suburb.guide

SA · Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yunkunytjatjara Council

Pukatja, 0872

Current weather

15.7°CClear sky

36% humidity · 5.2 km/h wind · 18.6° / 5.9° today · 0 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

28.7/100
Below average

552nd in SA

72% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • High desirability
  • Green suburb
What Pukatja is known for: High desirability, Green suburb

Suburb profile

Pukatja offers a slower smaller community life in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yunkunytjatjara, 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.

A younger crowd gives the area energy, with plenty of young families in the mix. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Schools and education options in the area make family routines easier to manage.

Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker community and employment and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar regional towns, even with schools and education holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
519
Median age
27
Median household income / week
$1,240
Dwelling vacancy
15.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
18 of 115
Median monthly mortgage
$0
Employment rate
27.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
24 / 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.

Crime & safety

Total offences (2024–25)
128
Against the person
59
Against property
69
Rate per 1,000 residents
246.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 9 residents
State safety percentile
95.6th (lower crime is better)
Family & domestic abuse offences
222
Decrease (daily rate)
-0.5%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • Other Property Damage And Environmental30
  • Sct - Non Residence9
  • Sct - Residence11
  • Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injury35
  • Serious Assault Resulting In Injury18

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

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
5 (4 schools, 1 preschools)
  • Anangu Education Services - Ernabella Office1-3 Hidden Valley RoadSupport Services
  • Ernabella Anangu Child Parent Centre1-3 Hidden Valley RoadPreschools
  • Ernabella Anangu School1-3 Hidden Valley RoadAboriginal/Anangu Schools
  • Pukatja Family Wellbeing Centre1-3 Hidden Valley RoadSupport Services
  • Pukatja Youth Centre1-3 Hidden Valley RoadSupport Services

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

  • Government education sites register — Government of South Australia · Period: current · Updated on site · Static register

Planning & development

Development applications from PlanSA register (lodged 2020–2026) and EPA licensed activities.

7 planning-related records

2023· 6 proposals

  • December 2023

  • Replacement Building (rebuild of fire damaged dwelling)
    4 WAURA ST PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made
  • Replacement Building (rebuild of fire damaged dwelling)
    20 PALPATJARANYA ST PUKATJA SA 872Under Assessment

  • November 2023

  • Construction of a dwelling to replace a fire-damaged dwelling
    35 HIDDEN VALLEY RD PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made

  • February 2023

  • Single storey dwelling with attached carport.
    19 TJIWURU ST PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made
  • Single storey dwelling with attached carport.
    1 ANKATA ST PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made
  • Single storey dwelling with carport
    10 OVAL RD PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made
2022· 1 proposal

  • November 2022

  • Installation of a community swimming pool with associated fencing and an ancillary kiosk, store and amenities, and the construction of an indoor recreation facility with ancillary youth support services
    7 ERNABELLA AV PUKATJA SA 872Decision Made

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Sports field

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
1
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Kinyin McKenzie Dialysis Clinic - Pukatja29 Ernabella AvenuePrivate Day Only Hospital

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

  • Hospitals & GP Plus clinics (SA) — SA Health · 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

Heritage

1 state heritage place

  • Heritage placeState heritage

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Bushfire safer places
1

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

Desirability Index

Desirability score
28.7/100 — Below average
National rank
5550th in Australia
State rank
552nd in SA
Peer rank
#63 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#167 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
72%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Sports fieldamenitiespitch
  • Other Property Damage And Environmentalcrime30
  • Sct - Non Residencecrime9
  • Sct - Residencecrime11
  • Serious Assault Not Resulting In Injurycrime35
  • Serious Assault Resulting In Injurycrime18
  • Heritage placeheritageState heritage
  • Kinyin McKenzie Dialysis Clinic - Pukatjahealth29 Ernabella AvenuePrivate Day Only Hospital
  • Construction of a dwelling to replace a fire-damaged dwellingplanning35 HIDDEN VALLEY RD PUKATJA SA 872Lodged 15 Nov 2023 · Decision Made
  • Installation of a community swimming pool with associated fencing and an ancillary kiosk, store and amenities, and the construction of an indoor recreation facility with ancillary youth support servicesplanning7 ERNABELLA AV PUKATJA SA 872Lodged 29 Nov 2022 · Decision Made

Data sources & freshness

More in Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yunkunytjatjara Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile elsewhere in South Australia or interstate.