Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia

The Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) is an index measuring the accessibility of places to service centres or their remoteness.

Geographical areas receive scores ranging continuously from 0 to 15 based on the road distance to service towns of different sizes. Regional scores are derived by averaging scores of 1 km2 grids. The index scores can be classified into various categories. Two of the main categories and their corresponding ARIA+ scores are detailed below.

Remoteness Areas:

  1. Major Cities (ARIA score 0 <= 0.20) — relatively unrestricted accessibility to a wide range of goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  2. Inner Regional (ARIA score greater than 0.20 to <=2.40) — some restrictions to accessibility to some goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  3. Outer Regional (ARIA score greater than 2.40 to <=5.92) — significantly restricted accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  4. Remote (ARIA score greater than 5.92 to <=10.53) — very restricted accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  5. Very Remote (ARIA score greater than 10.53 to <=15) — very little accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.

Remoteness Classes:

  1. Highly Accessible (ARIA score 0 to <0.20) — relatively unrestricted accessibility to a wide range of goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  2. Accessible (ARIA score 0.20 to <2.40) — some restrictions to accessibility to some goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  3. Moderately Accessible (ARIA score 2.40 to <5.95) — significantly restricted accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  4. Remote (ARIA score 5.95 to <10.5) — very restricted accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.
  5. Very Remote (ARIA score 10.5 to <15) — very little accessibility to goods, services and opportunities for social interaction.

Further information on ARIA+ can be found at the Australian Centre for Housing Research website.

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