WA · Shark Bay Council
Denham, 6537
Current weather
19°CClear sky
59% humidity · 11.6 km/h wind · 19.3° / 13.1° today · 0 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Denham offers a slower smaller community life in Shark Bay, 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.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in transport and access. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 849
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,021
- Dwelling vacancy
- 31.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 144 of 457
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,387
- Employment rate
- 52.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 28 / 20 / 9
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
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 901
- Shark Bay 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
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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bassett ParkPark
- Charlie Sappie ParkPark
- Pioneer 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
- Shark Bay Health CentreHughes Streetclinic
- Shark Bay Pharmacypharmacy
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)
- 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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- kindergartenkindergarten
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via WA bush fire prone area mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 5
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
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
- 22.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6286th in Australia
- State rank
- 563rd in WA
- Peer rank
- #110 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #229 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
- kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
- Shark Bay Health CentrehealthHughes Streetclinic
- Shark Bay Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
- Bassett Parkgovernmentpark
- Charlie Sappie Parkgovernmentpark
- Pioneer Parkgovernmentpark
- Shark Bay SchoolschoolsCombined
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
More in Shark Bay Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Western Australia.