1216.0 - Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), 2001  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/09/2001   
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Contents >> 8. Remoteness Structure >> The spatial units

Census Collection District (CD)

See Chapter 2.

Remoteness Area (RA)

Within a S/T, each RA represents an aggregation of non-contiguous geographical areas which share common characteristics of remoteness. While statistical data classed to this structure may be available by S/T, characteristics of remoteness are determined in the context of Australia as a whole. Therefore, not all RAs are represented in each S/T. The categories are:

  • Major Cities of Australia: CDs with an average Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) index value of 0 to 0.2
  • Inner Regional Australia: CDs with an average ARIA index value greater than 0.2 and less than or equal to 2.4
  • Outer Regional Australia: CDs with an average ARIA index value greater than 2.4 and less than or equal to 5.92
  • Remote Australia: CDs with an average ARIA index value greater than 5.92 and less than or equal to 10.53
  • Very Remote Australia: CDs with an average ARIA index value greater than 10.53
  • Migratory: composed of off-shore, shipping and migratory CDs (see Chapter 2).


Delimitation of Remoteness Areas

The delimitation criteria for RAs are based on the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) developed by the Commonwealth Department of Heath and Aged Care (DHAC) and the National Key Centre For Social Applications of GIS (GISCA). ARIA measures the remoteness of a point based on the physical road distance to the nearest Urban Centre (ASGC 1996) in each of five size classes. For more information on how ARIA is defined see the Information Papers ABS Views on Remoteness, 2001 (Cat. no. 1244.0) and Outcomes of ABS Views on Remoteness consultation, Australia (Cat. no. 1244.0.00.001).

RA code

RAs are identified by unique one-digit codes within each State/Territory. For unique Australia-wide identification, each RA must be used in conjunction with the S/T code.

State/Territory (S/T)

See Chapter 2.



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