VIC · Alpine Council

Barwidgee, 3737

Est. population · Jun 2025

97

Growth (1 yr)

+1.0%

Growth (5 yr)

-2.0%

Median age

50

Median income

$1,312/wk

Employment rate

52.9%

Languages at home

12.2%non-English

Most common: Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

  • National parks
  • Green suburb
What Barwidgee is known for: National parks, Green suburb

Suburb profile

Barwidgee offers a slower smaller community life in Alpine Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here. With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice.

Open space is thinner than in many comparable suburbs, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Property prices run toward the upper end of the local market.

Local crime has been trending higher of late. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.

At a glance

Barwidgee snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

97

+1.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

11.6%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Safety

74th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

70th

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

97(June 2025)

+1.0% annual · -2.0% over 5 years · 70th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.0%
5-year growth
-2.0%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
-2
Growth rank in VIC
70th 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 +0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
96
Median age
50
Median household income / week
$1,312
Dwelling vacancy
11.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
5 of 43
Median monthly mortgage
$1,697
Employment rate
52.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
36 / 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 increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
9
Against the person
1
Against property
4
Rate per 1,000 residents
92.8
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 96 residents
State safety percentile
73.5th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+80%

Most common offence types

  • A231 Fv Common Assault1
  • B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary2
  • B49 Other Theft2
  • D35 Improper Movement On Public Or Private Space3
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

1 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(1)
  • Barwidgee Creek Streamside 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

  • Barwidgee Creek Streamside ReserveNature reserve
  • Mudgeegonga Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
5
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
Myrtleford Memorial Hospital (5.8 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)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
20.6

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
29° / 15°
Rainfall
153 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
22° / 9°
Rainfall
178 mm · ~22 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
254 mm · ~32 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
20° / 8°
Rainfall
206 mm · ~26 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).

3 planning-related records

2021· 2 proposals
  • April 2021

  • Buildings and Works - Swimming Pool ALISON
    451 MYRTLEFORD-YACKANDANDAH RDPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • March 2021

  • Buildings and Works for the Construction of an Outbuilding ALISON
    1133 MYRTLEFORD-YACKANDANDAH RDPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 1 proposal
  • December 2020

  • Use of Land for Art and Craft Centre and Business Identification Signage to be added to permit.
    545 MYRTLEFORD-YACKANDANDAH ROAD BARWIDGEE 3737Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

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
Indi
Member of Parliament
Helen HAINES (Independent)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
120,774
Turnout (2025)
92.8%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-1.4 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 56.7%Labor 43.3%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 22.7 km away).

Coalition 60.3%Labor 39.7%

3.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.1 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • MudgegongaLabor 33.5% · Coalition 66.5% TPP (2025)4.9 km away
  • MyrtlefordLabor 45.0% · Coalition 55.0% TPP (2025)7.3 km away
  • GapstedLabor 34.6% · Coalition 65.4% TPP (2025)9.3 km away
  • StanleyLabor 67.4% · Coalition 32.6% TPP (2025)12.3 km away
  • WhoroulyLabor 26.3% · Coalition 73.7% TPP (2025)17.3 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)
9/10

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 Alpine Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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