SA · Kangaroo Island Council
Karatta, 5223
Current weather
12.7°CModerate drizzle
64% humidity · 47.2 km/h wind · 14.4° / 11.8° today · 11.8 mm rain
Updated
- Green suburb
- National parks
Suburb profile
Karatta is a welcoming smaller community in Kangaroo Island, with a settled community character. Distance from the capital is part of the appeal, with wide open surrounds and a self-contained community rhythm. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime. The market sits in a sensible middle ground: not cheap, but fair value for the area.
A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
Population
- Population
- 37
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,125
- Dwelling vacancy
- 43.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 13 of 30
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,134
- Employment rate
- 63.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 0 / 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)
- 1
- Against the person
- 0
- Against property
- 1
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 27
- State safety percentile
- 39.6th (lower crime is better)
- Family & domestic abuse offences
- 17
Most common offence types
- Other Theft1
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
Planning & development
Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.
20 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
May 2026
- Four single storey worker accommodation units (replacement units)390 HANSON BAY RD KARATTA SA 5223Under Assessment
April 2026
- Construction of a 35.3ML irrigation dam with associated earthworks757 BAXTERS RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
2025· 1 proposal
September 2025
- Construction of an agricultural building821 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
2024· 3 proposals
September 2024
- Construction of an agricultural building7834 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Under Assessment
April 2024
- Construction of an agricultural building6528 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
January 2024
- Construction of an agricultural buildingLOT 257 GOSSE RITCHIE RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
2023· 1 proposal
November 2023
- Construction of a detached dwelling1942 GOSSE RITCHIE RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
2022· 8 proposals
August 2022
- Temporary workers' accommodation units7928 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
July 2022
- 2 additional single-bedroom transportable cabins in association with the existing caravan park7928 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
May 2022
- Construction of an agricultural building for farm equipment storage.7810 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
March 2022
- Telecommunications Facility - comprising a slim line lattice tower supported by 3 anchored guy wires, 2.3 metre high security fenced compound and 2x equipment cabinets, ground-mounted solar array and protective barriers245 WALSH TRK KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
- Telecommunications Facility - comprising a slim-line lattice tower supported by 3 anchored guy wires, 2.3 metre high security fenced compound and 2x equipment cabinets, ground-mounted solar array and protective barriers1929B WEST END HWY KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
January 2022
- Temporary accommodation in an area affected by bushfire837 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
- Temporary accommodation in an area affected by bushfire507 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
- Temporary accommodation in an area affected by bushfire7797 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
2021· 5 proposals
December 2021
- Construction of a verandah attached to existing dwelling6 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
September 2021
- Construction of a single storey detached dwelling including carport, water storage tank and associated earthworks837 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
June 2021
- Construction of a remote petrol filling station comprising the Installation of underground 20,000L fuel tank, stormwater infrastructure and advertising sign (priceboard) including associated site works7928 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
May 2021
- Farm machinery and implement shedLOT 6 WEST END HWY KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
April 2021
- Detached Dwelling, retaining walls and deck507 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Decision Made
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
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Kelly Hill Conservation Park
Data sources & freshness
- National parks & reserves (SA) — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Heritage placeState heritage
Data sources & freshness
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Period: current · Updated on site
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)
- 35
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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
- Other Theftcrime1
- Heritage placeheritageState heritage
- Kelly Hill Conservation ParkgovernmentNational parks and reserves listing
- 2 additional single-bedroom transportable cabins in association with the existing caravan parkplanning7928 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 05 Jul 2022 · Decision Made
- Construction of a 35.3ML irrigation dam with associated earthworksplanning757 BAXTERS RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 08 Apr 2026 · Decision Made
- Construction of a detached dwellingplanning1942 GOSSE RITCHIE RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 08 Nov 2023 · Decision Made
- Construction of a remote petrol filling station comprising the Installation of underground 20,000L fuel tank, stormwater infrastructure and advertising sign (priceboard) including associated site worksplanning7928 SOUTH COAST RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 07 Jun 2021 · Decision Made
- Construction of a single storey detached dwelling including carport, water storage tank and associated earthworksplanning837 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 03 Sep 2021 · Decision Made
- Construction of a verandah attached to existing dwellingplanning6 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 09 Dec 2021 · Decision Made
- Construction of an agricultural buildingplanning821 CHURCH RD KARATTA SA 5223Lodged 19 Sep 2025 · Decision Made
Data sources & freshness
- National parks & reserves (SA) — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Updated on site
- SA Heritage Places database — Department for Environment and Water (SA) · Updated on site
- 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
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