suburb.guide

VIC · South Gippsland Council

Buffalo, 3958

Est. population · Jun 2025

291

Growth (1 yr)

+0.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+3.6%

Median age

47

Median income

$1,649/wk

Employment rate

62.8%

Languages at home

3.3%non-English

Most common: Croatian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

22.6/100
Below average

1213th in VIC

Verified 70% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • High desirability
What Buffalo is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, High desirability

Suburb profile

Buffalo offers a slower smaller community life in South Gippsland Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with plenty of young families in the mix. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name.

Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.

Crime reports are up on the previous period. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

Against similar regional towns, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum lag behind, despite relative strength in community and employment. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Buffalo snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

291

+0.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

28.8%

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

#376

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

51st

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

59th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

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
22.6/100 — Below average
National rank
6532nd in Australia
State rank
1213th in VIC
Peer rank
#376 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#689 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
70%

Data sources & freshness

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

Population

Estimated resident population

291(June 2025)

+0.7% annual · +3.6% over 5 years · 59th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.7%
5-year growth
+3.6%
Change in 1 year
+2
Change in 5 years
+10
Growth rank in VIC
59th 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 (~300), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
284
Median age
47
Median household income / week
$1,649
Dwelling vacancy
28.8%
Unoccupied private dwellings
38 of 132
Median monthly mortgage
$1,150
Employment rate
62.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
96 / 0 / 0

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)
16
Against the person
8
Against property
8
Rate per 1,000 residents
55
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 36 residents
State safety percentile
51.3th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+1500%

Most common offence types

  • A211 Fv Serious Assault4
  • A212 Non-Fv Serious Assault1
  • A231 Fv Common Assault1
  • B21 Criminal Damage2
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft3

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

2 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Neals Rd/Meeniyan - Promontory Rd
  • Neals Rd/Meeniyan - Promontory Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

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

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
18
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
South Gippsland Hospital (16.7 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)
7
Participants per 1,000 residents
24.1

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
23° / 13°
Rainfall
143 mm · ~18 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
19° / 11°
Rainfall
223 mm · ~28 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 7°
Rainfall
308 mm · ~38 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
17° / 9°
Rainfall
248 mm · ~31 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).

8 planning-related records

2021· 4 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Development associated with Agriculture (Stockyard shelter)
    1030 MEENIYAN-PROMONTORY ROAD BUFFALO 3958Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Building and works associated with the construction of an agricultural shed
    705 WHITELAWS TRACK BUFFALO 3958Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Use and development of land with a dwelling and outbuilding
    15 HALL ROAD BUFFALO 3958Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Develop land with a replacement dwelling
    55 BUFFALO-STONY CREEK ROAD BUFFALO 3958Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building in association with the use of the land for grazing animal production
    245 Eastaways RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Develop land with an outbuilding
    1075 Meeniyan-Promontory RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • Use and development of land for a poultry (geese) farm
    90 McRae RoadNOD issued by a delegate

  • March 2020

  • Development of land for an agricultural shed
    425 Buffalo North RoadPermit 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
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
Monash
Member of Parliament
Mary ALDRED (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
116,463
Turnout (2025)
93.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-1.2 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 54.1%Labor 45.9%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 19.5 km away).

Coalition 53.4%Labor 46.6%

0.7 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.5 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Fish CreekLabor 53.9% · Coalition 46.1% TPP (2025)7.0 km away
  • MeeniyanLabor 37.5% · Coalition 62.5% TPP (2025)10.9 km away
  • Tarwin LowerLabor 56.5% · Coalition 43.5% TPP (2025)12.2 km away
  • KoonwarraLabor 45.8% · Coalition 54.2% TPP (2025)15.2 km away
  • FosterLabor 50.9% · Coalition 49.1% TPP (2025)17.6 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)
9/10
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 South Gippsland Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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