 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • PenneshawLabor 50.6% · Coalition 49.4% TPP (2025)20.0 km away
  • American RiverLabor 42.5% · Coalition 57.5% TPP (2025)29.7 km away
  • DelamereLabor 46.0% · Coalition 54.0% TPP (2025)30.8 km away
  • Second ValleyLabor 54.8% · Coalition 45.2% TPP (2025)36.4 km away
  • Special Hospital Team 5Labor 25.0% · Coalition 75.0% TPP (2025)46.3 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)
5/10
IRSD decile (2021)
5/10

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.