VIC · Cardinia Council

Bayles, 3981

Est. population · Jun 2025

434

Growth (1 yr)

+5.3%

Growth (5 yr)

+34.4%

Median age

42

Median income

$1,897/wk

Employment rate

66.1%

University qualified

10.6%

Work from home

24.4%

Languages at home

3.3%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

37.5/100
Below average

1071st in VIC

Verified 93% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Agricultural
  • Green suburb
  • Hills
  • Rural living
What Bayles is known for: Agricultural, Green suburb, Hills, Rural living

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Bayles, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Bayles, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/bayles

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Suburb profile

Bayles is a rural locality in Victoria, in Cardinia Council.

Local amenities are a relative strength, placing it among the highest-ranked rural localities. Childcare access is an exceptional strength, with childcare access 100% above the peer median. Population growth is an exceptional strength, and household incomes sit well above the peer median, with household incomes 28% above the peer median. Heritage listings are a relative weakness.

Overall, Bayles suits people prioritising childcare and local amenities over heritage character.

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

Rural locality · compared with rural localities in Victoria (1828)

Strengths

  • Childcare access is a relative strength
  • Local amenities are a relative strength
  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Household incomes sit well above the peer median

Weaknesses

  • Heritage listings are a relative weakness

What stands out

Nothing distinctive beyond the usual profile.

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Bayles compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$425/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

434

+5.3% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

10.9%

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

#107

among Country & regional · Emerging

Crime rate

61st

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

97th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

11%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

46th

percentile among schools with ICSEA

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
37.5/100 — Below average
National rank
5044th in Australia
State rank
1071st in VIC
Peer rank
#107 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#605 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
93%

Data sources & freshness

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

Population

Estimated resident population

434(June 2025)

+5.3% annual · +34.4% over 5 years · 97th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+5.3%
5-year growth
+34.4%
Change in 1 year
+22
Change in 5 years
+111
Growth rank in VIC
97th 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 (~550), extrapolated at +4.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
445
Median age
42
Median household income / week
$1,897
Dwelling vacancy
10.9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
18 of 165
Median monthly mortgage
$2,167
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$425
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
40.9% / 48.2% / 10.9%
Employment rate
66.1%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
24.4% / 0% / 60.9%
Walked or cycled to work
2.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
144 / 3 / 0

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

10.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 24.8% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified10.6% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified7.8% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational24.8% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below56.8% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Architecture and building18.2%
  • Engineering and related technologies17%
  • Management and commerce15.1%
  • Education11.9%
  • Society and culture11.3%
  • Agriculture and environment10.1%
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)
$58,372

69th percentile in VIC · -1% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$62,427

65th percentile in VIC · -4% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
9.0%

14th percentile in VIC · -35% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$47,932

12th percentile in VIC · -24% vs Australia

Residents with business income
11.0%

45th percentile in VIC · +6% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3981 — 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
3,415
Taxpayers reporting net rent
316
Median net rent
-$1,970
Taxpayers reporting business income
379
Taxable income vs state median
+9%
Salary / wages vs state median
+7%
Rental investment vs state median
-31%
Super vs state median
-40%
Business income vs state median
0%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in VIC, 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

18.5% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 8.0× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.1% across Victoria.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
18.5%

62nd percentile in VIC · +704% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
44
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 3981

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers26
  • Labourers11

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 3981 (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 Melbourne - South East (SA4 212), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12131,123
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212831
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412608
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415524
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 8419263
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 721179
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 121418
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841316
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841610
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110

Melbourne - 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: 238 · AFF share +781% 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

3.3% speak a language other than English at home; 11.9% born overseas

Language at home
409 English only · 14 other
Non-English at home
3.3%
Born overseas
51 (11.9%)
Australian citizens
398

Religion

47.4%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 47.4%, while Christianity accounts for 44.5%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion47.4%38.8%
Christianity44.5%40.9%
Other / not stated8.1%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic15.7%20.5%
Anglican11.9%6.5%
Christian (not further defined)5.8%2.5%
Churches of Christ4%0.2%
Uniting Church3.8%2.4%

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

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
30
Against the person
5
Against property
19
Rate per 1,000 residents
69.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 89 residents
State crime-rate percentile
61.4th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+57.9%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
14
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
32.26

Most common offence types

  • B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary5
  • A89 Other Dangerous Or Negligent Acts Endangering People2
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft3
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle5
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order3

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

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
998
Median ICSEA percentile
46th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
1
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
1
School list
  • Bayles Regional Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 998 · 46th percentile · LBOTE 6% · 161 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 1.3 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Bayles Regional Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Koo Wee Rup Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Childcare

2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap

  • Bayles PreschoolKoo Wee Rup-Longwarry Roadkindergarten
  • Bayles Preschoolkindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Childcare centres per 1,000 residents

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · current · Updated

Amenities

8 mapped amenities

1 playgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.25
Community(3)
  • Bayles Public HallCommunity centre
  • Bayles PreschoolKindergarten

    660 Koo Wee Rup-Longwarry Road, Bayles

  • Bayles Regional Primary SchoolSchool

    3730 Ballarto Road

Sport & outdoors(3)
  • Bayles Recreation ReservePark
  • Playground
  • Sports field
Other(2)
  • Bayles CFAFire station

    662 Koo Wee Rup - Longwarry Road

  • Parking

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

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0.9%
Woodland / forest cover
0.7%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
5
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
25°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
Koo Wee Rup Hospital (8.8 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)
17
Participants per 1,000 residents
39.2

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
25° / 12°
Rainfall
197 mm · ~25 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 9°
Rainfall
228 mm · ~28 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 5°
Rainfall
261 mm · ~33 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 7°
Rainfall
304 mm · ~38 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 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).

12 planning-related records

2021· 6 proposals
  • August 2021

  • Development of the land for a building associated with Agriculture
    50 BACKHOUSES ROAD BAYLES 3981Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of the land for an outbuilding (shed)
    60 FINCKS ROAD BAYLES 3981Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • May 2021

  • Remedial / Thai Massage
    665 Koo Wee Rup-Longwarry RoadWithdrawn
  • Use of the land for a veterinary clinic (equine) and to construct and display a business identification sign
    75 TYNONG-BAYLES ROAD BAYLES 3981Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • March 2021

  • Use and development of the land for a dwelling, outbuilding (garage), agricultural shed and associated works
    MAIN DRAIN ROAD BAYLES 3981Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • February 2021

  • Buildings and works associated with an outbuilding
    3761 Ballarto RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals
  • November 2020

  • Development of the land for a building associated with agriculture
    110 Fincks RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • July 2020

  • Development of the land for a shed associated with the agricultural use of the land
    35 Hall RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • April 2020

  • Development of the land for an outbuilding (shed)
    3770 Ballarto RoadNOD issued by a delegate
  • Alterations and additions to an existing dwelling
    80 Fincks RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • March 2020

  • Buildings and works associated with agriculture
    105 O`Briens RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • January 2020

  • Development of the land for one (1) dwelling and associated works
    665 Koo Wee Rup-Longwarry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • BAYLES BRIDGE NO. 1&2NH1852

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
No overlay at centroid
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping. Flood cover uses inundation overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

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
La Trobe
Member of Parliament
Jason WOOD (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
115,425
Turnout (2025)
93.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+6.4 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 52.1%Labor 47.9%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 13.8 km away).

Coalition 67.5%Labor 32.5%

15.4 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.5 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • BaylesLabor 32.1% · Coalition 67.9% TPP (2025)0.9 km away
  • Koo Wee RupLabor 43.3% · Coalition 56.7% TPP (2025)8.1 km away
  • Lang LangLabor 44.9% · Coalition 55.1% TPP (2025)9.6 km away
  • Nar Nar GoonLabor 31.8% · Coalition 68.2% TPP (2025)10.5 km away
  • TynongLabor 33.0% · Coalition 67.0% TPP (2025)11.2 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)
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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

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

More in Cardinia Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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