SA · Karoonda East Murray Council
Bowhill, 5238
Current weather
10.5°CMainly clear
84% humidity · 18.3 km/h wind · 13.8° / 9° today · 3.4 mm rain
Updated
- River access
- Green suburb
- Café precinct
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
Suburb profile
Bowhill is a residential smaller community in Karoonda East Murray with a familiar suburban feel. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
Population
- Population
- 127
- Median age
- 54
- Median household income / week
- $1,156
- Dwelling vacancy
- 74.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 156 of 210
- Median monthly mortgage
- $657
- Employment rate
- 52.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 5 / 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.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2024–25)
- 2
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 1
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 15.7
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 127 residents
- State safety percentile
- 17.8th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 52
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -66.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Common Assault1
- Sct - Residence1
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Period: 2023-24 → 2024-25; 2024-25 · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
Public transport
1 public transport stops in this suburb
- Chucka Bend Rd - East side (Bowhill General Store)
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Adelaide Metro GTFS stops — Department for Infrastructure and Transport (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
117 planning-related records
2026· 10 proposals
June 2026
- Construction of a domestic outbuilding76 SCHMIDT LANE BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Outbuilding (shed) and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain40 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Outbuilding addition and incidental excavation and filling in a flood plain92B PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
May 2026
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with an attached covered balcony, and an undercroft wet area, storage area, and staircase enclosure74 TERRENCE PL BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Dwelling additions in the form of elevated decking addition, staircase and associated incidental excavation and filling in a flood plain24 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
February 2026
- Additions to dwelling consisting of a deck and verandah, with associated excavation and filling in a flood plain40 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Elevated detached dwelling, outbuilding, retaining walls and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain135 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
January 2026
- Industrial Workshop68 WEBER RD BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with an attached balcony, external staircase, and an undercroft boat shed, storage area and wet area9 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Riverbank retaining wall (sandbag retaining) and associated excavation and filling in a floodplain26 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
2025· 15 proposals
November 2025
- Construction of jetty and riverbank retaining walls with associated earthworks in a flood plain131 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Elevated detached dwelling with part ground floor enclosure, retaining walls and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain30 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Installation of a sandbagging riverbank retaining wall27 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
October 2025
- Installation of a sandbag riverbank retaining wall28 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- River Structure (Jetty) and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain92B PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- VERANDAH : 4000mm Wide x 7000mm Long x 2600mm High Roof Pitch Degree - 1 degree (Flat Roof)68 SCHMIDT LANE BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Domestic outbuilding245 LOWAN RD BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
August 2025
- Agricultural building (machinery store)2237 HUNDRED LINE RD BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Residential Outbuilding (Shed)17 CHUCKA BEND RD BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
June 2025
- Demolition of an existing dwelling and the construction of an elevated detached dwelling with a covered balcony, external staircase, and an undercroft garage and wet areas and associated retaining walls52 SCHMIDT LANE BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
May 2025
- Construction of a carport in association with an existing dwellingLOT 39 CHUCKA BEND RD BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Outbuilding (garage and carport) and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain7 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
March 2025
- Additions and alterations to an existing dwelling including the enclosure of an external stairway, extension of covered balcony and installation of an elevator, shed extension and the construction of a retaining wall.36 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
February 2025
- Variation of Development Application 24012309 Add concrete sleeper stairs to the Concrete Sleeper Retaining Wall on already approved retaining wall.73 GERHARD PL BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with with an attached covered deck, external staircase, and under croft storage areas/wet area62 SCHMIDT LANE BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
2024· 15 proposals
December 2024
- Alterations to an existing elevated detached dwelling comprising the enclosure of one undercroft wall to enable the installation of an outdoor bbq and bench top11 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with an attached deck, external staircase, and an undercroft wet area/store126 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
November 2024
- Additions and alterations to an existing dwelling including an extension to the upper level, reconfiguration of the internal layout, renovation of external cladding and the partial demolition of an existing shed.100 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Retaining wall, seating, fire pit and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain73 GERHARD PL BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Alterations and additions to an existing elevated detached dwelling and the construction of a domestic outbuilding and associated retaining wall.73 GERHARD PL BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Construction of a jetty (replacement) and a sandbag retaining wall to the riverbank21 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;LOT 700 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
October 2024
- Construction of riverbank sandbag retaining walls31 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;32 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;33 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;34 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238;35 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with an attached deck, external staircase, and an undercroft wet area/store118 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Elevated detached dwelling with part ground floor enclosure, retaining walls and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain45 SCHMIDT LANE BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
September 2024
- Elevated detached dwelling with associated retaining walls and excavation and filling in a flood plain39 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Elevated detached dwelling with part ground floor enclosure and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain15 CHUCKA BEND RD BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with an attached covered balcony, external staircase and an undercroft store/wet area129 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
- Construction of an elevated detached dwelling with associated balcony and stairs (UMR)5 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Decision Made
July 2024
- Elevated detached dwelling with part ground floor enclosure and associated excavation and filling in a flood plain43 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
- Alterations and additions to an existing dwelling comprising an undercroft storage area / wet area104B PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Under Assessment
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid against all current SA Planning risk layers (high, medium, general, urban interface, regional, outback). Safer places from CFS designated locations.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Bushfire & hazard overlays (SA) — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 3
- 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
Recent changes
- Common Assaultcrime1
- Sct - Residencecrime1
- Additions and alterations to an existing dwelling including an extension to the upper level, reconfiguration of the internal layout, renovation of external cladding and the partial demolition of an existing shed.planning100 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 26 Nov 2024 · Under Assessment
- Additions and alterations to an existing dwelling including the enclosure of an external stairway, extension of covered balcony and installation of an elevator, shed extension and the construction of a retaining wall.planning36 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 12 Mar 2025 · Under Assessment
- Additions to dwelling consisting of a deck and verandah, with associated excavation and filling in a flood plainplanning40 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 13 Feb 2026 · Decision Made
- Agricultural building (machinery store)planning2237 HUNDRED LINE RD BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 25 Aug 2025 · Decision Made
- Alterations and additions to an existing dwelling comprising an undercroft storage area / wet areaplanning104B PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 29 Jul 2024 · Under Assessment
- Alterations and additions to an existing elevated detached dwelling and the construction of a domestic outbuilding and associated retaining wall.planning73 GERHARD PL BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 14 Nov 2024 · Decision Made
- Alterations to an existing elevated detached dwelling comprising the enclosure of one undercroft wall to enable the installation of an outdoor bbq and bench topplanning11 PROVIDENCE DR BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 20 Dec 2024 · Under Assessment
- Construction of a carport in association with an existing dwellingplanningLOT 39 CHUCKA BEND RD BOWHILL SA 5238Lodged 30 May 2025 · Decision Made
Data sources & freshness
- PlanSA development applications & EPA licences — Government of South Australia — PlanSA · Updated on site
- SAPOL reported crime statistics — South Australia Police — OpenData · Updated on site · Financial-year releases
More in Karoonda East Murray Council
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