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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Hindmarsh Island has an estimated 2,496 residents, up from 1,846 at the 2021 Census — a change of 650 people, or 35.2%. Growth has averaged 7.2% a year over five years, faster than 96% of areas nationally. 261 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 83.0% of that increase. Density is about 38 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to evaluations of ABS demographics for the surrounding region and address data verified by AreaSearch subsequent to the Census, the suburb of Hindmarsh Island has an estimated population of 2,496 as of May 2026. This represents an expansion of 650 people (35.2%) compared to the 2021 Census, which counted 1,846 residents. The change is calculated from a resident base of 2,474, which was determined by AreaSearch using the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside 261 validated new addresses registered after the Census. This population level yields a density of 37 persons per square kilometer, which represents a spacious living environment.
The growth rate of 35.2% since the 2021 census outstripped the Rest of SA (5.9%) and the SA4 region, establishing the area as a regional growth leader. This population expansion was mostly fueled by interstate migration, which accounted for approximately 83.0% of the overall population rise in recent times. AreaSearch utilizes ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 zone, published in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For any SA2 regions lacking this dataset, as well as for the years after 2032, LGA/Regional projections by age bracket from the SA State Government released in 2023 (based on 2021 figures) are applied via a weighted aggregation method translating LGA-level growth to SA2 boundaries. Looking ahead, the suburb of Hindmarsh Island is projected to experience population growth slightly below the median for national regional areas, with projections indicating an increase of 221 residents by 2041, which represents an overall growth of 8.0% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
289 new dwellings have been approved in Hindmarsh Island over the past five years, an average of 57 a year. That places the area in the 89th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 23 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 67 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 99% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 81, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
According to building approval figures from the ABS compiled for this locality, the suburb of Hindmarsh Island averages approximately 57 approved residential builds annually, with a total of 289 dwellings approved during the last 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 75 approvals registered in FY-26 so far. Calculated at 2.5 additional residents per year for each approved dwelling over the 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating solid demand that should underpin housing values, these new dwellings carry an average construction cost of $401,000, which indicates that developers are focusing on the higher-end market with premium offerings.
Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $6.8 million during this financial year, highlighting that the area is overwhelmingly residential. Relative to Rest of SA, the suburb of Hindmarsh Island has 118.0% more development activity per capita, providing buyers with broader options. This rate is far higher than the national average, pointing to robust developer confidence in the area. Approved construction is made up of 99.0% detached houses and 1.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the low-density profile of the area to draw in buyers seeking space. The area averages roughly 40 people per dwelling approval, showing a growing market. Long-term forecasts suggest the suburb of Hindmarsh Island will gain 199 residents by 2041, starting from the most recent quarterly estimate by AreaSearch. In light of ongoing development volumes, incoming housing supply looks set to satisfy demand, creating favorable buyer conditions and potentially underpinning growth beyond current population forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Hindmarsh Island
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks one current infrastructure or development project inside Hindmarsh Island. A further 26 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $1.72 billion. 9 are already under construction and 8 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and sports & recreation. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure projects, major planning decisions, and new developments have a significant impact on local property markets. AreaSearch has identified 5 projects that are likely to influence this location. The major projects include Coorong Quays Estate, Airpark Estate, Lakeside Lifestyle Resort Goolwa, and Goolwa Oval Recreation Precinct, with details provided on those expected to be most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Coorong Quays Estate
Master-planned waterfront estate and marina on Hindmarsh Island with ongoing stages. Current activity includes the Riverview Release (Stage One) offering 30 allotments sized ~430-780 sqm, alongside continued marina, storage, and lifestyle village operations.
Lakeside Lifestyle Resort Goolwa
An established over-50s lifestyle community with world-class facilities including a swimming pool, gym, and bowling green. Phase 1 is fully occupied, with a planned extension awaiting ministerial approval.
Riverhaven Estate
Residential land development by AVJennings in Goolwa North, providing new homes. Stage 3 land is currently available for sale. Total of 27 new homes.
Goolwa Wharf Precinct
Restoration and upgrade of the historic Goolwa Wharf area including Wharf, Wharf Shed and Signal Point Experience Centre with new public amenities, wayfinding and the Yuntulun Kuli-war exhibition. Works focused on heritage preservation, safety, accessibility and activation for events and local business, integrating First Nations stories.
Goolwa Oval Recreation Precinct
Creation of a modern, accessible, and adaptable sporting and community precinct with upgraded change rooms, toilets, playing surfaces, lighting, scoring, and storage. Includes sustainable features like solar panels, rainwater storage, recycled materials, and new stormwater infrastructure for irrigation.
Goolwa Secondary College
New public secondary school for Goolwa opened in Term 1 2022 following a full site redevelopment completed Dec 2021. The project delivered contemporary learning areas including science labs, a knowledge hub (library), arts facilities, and design & technology spaces. Designed for staged growth to Year 12 by 2026, with 2024 enrolment reported at 213 students.
Victor Harbor Baptist Church Expansion
Expansion of Victor Harbor Baptist Church to deliver a new main auditorium, children's ministry spaces, hospitality and kitchen facilities, upgraded amenities and expanded parking. Development approval was granted in 2021. The project remains approved but construction has been deferred while the church waits for construction costs to improve and fundraising capacity to increase. Church updates continue to describe the project as a live long-term priority.
Victor Retail Depot
Bulky goods retail development featuring two buildings accommodating four retail outlets with flexible tenancies ranging from 700sqm to 3,000sqm. Strategically positioned adjacent to national retailers including Aldi, Bunnings and Coles in Victor Harbor's primary retail corridor along Adelaide Road. The development is designed to accommodate a wide spectrum of commercial uses within South Australia's fastest growing coastal retail precinct on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
994 residents of Hindmarsh Island are employed, from a labour force of 1,032. Unemployment sits at 3.7%, with participation at 46.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.4% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. The working-day population is estimated at 2,752, about 110% of the resident population, so the area draws in more workers than it sends out. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The suburb of Hindmarsh Island has a skilled workforce across a variety of sectors, showing an unemployment rate of just 3.7% and estimated job growth of 9.0% over the past year based on statistical area aggregations. As of March 2026, there are 994 employed residents, with the unemployment rate sitting 1.8% below the Regional SA mark of 5.5%, whereas workforce participation is notably lower (46.2% compared to 58.4% in Regional SA). Census records indicate a moderate 14.0% of the workforce operated from home, though this figure may have been influenced by Covid-19 restrictions.
The primary employment sectors for residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The community displays a marked concentration in health care & social assistance, employing residents at 1.3 times the Regional SA rate. On the other hand, agriculture, forestry & fishing represents a small share at 4.5% of workers versus 14.5% across the region. A ratio of 0.6 workers per resident at the time of the Census indicates local job opportunities are above average. Analysis of SALM and ABS statistics for the broader statistical area shows that over the 12 months ending March 2026, employment grew by 9.0% and the labour force grew by 9.8%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate. In contrast, Regional SA experienced a 1.2% rise in employment, a 2.6% expansion in the labour force, and a 1.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia published in May-25 offer additional context on future demand trends. These five and ten-year projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model potential growth. Nationally, employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though rates vary significantly by sector. Applying these industry-specific projections to the local employment mix suggests the workforce in the suburb of Hindmarsh Island could increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a basic weighted extrapolation and does not incorporate local demographic forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Hindmarsh Island is $1,123 a week (about $58,000 a year), with median personal income at $581 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $40,815 a year against an average of $54,804. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
The most recent ATO postcode records for the financial year 2023 show that personal incomes in the suburb of Hindmarsh Island are below the national average, with a median of $40,815 and an average of $54,804. This compares to Regional SA medians of $48,920 and averages of $58,933. Adjusted for a Wage Price Index rise of 10.17% since the financial year 2023, current estimates stand at approximately $44,966 for the median and $60,378 for the average as of March 2026. The 2021 Census reports that household, family, and individual incomes all fall between the 8th and 9th national percentiles.
The most common weekly income bracket is $800 - 1,499, accounting for 35.3% of residents (881 people), whereas in the metropolitan area the most common bracket is $1,500 - 2,999 at 27.5%. Despite low housing costs leaving residents with 87.0% of their income, total disposable income sits in the 12th national percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Hindmarsh Island had 783 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 88% detached houses and 0% apartments. 24% are owned with a mortgage, 21% rented and 55% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $330 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,365 a month. Rent absorbs 29.4% of household income here and mortgage repayments 28.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Residential structures in the suburb of Hindmarsh Island at the time of the Census consisted of 87.8% separate houses and 12.2% alternative options like townhouses and apartments, compared to 88.5% houses and 11.5% alternative options in Regional SA. Home ownership rates were high at 54.8%, with mortgaged properties making up 24.2% and rented properties accounting for 21.0%. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,365 was higher than the Regional SA average of $1,153, while the median weekly rent was $330 compared to $220. At a national level, mortgage payments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents are also well below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Hindmarsh Island counted 783 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 1,059 today, averaging 2.2 people each. 15% are couples with children, fewer than in 94% of areas nationally, against 50% couples without children. 23% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 73.9% of households in the area, consisting of couples with children at 14.9%, couples without children at 50.1%, and single parents at 8.6%. The remaining 26.1% are non-family households, with single-person households at 22.6% and group households at 3.2%. The median household size of 2.2 residents is slightly smaller than the Regional SA average of 2.3.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
18.7% of adults in Hindmarsh Island hold a university qualification, including 12.9% with a bachelor degree and 3.2% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 76% of areas nationally. A further 28.3% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The area experiences low levels of tertiary education, with university qualification rates at 18.7% compared to the national rate of 30.4%. Among these qualifications, bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.9%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 3.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational and technical training is common, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas at 13.8% and certificates at 28.3%. A total of 18.6% of residents are enrolled in school or university. This includes 7.6% in primary school, 5.8% in high school, and 2.0% in higher education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Hindmarsh Island means driving: households keep an average of 1.5 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
57.1% of residents in Hindmarsh Island report no long-term health condition. 7.7% need daily assistance with core activities, and 48.7% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health indicators are positive for the residents, with mortality rates and chronic illnesses matching national averages. The prevalence of common illnesses remains low among younger and older demographics. The rate of private health insurance is low, with approximately 49% of the population (~1,215 people) covered, compared to the national average of 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent health issues, affecting 13.5% and 8.9% of residents, respectively. A total of 57.1% of residents reported having no long-term health conditions, compared to 62.5% in Regional SA. The working-age cohort experiences higher rates of chronic illness, while 43.6% of residents (~1,088 people) are aged 65 and over, which is higher than the regional average of 27.1%.
Senior health outcomes are positive, matching national averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Hindmarsh Island is largely Australian-born, at 77.2% of residents, with 2.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (40.7%) and Australian (25.4%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Hindmarsh Island demonstrated lower than average cultural diversity, as 77.2% of its residents were born in Australia, 91.3% held citizenship, and 97.1% used only English in their households. Christianity was the predominant faith, representing 44.4% of the population within Hindmarsh Island. Yet the most noticeable overrepresentation occurred in Judaism, which accounted for 0.2% of the population, while Regional SA recorded 0.0%. English ancestry is the most common at 40.7% of the population, which is higher than the regional rate of 32.5%. Australian ancestry is claimed by 25.4% of residents, which is lower than the regional rate of 31.3%, followed by Scottish ancestry at 8.7%.
Ethnic backgrounds showing divergence from regional averages include German at 5.6% (compared to 8.2% in Regional SA), Welsh at 0.7% (compared to 0.5%), and Hungarian at 0.3% (compared to 0.1%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Hindmarsh Island is 60, older than 98% of areas nationally. 12.1% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 60 in the suburb of Hindmarsh Island is higher than the Regional SA average of 47 and the national average of 38. The 65 - 74 age group is the most common cohort at 25.5%, while the 25 - 34 cohort is small at 5.5% (compared to Regional SA). This concentration of 65 - 74 year-olds is higher than the national rate of 9.4%. Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 11.2% to 14.1% of the population, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 2.0% to 4.0%.
The 55 to 64 cohort declined from 19.4% to 17.4%, and the 65 to 74 cohort fell from 26.9% to 25.5%. By 2041, demographic shifts are expected, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 114%, adding 114 residents to total 214. The 65+ age groups will account for 77% of total population growth, while the 35 to 44 and 15 to 24 cohorts are expected to decrease in size.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Hindmarsh Island
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 this month all 1 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 261 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (1,846 at the 2021 Census → 2,496 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL40598). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.