NT · East Arnhem Council
Yirrkala, 0880
Current weather
25.6°CClear sky
73% humidity · 16.8 km/h wind · 28.6° / 22.7° today · 1.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Yirrkala offers a slower smaller community life in East Arnhem, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Distance from the capital is part of the appeal, with wide open surrounds and a self-contained community rhythm. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
Young professionals and new households shape much of the local mix, with family life visible on every street. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood.
The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
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
- 657
- Median age
- 32
- Median household income / week
- $1,679
- Dwelling vacancy
- 17.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 29 of 164
- Median monthly mortgage
- $0
- Employment rate
- 35.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 22 / 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)
- 631.5
- Laynhapuy Homelands SchoolCombined
- Yirrkala 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
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Yirrkala Health CentreClinic
- Yirrkala Volunteer Fire BrigadeFire station
Tuffin Road, Yirrkala
- Yirrkala Boat RampParking
- Shire OfficeTownhall
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
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Marika ParkPark
- Rika ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Yirrkala Health Centreclinic
- Yirrkala 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
Childcare
2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Child Care Centrechildcare
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 6
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 35.8/100 — Below average
- State standing
- Top 46% of Northern Territory's suburbs
- National rank
- 4115th in Australia
- State rank
- 73rd in NT
- Peer rank
- #28 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #29 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 65%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Child Care Centrechildcarechildcare
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Yirrkala Health Centrehealthclinic
- Yirrkala Health Centrehealthclinic
- Marika Parkgovernmentpark
- Rika Parkgovernmentpark
- Laynhapuy Homelands SchoolschoolsCombined
- Yirrkala SchoolschoolsCombined
- Shire Officeamenitiestownhall
- Yirrkala Boat Rampamenitiesparking
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in East Arnhem Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Northern Territory.