WA · Augusta Margaret River Council

Gnarabup, 6285

Est. population · Jun 2025

622

Growth (1 yr)

+3.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+17.8%

Median age

43

Median income

$2,137/wk

Employment rate

71.2%

University qualified

33.3%

Work from home

13.3%

Languages at home

6.8%non-English

Most common: Portuguese, Spanish, Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

46.5/100
Average

Top 32% of Western Australia's suburbs

Verified 74% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Green suburb
What Gnarabup is known for: Beach, Green suburb

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Gnarabup, WA suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Gnarabup, WA Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/wa/gnarabup

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Suburb profile

Gnarabup is a coastal town in Western Australia, in Augusta Margaret River Council. The Augusta-Margaret River is part of the surrounding geography.

Dining and cafés are a relative strength, placing it among the highest-ranked coastal towns. Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group, and university qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, with university qualifications 109% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The clearer weaknesses are higher rents and thinner park access, with median rents 14% above the peer median.

Gnarabup is a better fit for people who value dining and socio-economic advantage more than lower rents.

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

Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in Western Australia (61)

Strengths

  • Dining and cafés are a relative strength
  • Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group
  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group

Weaknesses

  • Rents run above those in comparable places
  • Park access is thinner than in comparable places

What stands out

  • Gnarabup Beach
  • Augusta-Margaret River
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Gnarabup compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$680/wk

Population (ERP)

622

+3.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

42.4%

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

#7

among Coastal & beach · Emerging

Pop. growth

86th

percentile in WA

Rented dwellings

24%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

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

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
46.5/100 — Average
State standing
Top 32% of Western Australia's suburbs
National rank
2769th in Australia
State rank
221st in WA
Peer rank
#7 among Coastal & beach · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#31 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
74%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
$680
Rental bonds lodged (wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv)
668

Median weekly rent from WA rental bond lodgements. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

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

  • WA rental bond lodgements — Department of Communities (WA) · wa-rental-bond/Monthly Bond Lodgement Summary (CSV)-(01-12-2025-31-12-2025).csv · Updated · Monthly bond summaries

Population

Estimated resident population

622(June 2025)

+3.0% annual · +17.8% over 5 years · 86th percentile in WA

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+3.0%
5-year growth
+17.8%
Change in 1 year
+18
Change in 5 years
+94
Growth rank in WA
86th 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 (~750), extrapolated at +3.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
525
Median age
43
Median household income / week
$2,137
Dwelling vacancy
42.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
125 of 295
Median monthly mortgage
$1,733
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$420
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
31.8% / 43.9% / 24.2%
Employment rate
71.2%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
13.3% / 0% / 67.4%
Walked or cycled to work
3.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
149 / 0 / 17

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

33.3% of adults have a university degree, compared with 23.8% across Western Australia. 12.6% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified33.3% · 23.8% WA
  • Diploma qualified12.9% · 9.3% WA
  • Trade / vocational12.6% · 17.8% WA
  • Year 12 or below41.2% · 49.1% WA

Highest qualification field

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

  • Health16%
  • Architecture and building12.3%
  • Engineering and related technologies12.3%
  • Society and culture12.3%
  • Management and commerce11.9%
  • Education11.5%
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)
$51,049

14th percentile in WA · -13% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$52,652

21st percentile in WA · -19% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
14.0%

62nd percentile in WA · +1% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$55,096

36th percentile in WA · -13% vs Australia

Residents with business income
16.0%

97th percentile in WA · +54% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 6285 — 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
8,311
Taxpayers reporting net rent
1,195
Median net rent
$3,429
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,350
Taxable income vs state median
-16%
Salary / wages vs state median
-16%
Rental investment vs state median
+17%
Super vs state median
-14%
Business income vs state median
+100%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in WA, 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

6.8% speak a language other than English at home; 20.5% born overseas

Language at home
423 English only · 31 other
Non-English at home
6.8%
Born overseas
94 (20.5%)
Australian citizens
427
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).

  • Portuguese7 · 50%
  • Spanish4 · 28.6%
  • Italian3 · 21.4%

Religion

58.1%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 58.1%, while Christianity accounts for 25.9%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion58.1%42.5%
Christianity25.9%41.1%
Other / not stated16%16.4%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic12.6%18.7%
Anglican10.1%10.1%

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 South West Police District, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
8,011
Against the person
2,104
Against property
3,892
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
49.6
State crime-rate percentile
15.5th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
-35%

Most common offence types

  • Assault (Family)
  • Breach Of Violence Restraint Order
  • Drug Offences
  • Property Damage
  • Stealing

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

  • WA Police district crime statistics — Western Australia Police Force · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Quarterly timeseries XLSX; district-level aggregates

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

55 mapped amenities

1 restaurants · 1 cafes · 2 playgrounds · 11 swimming pools · 3 beaches

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Decent local green space — 0 parks in suburb, 2 playgrounds nearby
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 14 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
4/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
1.9
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
3.81
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink(2)
  • White Elephant CafeCafe

    Gnarabup Road

  • The CommonRestaurant
Everyday services(1)
  • NextATM
Sport & outdoors(24)
  • BBQ (3)
  • Beach (2)
  • Gnarabup BeachBeach
  • Gnarabup Boat rampBoat ramp
  • Gnarabup LinkCycling route
  • Mitchell Drive PathCycling route
  • Playground (2)
  • Public toilets
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (11)
Places to stay(3)
  • Dolphin HouseGuest house
  • Margarets Beach ResortHotel
  • Kilifi Beach HouseMotel

    Marmaduke Point Drive, Gnarabup

Entertainment(3)
  • Viewpoint (3)
Other(11)
  • Refuge by Kashmir RouwArtwork
  • DMKBeauty salon
  • FloatingBeauty salon
  • Bench (2)
  • Bicycle Parking (3)
  • Bicycle rental
  • Outdoor Seating
  • Parking (8)
  • Shower
  • Margaret River Surf ShopSports
  • Waste Basket (2)

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

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
9.3%
Woodland / forest cover
9.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
20
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
26°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
Margaret River District Hospital (8.2 km)
Nearest hospital type
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

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
13
Participants per 1,000 residents
20.9

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
26° / 15°
Rainfall
49 mm · ~6 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
22° / 13°
Rainfall
242 mm · ~30 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
17° / 9°
Rainfall
600 mm · ~75 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
248 mm · ~31 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Hazards

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

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via WA bush fire prone area mapping. Flood cover uses floodplain mapping against the suburb boundary where published.

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
Forrest
Member of Parliament
Ben SMALL (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
117,485
Turnout (2025)
89.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+1.9 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 52.2%Labor 47.8%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 38.3 km away).

Coalition 43.3%Labor 56.8%

9.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +0.6 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Margaret RiverLabor 61.2% · Coalition 38.8% TPP (2025)8.3 km away
  • Margaret River SouthLabor 57.4% · Coalition 42.6% TPP (2025)8.7 km away
  • WitchcliffeLabor 57.8% · Coalition 42.2% TPP (2025)10.0 km away
  • CowaramupLabor 55.7% · Coalition 44.3% TPP (2025)18.9 km away
  • Rosa BrookLabor 48.0% · Coalition 52.0% TPP (2025)19.4 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

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 Augusta Margaret River Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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