suburb.guide

TAS · Central Coast Council

Penguin, 7316

Est. population · Jun 2025

4,329

Growth (1 yr)

-0.5%

Growth (5 yr)

+2.8%

Median age

47

Median income

$1,301/wk

Employment rate

54.6%

University qualified

16.7%

Work from home

7.1%

Languages at home

2.3%non-English

Most common: German, Arabic, Nepali

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

44.7/100
Average

Top 29% of Tasmania's suburbs

Verified 94% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Green suburb
  • Agricultural
  • Heritage area
  • Holiday parks
What Penguin is known for: Beach, Green suburb, Agricultural, Heritage area, Holiday parks

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Suburb Guide, “Penguin, TAS Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/tas/penguin

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Suburb profile

Penguin is a major regional centre in Tasmania, in Central Coast Council, characterised by heritage streetscapes. Notable landmarks include Big Penguin, Neptune Grand Hotel and St Stephen's Church.

Public transport is an exceptional strength, well above typical levels for major regional centres. Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places, with recorded road crashes 45% below the peer median, and mapped flood cover is another of the suburb's defining strengths, and heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places. The clearer weaknesses are limited school access and thinner local amenities, with school access 60% below the peer median.

Penguin is a better fit for people who value public transport and heritage character more than school access.

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

Major regional centre · compared with major regional centres in Tasmania (67)

Strengths

  • Public transport is a relative strength
  • Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places
  • Mapped flood cover is a relative strength
  • Heritage listings are more concentrated than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • School access is relatively limited
  • Local amenity access is relatively limited

What stands out

  • Penguin Beach
  • Johnsons Beach
  • Heritage streetscapes
  • Big Penguin
  • Neptune Grand Hotel
  • St Stephen's Church

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Penguin compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$395/wk

Population (ERP)

4,329

-0.5% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.6%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#22

among Country & regional · Mature

Pop. growth

5th

percentile in TAS

Rented dwellings

22%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

3/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

29th

percentile among schools with ICSEA

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

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
44.7/100 — Average
State standing
Top 29% of Tasmania's suburbs
National rank
3192nd in Australia
State rank
94th in TAS
Peer rank
#22 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#54 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
94%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (latest monthly release)
$395
Rental bonds lodged (latest monthly release)
13

Median weekly rent from Tasmanian rental data where available.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

4,329(June 2025)

-0.5% annual · +2.8% over 5 years · 5th percentile in TAS

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
-0.5%
5-year growth
+2.8%
Change in 1 year
-23
Change in 5 years
+117
Growth rank in TAS
5th 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 (~4,450), extrapolated at +0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
4,132
Median age
47
Median household income / week
$1,301
Dwelling vacancy
7.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
136 of 1,789
Median monthly mortgage
$1,300
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$260
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
41.1% / 37.1% / 21.9%
Employment rate
54.6%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
7.1% / 0.7% / 75.5%
Walked or cycled to work
1.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
1,498 / 109 / 4 (+ 35 other)

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

16.7% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Tasmania. 23.1% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified16.7% · 21.9% TAS
  • Diploma qualified8.1% · 7.9% TAS
  • Trade / vocational23.1% · 18.5% TAS
  • Year 12 or below52.1% · 51.8% TAS

Highest qualification field

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

  • Engineering and related technologies19.7%
  • Society and culture16%
  • Management and commerce15%
  • Health14.7%
  • Education11.3%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services6.7%
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)
$54,501

62nd percentile in TAS · -7% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$61,544

75th percentile in TAS · -5% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
12.0%

59th percentile in TAS · -13% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$85,518

66th percentile in TAS · +35% vs Australia

Residents with business income
9.0%

21st percentile in TAS · -13% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 7316 — 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
3,941
Taxpayers reporting net rent
481
Median net rent
$428
Taxpayers reporting business income
346
Taxable income vs state median
+3%
Salary / wages vs state median
+6%
Rental investment vs state median
+9%
Super vs state median
+14%
Business income vs state median
-18%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in TAS, 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

4.9% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 2.1× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 5.2% across Tasmania.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
4.9%

37th percentile in TAS · +113% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
92
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 7316

Occupation mix in this industry

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

  • Managers45
  • Labourers28

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 7316 (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 West and North West (SA4 604), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12131,176
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415357
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211284
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412254
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212211
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 8413130
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841977
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 121465
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841132
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841625

West and North West 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: 1,892 · AFF share -6% 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

2.3% speak a language other than English at home; 11.1% born overseas

Language at home
3,858 English only · 89 other
Non-English at home
2.3%
Born overseas
432 (11.1%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
328 (7.9%)
Australian citizens
3,817
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
3

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • German9 · 56.2%
  • Arabic4 · 25%
  • Nepali3 · 18.8%

Religion

52.1%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 52.1%, while Christianity accounts for 39%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion52.1%49.6%
Christianity39%38.4%
Other / not stated8.9%12.1%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Anglican11.7%14.4%
Catholic10.6%12.7%
Uniting Church5.3%2.6%
Christian (not further defined)3.2%2.5%

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

Figures are for the Central West Police Division, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2024–25)
1,087
Against the person
334
Against property
692
Rate per 1,000 residents (area)
39.3
State crime-rate percentile
45.4th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-3.6%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
610
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
140.91

Most common offence types

  • Offences Against Property
  • Offences Against The Person
  • Total Offences

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

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
960
Median ICSEA percentile
29th
School list
  • Penguin District SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 960 · 29th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 676 students · Top SEA quarter 11% · 1.7 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

24 public transport stops in this suburb

  • 74 Mission Hill Rd
  • No.43 South Rd
  • Stop 12, Preservation Dr near Johnsons Beach
  • Stop 17, No.109 Main Rd
  • Stop 17, No.96 Main Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

27 mapped amenities

1 sports centres · 2 beaches · 1 caravan parks · 1 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • A car helps for daily needs
  • Decent local green space — 4 parks in suburb
  • Well connected by public transport — 24 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
30/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.97
Community(1)
  • Cradle Coast Mountain Bike Club ShedCommunity centre
Sport & outdoors(10)
  • Johnsons BeachBeach
  • Penguin BeachBeach
  • NorthWest Coastal PathwayCycling route
  • Ferndene State ReserveNature reserve
  • Mount Dial Nature Recreation AreaNature reserve
  • Mount Montgomery Nature Recreation AreaNature reserve
  • Mount Montgomery State ReserveNature reserve
  • Public toilets
  • Penguin Sports CentreSports centre
  • Sports field
Camping & holiday parks(2)
  • Penguin Lions ParkCampground
  • Penguin Beachside Tourist ParkCaravan park

    6 Johnsons Beach Road, Penguin

Other(9)
  • Bicycle Repair Station
  • Penguin Community Organic GardenGarden
  • Parking (6)
  • Penguin Cradle Trail Car ParkParking
  • Penguin Mountain Bike Park Car ParkParking
  • Shelter
  • Little Devils Skills ParkTrack
  • Old Penguin Speedway - MTB Free Ride Jumps ParkTrack
  • Track

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

Sporting clubs

2 named sporting clubs in this suburb

  • Penguin Bowling Club

    Lawn Bowls

  • Penguin Golf Club

    Golf

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • George Hooper ReservePark
  • Hiscutt ParkPark
  • Lions ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
5.4%
Woodland / forest cover
5.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
54
Parks (OSM)
4
Typical summer maximum
21°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

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
1
Nearest hospital
North West Regional Hospital (17.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
GP clinics in suburb
1
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 1
Aged-care services
1
Residential aged-care places
78

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

  • Patrick Street ClinicIroncliffe RoadGP
Aged-care services
  • Coroneagh ParkPENGUINResidential

Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
113
Participants per 1,000 residents
26.1

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
21° / 12°
Rainfall
171 mm · ~21 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
18° / 10°
Rainfall
238 mm · ~30 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 5°
Rainfall
360 mm · ~45 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
16° / 8°
Rainfall
262 mm · ~33 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Heritage

23 heritage places

  • 'Aberfoyle' Victorian Summer House14 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Big Penguin Main RD, Penguin, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Brown's Bakery93 Main RD, Penguin, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Former Commercial Bank82 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Former Richardson's Motor & Cycle Garage66 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Former St Stephens Anglican Rectory5 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • Former Station Master's House46 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • House25 CRESCENT ST, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • House15 CRESCENT ST, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered
  • House124 MAIN RD, PENGUIN, 7316Permanently Registered

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via LIST bushfire impact area mapping. Flood cover uses Tasmanian Planning Scheme flood-prone area overlays against the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Braddon
Member of Parliament
Anne URQUHART (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
84,244
Turnout (2025)
93.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+15.2 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 42.8%Labor 57.2%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 9.6 km away).

Coalition 41.8%Labor 58.2%

1.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +14.1 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • PenguinLabor 59.4% · Coalition 40.6% TPP (2025)1.7 km away
  • Sulphur CreekLabor 51.9% · Coalition 48.1% TPP (2025)6.0 km away
  • West UlverstoneLabor 62.0% · Coalition 38.0% TPP (2025)8.3 km away
  • North MottonLabor 43.8% · Coalition 56.2% TPP (2025)8.5 km away
  • RianaLabor 53.7% · Coalition 46.3% TPP (2025)8.7 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)
3/10
IRSD decile (2021)
3/10

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

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Central Coast Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Tasmania.