suburb.guide

TAS · Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council

Coles Bay, 7215

Est. population · Jun 2025

543

Growth (1 yr)

+0.9%

Growth (5 yr)

+7.3%

Median age

38

Median income

$1,354/wk

Employment rate

53.3%

University qualified

27.2%

Work from home

8.9%

Languages at home

24%non-English

Most common: Nepali, Spanish, Punjabi

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

33.5/100
Below average

291st in TAS

Verified 83% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • National parks
  • Agricultural
  • Holiday parks
  • Regional centre
What Coles Bay is known for: Beach, National parks, Agricultural, Holiday parks, Regional centre

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Suburb Guide, “Coles Bay, TAS Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/tas/coles-bay

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Suburb profile

Coles Bay is a major regional centre in Tasmania, in Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council. It is close to the Great Oyster Bay and the Glamorgan Spring Bay.

Population growth is an exceptional strength, placing it among the highest-ranked major regional centres, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 100% above the peer median, and socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are thinner local amenities and thinner mapped green cover within the suburb boundary, with local amenities 53% below the peer median.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising university qualifications and socio-economic advantage over local amenities.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Major regional centre · compared with major regional centres in Tasmania (67)

Strengths

  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Socio-economic advantage sits well above the peer median

Weaknesses

  • Everyday shops and services are sparse
  • Mapped green cover within the suburb boundary is below comparable suburbs

What stands out

  • Coles Bay Beach
  • Muirs Beach
  • Overseas-born and multilingual community
  • Great Oyster Bay
  • Glamorgan Spring Bay
  • Mount Freycinet

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Coles Bay compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$485/wk

Population (ERP)

543

+0.9% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

74.4%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#1

among Coastal & beach · Emerging

Pop. growth

77th

percentile in TAS

Rented dwellings

36%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
33.5/100 — Below average
National rank
5903rd in Australia
State rank
291st in TAS
Peer rank
#1 among Coastal & beach · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#29 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
83%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (latest monthly release)
$485
Rental bonds lodged (latest monthly release)
1

Median weekly rent from Tasmanian rental data where available.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

543(June 2025)

+0.9% annual · +7.3% over 5 years · 77th percentile in TAS

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.9%
5-year growth
+7.3%
Change in 1 year
+5
Change in 5 years
+37
Growth rank in TAS
77th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~600), extrapolated at +1.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
515
Median age
38
Median household income / week
$1,354
Dwelling vacancy
74.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
442 of 594
Median monthly mortgage
$1,300
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$260
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
43.6% / 20.8% / 35.6%
Employment rate
53.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
8.9% / 0% / 64%
Walked or cycled to work
18.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
141 / 0 / 0 (+ 4 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

27.2% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Tasmania. 16.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified27.2% · 21.9% TAS
  • Diploma qualified10.9% · 7.9% TAS
  • Trade / vocational16.5% · 18.5% TAS
  • Year 12 or below45.4% · 51.8% TAS

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce29.2%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services16%
  • Engineering and related technologies12.8%
  • Health10.1%
  • Society and culture7.3%
  • Education5.9%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$41,262

6th percentile in TAS · -30% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$45,509

6th percentile in TAS · -30% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
14.0%

76th percentile in TAS · +1% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$67,400

39th percentile in TAS · +6% vs Australia

Residents with business income
15.0%

90th percentile in TAS · +44% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 7215 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
2,385
Taxpayers reporting net rent
344
Median net rent
$2,646
Taxpayers reporting business income
369
Taxable income vs state median
-22%
Salary / wages vs state median
-21%
Rental investment vs state median
+27%
Super vs state median
-10%
Business income vs state median
+36%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in TAS, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Seasonal & agricultural work

3.9% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 1.7× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 5.2% across Tasmania.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
3.9%

32nd percentile in TAS · +70% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
10
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 7215

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 7215 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for South East (SA4 603), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1213364
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212316
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412214
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415162
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211151
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 8411134
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 121451
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841332
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841620
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841915

South East is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 258 · AFF share -25% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

24% speak a language other than English at home; 33.8% born overseas

Language at home
323 English only · 102 other
Non-English at home
24%
Born overseas
142 (33.8%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
9 (1.7%)
Australian citizens
312
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
3

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Nepali30 · 73.2%
  • Spanish7 · 17.1%
  • Punjabi4 · 9.8%

Religion

42.5%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 42.5%, while Christianity accounts for 26.4%. Hinduism is more prevalent locally than across the state.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion42.5%49.6%
Christianity26.4%38.4%
Hinduism9.7%1.7%
Buddhism2.1%1%
Other / not stated19.2%9.4%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Anglican12%14.4%
Catholic6%12.7%
Christian (not further defined)3.3%2.5%
Uniting Church2.1%2.6%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Figures are for the East Coast Police Division, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2024–25)
911
Against the person
141
Against property
729
Rate per 1,000 residents (area)
31.2
State crime-rate percentile
36.7th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-6.9%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
149
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
274.4

Most common offence types

  • Offences Against Property
  • Offences Against The Person
  • Total Offences

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Coles Bay Rd Cnr Swanwick Rd
  • Coles Bay Rd Cnr Swanwick Rd
  • Iluka Tavern, No.31 Esplanade

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

25 mapped amenities

9 beaches · 1 caravan parks · 3 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
5/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Sport & outdoors(21)
  • Beach (6)
  • Muirs BeachBeach
  • Richardsons BeachBeach
  • Sandpiper BeachBeach
  • Freycinet Walk and Cycle TrackCycling route
  • Coles Bay Conservation AreaNature reserve
  • Coles Bay Road Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Flacks Road Coles Bay Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Freycinet National ParkNature reserve
  • Friendly Beaches #3 Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Friendly Beaches #4 Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Friendly Beaches Conservation ReserveNature reserve
  • Rita and Doris ReserveNature reserve

    Percy Street, Coles Bay

  • The Big Punchbowl Reserve Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • The Croft Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Wildbird Private SanctuaryNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(4)
  • Freycinet CampgroundCampground
  • River and Rocks CampgroundCampground
  • Whitewater Wall Camp SiteCampground
  • BIG4 Iluka on Freycinet Holiday ParkCaravan park

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Flacks Road Coles Bay Conservation CovenantNature reserve
  • Rita and Doris ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
22°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
May Shaw Health and Aged Care for Living (16.1 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
8
Participants per 1,000 residents
14.7

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
22° / 11°
Rainfall
170 mm · ~21 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
19° / 8°
Rainfall
145 mm · ~18 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 4°
Rainfall
142 mm · ~18 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 7°
Rainfall
154 mm · ~19 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Swanwick68 SWANWICK RD, COLES BAY, 7215Permanently Registered

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via LIST bushfire impact area mapping. Flood cover uses Tasmanian Planning Scheme flood-prone area overlays against the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Lyons
Member of Parliament
Rebecca WHITE (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
88,977
Turnout (2025)
92.8%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+10.7 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 38.4%Labor 61.6%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 61.4 km away).

Coalition 39.6%Labor 60.4%

1.2 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +9.1 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Coles BayLabor 61.2% · Coalition 38.8% TPP (2025)7.8 km away
  • SwanseaLabor 55.4% · Coalition 44.6% TPP (2025)14.6 km away
  • BichenoLabor 64.5% · Coalition 35.5% TPP (2025)22.3 km away
  • FingalLabor 57.8% · Coalition 42.2% TPP (2025)52.3 km away
  • AvocaLabor 61.2% · Coalition 38.8% TPP (2025)53.0 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
6/10
IRSD decile (2021)
6/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

This suburb ranks highly for

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Tasmania.