'Where the outback meets the sea'

Whyalla is located 395kms North West from Adelaide on Eyre Peninsula’s Spencer Gulf. The town’s population of 22,000 makes it the third most populous city in the state of South Australia behind Adelaide and Mt Gambier.

The city is famous for steelworks, mining and industry but also its incredible sunsets, captivating cuttlefish, and is home to the largest shopping precinct within the region. With over 300 days of sunshine per annum the Whyalla beaches are often utilised for fishing and water sports.

Self-guided walking tours provide an opportunity to engage in the way of discovery. Each trail highlights the many facets and stories of Whyalla. These walks encompass many historical sites including Hummock Hill which has vast panoramic views of the city, Flinders Ranges and the Spencer Gulf. At the top of Hummock Hill awaits a historical site of guns which were used to protect the city during WII.

The activities that Whyalla offers are endless, whether it is camping in the bush, fishing off the jetty, exploring nature trails, getting up close with the wildlife, visiting the Art & Craft village and various museums or getting involved in one of the many passionate sporting clubs across the town. There is something exciting for everyone to get involved.

You can access Whyalla via air travel direct from Adelaide. There are multiple flights per day which generally take approximately 30 minutes. Bus services also run daily, with the driving distance to and from the South Australian Capital being only 4 hours.

Working for the Department for Child Protection in Whyalla

The Whyalla office has a fulltime equivalent of 35 employees and is one of several offices in the region. As a member of this team you will work with other professionals to deliver services to young people and families in the Whyalla Region.

With a laid back lifestyle on offer, you will contribute and be part of improving outcomes for the community on a daily basis.  The Whyalla team prides itself on their positive community engagement and collaborative partnerships that support and foster positive outcomes for our young people.

You will be provided with an intensive and thorough orientation and induction where you will be introduced to the community and all it has to offer. This includes a tour of the local steelworks and the HMAS Whyalla landlocked ship and an overview of the history of the town at the local visitor information centre.

You will be warmly welcomed into the Whyalla team and supported to develop your child protection career.

Although renowned as a popular tourist destination, Whyalla is also a great place for families to call home, thanks to its readily available schooling, health and public services.

Schooling, Pre-school and Kindy and Childcare

Pre-schools

  • McRitchie Crescent Children’s Services Centre
  • Whyalla Stuart Early Childhood Centre Kindergarten
  • Neta Kranz Children's Centre
  • Win Newby Kindergarten
  • Hincks Avenue Children Centre

Junior primary schools

  • Nicolson Avenue Primary School
  • Whyalla Stuart Junior Primary School

Primary schools

  • Fisk Street Primary School
  • Hincks Avenue Primary School
  • Long Street Primary School
  • Memorial Oval Primary School
  • Nicolson Avenue Primary School
  • Whyalla Town Primary School
  • Sunrise Christian School
  • Samaritan College (multiple campuses)

High schools

  • The Whyalla Secondary College "super-school"
  • Samaritan College - St John's College Campus

Special purpose school

  • Whyalla  Special School

Vocational Education and Universities

  • Spencer Institute of TAFE
  • University of South Australia - Whyalla Campus
  • University of Adelaide - Adelaide Rural Clinical School
  • Various sector providers also offer training opportunities

Employment Prospects in Whyalla

Whyalla offers employment opportunities in a number of industries. In 2021, manufacturing was the largest sector, employing 15.8% of the population. This was followed closely by the health care/social assistance sector at 15.3%, and retail at 9.8%. Education/training, construction, and mining were the next largest sectors.

Photo: School holiday activities. Image supplied by City of Whyalla.

Community and Annual Events

Whyalla has many community and annual events throughout the year which reflect the diverse cultural interest of the community. Some of these include:

  • Cuttlefest
  • Whyalla Photography Group Exhibition
  • Junk to Funk
  • YTAP Charity Ball
  • The Whyalla Show
  • UnEarth Whyalla Festival
  • Australia Day Celebrations/Ceremony
  • Christmas Fireworks
  • Tanderra Craft Fair (every third weekend of the month)
  • Whyalla Christmas Pageant
  • Peppercorn Markets (during spring/summer/autumn)

Parks and Sporting Facilities

Whyalla offers reserves, parks, playgrounds and ovals for the community to use and enjoy. Reserves often facilitate playground equipment, picnic tables, BBQs and shelters. These areas provide ample space for active play, including ball sports.

The Whyalla Community is very passionate about competitive sport and recreation; it therefore comes as no surprise that the city boasts many various club sporting facilities. These include:

  • North Whyalla Football Club
  • Central Whyalla Football Club
  • Weeroona Bay Football Club
  • South Whyalla Football Club
  • Wanderers Soccer Club
  • Croatia Soccer Club
  • Westlands United Soccer Club
  • Roopena Football & Sporting Club
  • Whyalla Golf & Bowling Club
  • Whyalla Croquet Club
  • Whyalla Yacht Club
  • Whyalla Basketball Association
  • Whyalla Cycling Club
  • Snap Fitness Whyalla
  • Anytime Fitness Whyalla

The Whyalla Aquatic Centre is a great destination for all age groups, providing swimming lessons, group fitness sessions as well as gym and stadium facilities where regular volleyball competitions are held.

Community Groups and Religious Services

    There are various community groups and religious services across Whyalla including:

  • Men’s Shed
  • Whyalla Uniting Church
  • Bethel Family Church
  • Whyalla Baptist Church
  • The Salvation Army
  • Scouts Whyalla
  • Social and Arts clubs
  • Whyalla Rifle Club
  • Other recreational clubs: sporting, fishing, yachting, sailing, darts
  • The Whyalla Young Trades and Professionals hold regular social activities and a major annual fundraising event, the YTAP Ball

Photo: Cuttlefest. Image supplied by City of Whyalla.

All of your day-to-day necessities are available locally including Banks, Shopping and Healthcare.

Banks

Most major banks have a branch in town, including NAB, ANZ, Westpac, Commonwealth, Beyond Bank, BankSA as well as a number of ATM’s.

Shopping

    Whyalla’s Westlands Shopping Centre is the largest in the Eyre Peninsula. This is the most popular area to shop within the city. Whyalla is home to various stores such as:

  • Grocery stores: Woolworths, Coles, Foodland and IGA
  • Retail stores: Kmart, Cheap as Chips, Liquorland, Mitre 10, BWS, Cotton On, Jeans West, Smoke Mart, Telstra, Bakers Delight, Harris Scarfe, and Stratco
  • Automotive: Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan, McLeod’s Whyalla Holden, Super Cheat Auto, Repco, Beaurepaires

Health Services for you and your family

The Whyalla Hospital and Health Service is a part of the Flinders and Upper North Region Services. Whyalla offers a wide range of services utilising both local and visiting practitioners/specialist and telemedicine for people in the surrounding areas.

The Whyalla Hospital and Health Service provide the following services:

  • 24 hour accident and emergency services
  • General medical and specialist surgical care
  • Chemotherapy and renal dialysis services
  • Rehabilitation Services
  • Stroke Services
  • Anaesthetic, Cardiac, Obstetric and neonatal services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Regional Cancer Centre

Housing in Whyalla

The median property prices in Whyalla in 2021 ranged from $165,000 for units to $342,500 for houses. The weekly median advertised rent for Whyalla was $230-$320. This of course is dependent on the size and location of the property.

Photo: Swim Centre. Image supplied by City of Whyalla.

Whyalla is considered Outer Regional and may attract the following additional incentives for some AHP2, AHP3 and MAS3 roles:

  • Remoteness Area Payment up to $6,500
  • Attraction Difficulty Payment between $3,500 and $5,000
  • Airfare Allowance up to $1,000
  • Travel Leave up to 3 days’ travel leave may be granted per year, non-cumulative for eligible employees to attend personal matters that cannot be attended to in the centre.

Return to Working with us in Regional SA page to see benefits available in other regions. To see currently available regional opportunities go to the DCP Jobs Board.