NT · MacDonnell Council
Papunya, 0872
Current weather
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48% humidity · 12.3 km/h wind · 22.9° / 9.1° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Affordable
- Rural
- Schools
- Established
- Residential
Suburb profile
Papunya offers a slower smaller community life in MacDonnell, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Remote from the metro area in the best sense: quiet streets, big skies and a town that runs on its own timetable. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
Young professionals and new households shape much of the local mix, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and community and employment against similar regional towns, even with safety and transport and access holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 438
- Median age
- 27
- Median household income / week
- $1,520
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 89
- Median monthly mortgage
- $0
- Employment rate
- 26.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 19 / 3 / 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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 2
- Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
- 618
- Mbunghara SchoolCombined
- Papunya SchoolCombined
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Amenities
5 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Papunya Health CentreClinic
- Papunya StorePetrol station
- Place of worship
- Papunya Police StationPolice
- Papunya SchoolSchool
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Papunya Health Centreclinic
- Papunya Health Centreclinic
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 32.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4765th in Australia
- State rank
- 95th in NT
- Peer rank
- #46 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #47 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 48%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Papunya Health Centrehealthclinic
- Papunya Health Centrehealthclinic
- Mbunghara SchoolschoolsCombined
- Papunya SchoolschoolsCombined
- Papunya Health Centreamenitiesclinic
- Papunya Police Stationamenitiespolice
- Papunya Schoolamenitiesschool
- Papunya Storeamenitiesfuel
- Place of worshipamenitiesplace_of_worship
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in MacDonnell Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Northern Territory.