VIC · Baw Baw Council
Buln Buln, 3821
Current weather
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88% humidity · 22.6 km/h wind · 14.1° / 10° today · 10.2 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Buln Buln offers a slower smaller community life in Baw Baw, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
Residents are mostly families and working professionals, 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. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 551
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $1,916
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 7 of 185
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,723
- Employment rate
- 73.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 8 / 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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2026)
- 17
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 30.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 138 residents
- State safety percentile
- 25th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -22.7%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A211 Fv Serious Assault1
- A212 Non-Fv Serious Assault1
- A231 Fv Common Assault2
- D11 Firearms Offences3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order3
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Year ending March release
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,000
- Buln Buln Primary SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Buln Buln Primary School/Old Sale Rd
- Buln Buln Primary School/Old Sale Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
7 planning-related records
2021· 3 proposals
June 2021
- Building and works to construct a dwelling extension1088 BLOOMFIELD ROAD BULN BULN 3821Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwelling1159 OLD SALE ROAD BULN BULN 3821Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
- Subdivide land into 2 lots and associated works74 PLATTS ROAD BULN BULN 3821NOD issued by a delegate
2020· 4 proposals
September 2020
- Buildings and works to construct additions and alterations to the existing dwelling960 Old Sale RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- s72 Amendment - Amend Condition 2 of the permit to allow for the decommissioning of the existing dwelling on the lot. Building proposed to be retained as an outbuilding.71 ISLES ROAD BULN BULN 3821Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- The subdivision of land into two lots28 Old Sale RoadNOD issued by a delegate
January 2020
- Building and works for extension to existing outbuilding247 Christies RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Period: 2020–2022 · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Sports field
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 39.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3576th in Australia
- State rank
- 683rd in VIC
- Peer rank
- #143 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #267 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- A211 Fv Serious Assaultcrime1
- A212 Non-Fv Serious Assaultcrime1
- A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime2
- D11 Firearms Offencescrime3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime3
- Building and works for extension to existing outbuildingplanning247 Christies RoadLodged 21 Jan 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works to construct a dwelling extensionplanning1088 BLOOMFIELD ROAD BULN BULN 3821Lodged 16 Jun 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwellingplanning1159 OLD SALE ROAD BULN BULN 3821Lodged 14 May 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct additions and alterations to the existing dwellingplanning960 Old Sale RoadLodged 24 Sep 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
More in Baw Baw Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.