VIC · Ararat Council

Armstrong, 3377

Est. population · Jun 2025

85

Growth (1 yr)

+1.2%

Growth (5 yr)

0.0%

Median age

53

Median income

$1,166/wk

Employment rate

62.2%

Languages at home

3.3%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • National parks
  • Heritage area
What Armstrong is known for: National parks, Heritage area

Suburb profile

In Ararat Council, Armstrong keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Distance from Melbourne is unmistakable: this is well outside the capital's everyday orbit. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.

Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

Buyers typically pay more than the metro middle for a home here. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.

At a glance

Armstrong snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

85

+1.2% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

20.9%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Safety

92nd

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

74th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

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

Population

Estimated resident population

85(June 2025)

+1.2% annual · 0.0% over 5 years · 74th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.2%
5-year growth
0.0%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
0
Growth rank in VIC
74th 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 (~100), extrapolated at +0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
90
Median age
53
Median household income / week
$1,166
Dwelling vacancy
20.9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
9 of 43
Median monthly mortgage
$1,172
Employment rate
62.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
37 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
18
Against the person
9
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
211.8
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 10 residents
State safety percentile
91.5th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-10%

Most common offence types

  • A81 Dangerous Driving5
  • A89 Other Dangerous Or Negligent Acts Endangering People3
  • B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goods2
  • B49 Other Theft2
  • E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer4

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Other(2)
  • Hospital Hill Bushland ReserveNature Reserve
  • Petticoat Gully Bushland ReserveNature Reserve

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Hospital Hill Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Petticoat Gully Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
3
Parks (OSM)
0

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)

Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
East Grampians Health Service (8.6 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
1
Participants per 1,000 residents
11.8

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
27° / 12°
Rainfall
102 mm · ~13 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 8°
Rainfall
138 mm · ~17 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
197 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 7°
Rainfall
169 mm · ~21 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

2 planning-related records

2020· 2 proposals
  • July 2020

  • Use and Construction of a Dwelling
    Garden Gully RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • April 2020

  • Development & Use of a Single Dwelling within 100m of a waterway
    Westgate RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • HARD HILL MINING SITENH1044

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Bushfire hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Wannon
Member of Parliament
Dan TEHAN (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
121,788
Turnout (2025)
94.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.3 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 60.9%Labor 39.1%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 56.4 km away).

Coalition 56.1%Labor 43.9%

4.8 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +43.9 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Ararat WestLabor 49.0% · Coalition 51.0% TPP (2025)8.8 km away
  • AraratLabor 41.3% · Coalition 58.7% TPP (2025)8.9 km away
  • MoystonLabor 44.5% · Coalition 55.5% TPP (2025)14.2 km away
  • ElmhurstLabor 25.6% · Coalition 74.4% TPP (2025)32.8 km away
  • WillauraLabor 26.8% · Coalition 73.2% TPP (2025)38.8 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)
7/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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 (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

More in Ararat Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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