State of the Environment data analysis

State of the Environment data analysis

To inform the Mount Barker Strategic Plan, Council required an up-to-date evidence base a range of environmental and sustainability areas. The State of the Environment report provides up-to-date local insights on a range of relevant themes.

Report themes:

• Transport Private vehicle use, distance travelled to work, type of vehicle ownership
• Green energy Solar installations
• Water use Water us on farms
• Land use Land use by type, land parcels by planning zone

In preparing the report, we analysed a combination of data sources, including the ABS' Australian Census of Population and Housing, the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE), the Clean Energy Regulator, and the ABS' Agricultural Census.

Key takeaways

• The median commute distance in Mount Barker is nearly three times greater than the Greater Adelaide median.
• Electric vehicles make up 2.2% of passenger vehicles.
• Small-scale solar installations increased 321% between 2016 and 2021.
• 36% of agricultural businesses irrigate, mainly from groundwater sources.

Next steps

These insights will form the core evidence for the State of the Environment report. This report will be an input to the objectives and priorities presented in the local environment and sustainable living goals in the Strategic Plan.

Work with us

If you are interested in similar work, feel free to reach out at demographics@id.com.au or on +61 3 9417 2205.