suburb.guide

VIC · Surf Coast Council

Bellbrae, 3228

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,329

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

+13.9%

Median age

52

Median income

$1,556/wk

Employment rate

46%

Languages at home

3.4%non-English

Most common: German, Italian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

40.9/100
Average

716th in VIC

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • National parks
  • High desirability
What Bellbrae is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, Education hub, National parks, High desirability

Suburb profile

In Surf Coast Council, Bellbrae keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.

Crime reports are up on the previous period. Renewal is happening in measured doses, with new development complementing what is already there.

The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer growth momentum compared with similar regional towns, though community and employment, plus schools and education remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Bellbrae snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

1,329

+0.8% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

17.0%

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

#105

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

18th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

63rd

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

89th

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
40.9/100 — Average
National rank
3593rd in Australia
State rank
716th in VIC
Peer rank
#105 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#269 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

Data sources & freshness

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

Population

Estimated resident population

1,329(June 2025)

+0.8% annual · +13.9% over 5 years · 63th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+13.9%
Change in 1 year
+11
Change in 5 years
+162
Growth rank in VIC
63th 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 (~1,600), extrapolated at +3.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,346
Median age
52
Median household income / week
$1,556
Dwelling vacancy
17%
Unoccupied private dwellings
92 of 541
Median monthly mortgage
$2,300
Employment rate
46%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
442 / 0 / 0 (+ 6 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs 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

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian 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)
31
Against the person
6
Against property
12
Rate per 1,000 residents
23.3
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 224 residents
State safety percentile
17.7th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+47.6%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage2
  • B49 Other Theft4
  • C32 Drug Possession7
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order3
  • Other Crimes Against The Person2

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,119
Median ICSEA percentile
89th
School list
  • Bellbrae Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1119 · 89th percentile · LBOTE 5% · 492 students · Top SEA quarter 48%View on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

6 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Adiscott Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • Adiscott Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • Jarosite Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • Jarosite Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • School Rd/Great Ocean Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

11 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

2 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 4 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
9/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.97
Sport & outdoors(3)
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (2)
Other(2)
  • Bellbrae Country ClubApartment

    10 Woodacres Road

  • Parking (7)

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

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Bellbrae ReservePark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
18
Parks (OSM)
4

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
Hospital (16.4 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)
26
Participants per 1,000 residents
19.6

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
26° / 12°
Rainfall
128 mm · ~16 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
21° / 10°
Rainfall
124 mm · ~16 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
149 mm · ~19 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 8°
Rainfall
182 mm · ~23 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

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).

28 planning-related records

2021· 11 proposals

  • August 2021

  • Removal of Native Vegetation Associated with the Construction of a Minor Utility Installation (Water Main Pipeline)
    ROAD RESERVE OF GREAT OCEAN ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • The building of a habitable shed - planning permit
    370 ELKINGTON ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Withdrawn

  • July 2021

  • Removal of Native Vegetation within a Road Reserve (Installation of an earth wire pole)
    ROAD RESERVE OF GUNDRYS ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Construction of a shed
    30 Cunningham DriveWithdrawn
  • Use and development of the land for group accommodation, construct buildings within 100m of a Transport Zone 2 and within 100m of a dwelling not in the same ownership, create access to a road in a Transport Zone 2 and the removal of native vegetation
    5 KURZMANS ROAD BELLBRAE 3228NOD issued by a delegate
  • To place a sign
    70 School RoadWithdrawn

  • May 2021

  • Construct an Outbuilding
    25 Cemetery RoadWithdrawn
  • Removal of Carriageway Easement
    50 SCHOOL ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Withdrawn
  • Four lot subdivision
    55 SCHOOL ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Use of the land for a Children's Disability Services and Support Centre and alteration of an access to a road in Road Zone Category 1.
    TARA, 435 GREAT OCEAN ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Use and Development of a Dwelling and Outbuildings and Decommissioning of the Existing Dwelling
    1370 ANGLESEA ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 17 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Construct a Replacement Dwelling and Shed
    100 Moores RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use of the land for a Winery and Sale of Liquor
    615 GREAT OCEAN ROAD BELLBRAE 3228In progress

  • November 2020

  • Use and Development of a second dwelling, outbuildings, car port and verandah
    845 Great Ocean RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of a Shed
    7 WOOD ROADWithdrawn
  • Amend the Permit Preamble to Allow for the sale and consumption of liquor and inclusion of the land use term restaurant Delete Condition 2, Amend Conditions 17 and 24, and add new conditions
    (FORMERLY KNOWN AS 15 ELKINGTON ROAD BELLBRAE), 1200 GREAT OCEAN ROAD BELLBRAE 3228NOD issued by the Resp. Authority
  • Construct a Replacement Garage and Construct an Outbuilding
    35 PORTREATH ROADWithdrawn

  • September 2020

  • Proposed Telecommunication Facility, Comprising a new 35m Monopole with associated Infrastructure
    BELLBRAE CEMETERY, 65 SCHOOL ROADLapsed
  • Use and Development of land for a Host Farm, Construct Buildings and Works within 50 metres of a road in Road Zone Category 1 and Removal of Native Vegetation to provide Defendable Space
    660 GREAT OCEAN ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Refusal issued by a delegate

  • August 2020

  • Use Land for a Function Centre Including Alterations & Additions to an Existing Recreation Building
    545 GREAT OCEAN ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • Construction of Non-Habitable Outbuilding Associated with an Existing Dwelling in the Bushfire Management Overlay
    675 GREAT OCEAN ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Construction of a shed ancillary to dwelling
    615 GUNDRYS ROADWithdrawn

  • April 2020

  • Amend Permit
    290 GUNDRYS ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Alterations and Additions to an existing Dwelling located within 50 metres of a road in Road Zone Category 1
    660 GREAT OCEAN ROADWithdrawn
  • To change the timing of all conditions related to 'Landscaping" under condition 9 so as not to delay the release of the endorsed plans. To change the wording condition 13 to remove the word 'foundation' so the development can commence prior to the approval of a septic permit.
    520 GREAT OCEAN ROADPermit issued by the RA
  • Change of Use to Industry (Motor Vehicle Repairs)
    460 GROSSMANS ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Refusal issued by a delegate

  • January 2020

  • Subdivision of land into three lots
    9 WOOD ROAD BELLBRAE 3228Refusal issued by a delegate
  • Change of Use to Industry (Caravan Repairs)
    460 GROSSMANS ROADRefusal issued by a delegate

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

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 overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Corangamite
Member of Parliament
Libby COKER (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
114,123
Turnout (2025)
94.7%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+0.2 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 42.0%Labor 58.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 16.0 km away).

Coalition 31.4%Labor 68.5%

10.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +3.0 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • BellbraeLabor 70.0% · Coalition 30.1% TPP (2025)1.8 km away
  • Torquay NorthLabor 66.6% · Coalition 33.4% TPP (2025)6.5 km away
  • TorquayLabor 59.8% · Coalition 40.2% TPP (2025)8.1 km away
  • Torquay EastLabor 63.2% · Coalition 36.8% TPP (2025)9.2 km away
  • Freshwater CreekLabor 61.1% · Coalition 38.9% TPP (2025)9.9 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)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

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

Compare with

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

More in Surf Coast Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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