Port Augusta, SA
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Port Augusta is a city at the head of Spencer Gulf in South Australia, about 310 kilometres north-west of Adelaide. It lies on the country of the Barngarla people, whose language, once thought lost, has in recent years been revived. The settlement was established in 1852 after a natural harbour was found at the gulf's head, and was named in honour of Augusta Sophia, the wife of the colony's governor. Sitting where major road and rail routes meet, Port Augusta is often called the crossroads of Australia and serves as a gateway to the Outback and the Flinders Ranges. Long a railway and power-generation town, it now leans on tourism, with attractions such as the Wadlata Outback Centre and the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden.
Among Australia's less advantaged suburbs
Port Augusta is more socio-economically advantaged than about 4% of the 14,462 Australian suburbs we score, based on the ABS SEIFA index (raw score 844, where about 1000 is the national average).
A socio-economic measure from ABS Census data — not a measure of how good a suburb is to live in or visit. How we calculate this.
Port Augusta at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 6,437
- Median age
- 39
- Median weekly household income
- $1,092
- SEIFA score
- 844
- Coordinates
- -32.4953, 137.7880
Port Augusta demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Port Augusta using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is young adults (25–44) at 26%, 43% of homes are rented, and 11% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 1,177 | 18% |
| Youth (15–24) | 762 | 12% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 1,662 | 26% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 1,627 | 25% |
| Seniors (65+) | 1,222 | 19% |
Share of the 6,450 people counted by age.
Housing and households
| Tenure | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 785 | 30% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 609 | 23% |
| Rented | 1,126 | 43% |
| Dwelling type | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | 1,941 | 74% |
| Townhouses & semis | 383 | 15% |
| Flats & apartments | 267 | 10% |
Tenure and dwelling shares are of the roughly 2,606 occupied private dwellings in Port Augusta.
- Median weekly rent
- $194
- Median monthly mortgage
- $979
- Average household size
- 2.2 people
- Median weekly family income
- $1,454
- Median weekly personal income
- $635
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 664 (11%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 569 (10%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 1,457 (23%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 1,614 (32%)
- Labour-force participation
- 52.5%
- Unemployment rate
- 8.1%
- Employed full-time
- 1,494
- Employed part-time
- 845
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Weather and climate in Port Augusta
Based on 2014–2023 records, the warmest month in Port Augusta is January (average daytime high around 32.9°C) and the coolest is July (around 16.9°C). The area receives roughly 289 mm of rain across the year.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32.9°C | 19.6°C | 33 mm |
| Feb | 31.9°C | 18.8°C | 12 mm |
| Mar | 29.6°C | 17.3°C | 10 mm |
| Apr | 25.4°C | 13.8°C | 35 mm |
| May | 20.2°C | 9.9°C | 21 mm |
| Jun | 17°C | 7.4°C | 22 mm |
| Jul | 16.9°C | 6.5°C | 12 mm |
| Aug | 18.4°C | 7.2°C | 24 mm |
| Sep | 22.6°C | 9.7°C | 22 mm |
| Oct | 26.5°C | 12.8°C | 29 mm |
| Nov | 28.6°C | 14.9°C | 31 mm |
| Dec | 31.6°C | 17.6°C | 38 mm |
Climate normals, 2014–2023 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Common questions about Port Augusta
Where is Port Augusta?
Port Augusta is a suburb of South Australia, Australia.
What is the population of Port Augusta?
At the 2021 Census, Port Augusta had a population of about 6,437.
Is Port Augusta an advantaged area?
Port Augusta has an ABS SEIFA score of 844, where about 1000 is the national average — higher scores indicate greater relative socio-economic advantage. That gives it a Suburb Score of 4 out of 100 — more socio-economically advantaged than about 4% of Australian suburbs.
What is the weather like in Port Augusta?
Port Augusta has average daytime highs of about 25.1°C and overnight lows of about 13°C, with roughly 289 mm of rain across the year (based on 2014–2023 climate normals).
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