Each clue has an answer enumerated by the number in parentheses. Then, each such answer can be prefixed by something from the image given in the puzzle to form a locality in Australia. (As clued by the many Australian references, the title locality of "Sea Elephant", and the state initials given alongside the enumerations.) Using a reference such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics census data allows looking up partials and helps identify the full locality names. The population of the locality in 2021 is then taken modulo the number in the part of the image used and converted to a letter:
| Clue | Image + clue answer | 2021 pop. | X | 2021 pop. (mod X) | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra, eclipse, trident, etc. (4, W) | SALMON GUMS | 146 | 42 | 20 | T |
| Duke of York, to the monarch (7, N) | MIDDLE BROTHER | 52 | 31 | 21 | U |
| Leveled (4, S) | STANLEY FLAT | 401 | 75 | 26 | Z |
| Where to put small items in a pair of POLITIX pants (6, Q) | FRIDAY POCKET | 39 | 30 | 9 | I |
| Side of the dollar coin with no kangaroos (4, N) | HAT HEAD | 365 | 27 | 14 | N |
| Heaps, as in a cornucopia (6, V) | UPPER PLENTY | 415 | 46 | 1 | A |
| Statement following "if" (4, T) | NOWHERE ELSE | 49 | 29 | 20 | T |
| Kylie Minogue's is roughly C#3 to F#6 (5, S) | PROOF RANGE | 20 | 11 | 9 | I |
| For when the lift is broken (6, Q) | CARSTAIRS | 91 | 38 | 15 | O |
| Throw for a ___ (4, W) | USELESS LOOP | 134 | 40 | 14 | N |
These letters spell out the clue phrase TUZINATION, which is MONTENEGRO.