Mount Gambier
SAMount Gambier is a stable suburb in SA with 25,591 residents.
- SAL code
- 40947
- SA2
- 407021173
- Population
- 25,591
- LGA
- Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier, SA had 25,591 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 1.4% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 55-64 years, and the median age sits at 41. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,083 a month. Around 62.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 32.5%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 77.0% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 55 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Mount Gambier, SA at a glance
Mount Gambier is South Australia's second-largest city, ~400 km southeast of Adelaide and ~440 km west of Melbourne, anchoring the Limestone Coast region. Housing stock skews older detached, with newer subdivisions on the city fringe and a working CBD around Commercial Street. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council context they don't.
For homebuyers
Mount Gambier reads more like a regional capital than a town — full-service hospital, banks, cafes and shopfronts along Commercial Street, and a CBD core surrounded by established detached-house neighbourhoods. The Blue Lake/Warwar and the wider Crater Lakes complex sit on the southern edge with a 3.6 km walk loop, Valley Lake's wildlife park and Centenary Tower close by. Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre (opened 2023) is the modern aquatic + sports anchor, and the Coonawarra wine region is a short drive north. Schools are well-covered: Tenison Woods College (R-12 independent Catholic) is the standout private option, with Grant High School and Mount Gambier High School covering the public secondary catchment. Adelaide is ~4.5 hours by car; Mount Gambier Regional Airport links to Melbourne and Adelaide for those who travel. In short: a country-city compromise — most capital-city services on hand, with the lakes, coast and Coonawarra as the weekend payoff.
For investors
Mount Gambier is a moderate-yield regional market with strong recent momentum. Median house sale $530,000 against ~$460/week rent gives a ~4.64% gross house yield; units sit around $410,000 (htag April 2026). 12-month house growth was +11.34%; units +28.13% off a thinner base (htag April 2026). 498 house sales and 108 unit sales in the past 12 months — deep regional liquidity by SA standards. Days-on-market 38 (houses) / 29 (units); vacancy is tight enough that ~2 weeks/year is a workable allowance.
Strengths
- Solid recent capital growth (~+11% YoY houses; ~+28% units off lower base) per htag April 2026.
- Deep liquidity for a regional market — 498 house + 108 unit sales over 12 months means you can actually transact.
- Yield around 4.6% on houses at a $530k entry price keeps debt-servicing maths workable for buy-and-hold.
- Genuine regional-capital amenity (hospital, Wulanda centre, Mount Gambier Airport) supports tenant demand beyond a single industry.
Trade-offs
- Lower socio-economic base (IRSAD ~902 per Smart Property Investment) caps how far rents and prices can run with the metro cycle.
- Days-on-market 38 (houses) is slower than tight metro suburbs — exit liquidity is regional-paced.
- Local economy leans on forestry, agriculture and health/education; capital growth is tied to those drivers rather than a Sydney/Melbourne spillover.
- Older stock dominates — depreciation schedules are thinner than for new-build investor product.
What's coming
The City of Mount Gambier's 2025/26 Annual Business Plan and Budget ($52.2 million, adopted 24 June 2025) continues activation of the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre with capital AV upgrades, alongside asset renewal and strategic 'unlocking' projects flagged in the long-term financial plan to 2035. Council allocated $456,800 cash and $143,384 in-kind for grants, including up to $50,000 for sport and recreation infrastructure renewal.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a full-service regional city with the Crater Lakes and Coonawarra on the doorstep. For investors: a steady ~4.6% yield with double-digit recent growth, paced by regional rather than metro fundamentals.
Population
?25,591
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+1.4%
3yr: +0.9% · 10yr: +3.8%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,197/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
41
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?2/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?4.2%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
20
5 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?18
8 long day, 5 OSHC
Parks & green space
?55
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
No data for this suburb
Dwelling approvals
?13
Mount Gambier · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
No data for this suburb
VGV suppresses suburbs with too few sales per quarter
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from SA police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Mount Gambier - East (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Mount Gambier suburb alone is ~25,591 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 12,952 to 15,591 over 24 years, averaging 0.8% per year.
Schools
19 in suburbSector
19 public
Type
5 primary · 2 secondary · 3 special
Total enrolment
3,258(8 of 19 reporting)
Avg per school
407
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Reidy Park Primary School28.6%
- McDonald Park School 21.6%
Secondary
No catchment
Source: SA Department for Education — School Zones (primary + high). Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 7.3%Almost entirely detached houses (77%), mixed tenure (62.7% own or mortgage), built for families (55% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
SA 28%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: SA DHUD Bushfire Protection Areas
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: SA DEW Flood Mapping
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
14 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUBURBAN_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Suburban NeighbourhoodResidential | 49.5% | 13.27 km² |
| CONSERVATION | ConservationEnvironmental | 14.4% | 3.85 km² |
| STRATEGIC_EMPLOYMENT | Strategic EmploymentIndustrial | 8.7% | 2.34 km² |
| EMPLOYMENT | EmploymentIndustrial | 6.3% | 1.69 km² |
| ESTABLISHED_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Established NeighbourhoodResidential | 4.8% | 1.28 km² |
| RURAL_LIVING | Rural LivingRural | 4.2% | 1.12 km² |
| RECREATION | RecreationRecreation | 3.5% | 0.95 km² |
| URBAN_ACTIVITY_CENTRE | Urban Activity CentreBusiness | 2.6% | 0.70 km² |
| GENERAL_NEIGHBOURHOOD | General NeighbourhoodResidential | 2.4% | 0.64 km² |
| COMMUNITY_FACILITIES | Community FacilitiesSpecial use | 1.4% | 0.37 km² |
| BUSINESS_NEIGHBOURHOOD | Business NeighbourhoodResidential | 0.8% | 0.20 km² |
| SUBURBAN_ACTIVITY_CENTRE | Suburban Activity CentreBusiness | 0.6% | 0.17 km² |
| OPEN_SPACE | Open SpaceRecreation | 0.3% | 0.09 km² |
| LOCAL_ACTIVITY_CENTRE | Local Activity CentreBusiness | 0.3% | 0.09 km² |
Source: SA Planning and Design Code Zones (ZONE_SA/2026-04-30/7965b1556505eb71) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.