Kingborough has one of the longest local government area coastlines in Tasmania, stretching 336km and containing a range of coastal forms, from estuaries to hard rock cliffs and sandy embayed beaches and incorporating Bruny Island. Proximity to Hobart and the area’s natural beauty have contributed to a rapidly growing residential population.
The estuarine coastal environments and soft rock shores in the Kingborough region are currently experiencing erosion and are sucesptible to the impacts of sea-level rise. At Bruny Island neck and South Arm, roads are at risk from shoreline recession and inundation, while roads and residences are at risk at Adventure Bay township. In addition, extensive sections of Cloudy Bay Lagoon are receding and East Cloudy Bay Beach experiences high wave energy exposure and limited onshore sand supply.
Kingborough’s socio-economic characteristics place it within the top 20 percent of advantaged local government areas within Australia; however, the distribution of advantage is uneven across suburbs. The region contains more elderly (>65 years) and indigenous residents, and fewer foreign-born residents and diversity in language spoken, than the Australian average. Rates of volunteerism are higher than the national average.
Socio-economic characteristics, 2016
2016 | Kingborough LGA | Australian Average |
Economic | ||
Rental stress | 8% | 11.50% |
Mortgage stress | 5.70% | 7.20% |
Low income households | 19.70% | 23.70% |
High income households | 12.60% | 11.20% |
Rental housing | 20.90% | 30.90% |
Unemployment | 5% | 6.90% |
Economic diversity Index | 0.9 | 1 |
Population | ||
Total population | 35,853 | NA |
<14 years | 19.90% | 18.70% |
>65 years | 18.50% | 15.80% |
Median age | 42 | 37 |
Single parent families | 15.40% | 15.80% |
Lone person households | 23.80% | 24.40% |
Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander | 3.60% | 2.80% |
Birthplace not Australia | 21.60% | 33% |
Language other than english at home | 6% | 22.20% |
Community | ||
Volunteering rates | 26.20% | 19% |
Health (Type 2 Diabetes) | 4% | 5% |
Residents receiving government social service payments | 52% | 81% (Tasmania) |