WA suburbs among nation's most generous

Cottesloe and Peppermint Grove have dethroned affluent harbourside areas of Sydney as the most generous suburbs in Australia.

The annual Giving Australia report, to be released today by the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, shows residents in the 6011 postcode gave $43.7 million to charity in 2011-12.

They donated 4.62 per cent of their taxable income at an average of nearly $20,000 per donation.

The national averages were 0.33 per cent and $495 respectively.

Mining magnate Andrew Forrest is probably the postcode's most high-profile philanthropist but the report found 34.57 per cent of residents claimed a donation.

ACPNS director Myles McGregor-Lowndes said their generosity had set a shining example for the rest of the country.

"The highest ranking group in Australia was those with over $1 million income and they gave 1.47 per cent to charity, so 4 per cent and above is astounding," he said.

"I think researchers have been waiting for the mining boom States of Queensland and WA to catch the philanthropy bug because they are becoming increasingly wealthy.

"It's great to see they're starting to create their own traditions of philanthropy."

He said it was the first time the title of Australia's most generous postcode had crossed the Nullarbor.

"Normally, you're looking at Point Piper, Darling Harbour and those affluent suburbs in Sydney," Professor McGregor-Lowndes said.

Cottesloe student Kendall Whyte, 21, said she always put her hand in her pocket for a good cause such as Guide Dogs WA or Telethon.

The University of WA forensics student has also volunteered at Good Sammys and donated clothes to a women's refuge.

"If you're better off, you've almost got a responsibility to make sure other people are doing OK," Ms Whyte said.

Other WA locations to perform well were Newman, where almost 50 per cent of residents gave to charity, and Mariginiup, where residents donated 4.83 per cent of their income.

WA as a whole claimed almost $225 million in tax-deductable donations in 2011-12 - up from $188 million the previous financial year.

But the State donated only 0.26 per cent of its income, behind the ACT, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

community charity $43.7m The total gifts claimed in 2011-12 by residents in postcode 6011