suburb.guide

VIC · Ballarat Council

Buninyong, 3357

Est. population · Jun 2025

3,904

Growth (1 yr)

+0.9%

Growth (5 yr)

+0.1%

Median age

45

Median income

$1,745/wk

Employment rate

58.9%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$725,000

Languages at home

2.3%non-English

Most common: Arabic, Japanese, German

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

58.7/100
Good

Top 25% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 93% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • High desirability
  • Excellent transport
  • Heritage area
What Buninyong is known for: Green suburb, National parks, High desirability, Excellent transport, Heritage area

Suburb profile

Buninyong is a regional mid-sized suburb in Ballarat Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Melbourne. Regional towns and local services do more of the everyday heavy lifting than the city. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout.

Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town. Green space punches above what many regional towns offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Daily life works well on foot, with buses also serving the suburb.

Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs. Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.

Desirability rates good overall, led by community and employment, plus safety, while growth momentum land closer to the middle of the pack for similar regional towns.

At a glance

Buninyong snapshot

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

Median house price

$725k

-11% change

Median rent

$420/wk

Population (ERP)

3,904

+0.9% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.8%

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

#11

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

36th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

65th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

66th

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
58.7/100 — Good
State standing
Top 25% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
1158th in Australia
State rank
307th in VIC
Peer rank
#11 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#47 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
93%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025)
$420
Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$725,000
Median price change
-10.8%

Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

3,904(June 2025)

+0.9% annual · +0.1% over 5 years · 65th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.9%
5-year growth
+0.1%
Change in 1 year
+34
Change in 5 years
+5
Growth rank in VIC
65th 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 (~4,050), extrapolated at +0.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
3,797
Median age
45
Median household income / week
$1,745
Dwelling vacancy
7.8%
Unoccupied private dwellings
116 of 1,482
Median monthly mortgage
$1,733
Employment rate
58.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
1,321 / 27 / 21

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)
151
Against the person
18
Against property
109
Rate per 1,000 residents
38.7
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 211 residents
State safety percentile
35.8th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+4.9%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage11
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft13
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle17
  • B49 Other Theft30
  • B53 Obtain Benefit By Deception8

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
1,044
Median ICSEA percentile
66th
School list
  • Buninyong Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1044 · 66th percentile · LBOTE 4% · 567 students · Top SEA quarter 21% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

18 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Barkly St/Warrenheip St
  • De Soza Park/Warrenheip St
  • Elizabeth St/Warrenheip St
  • Eyre St/Warrenheip St
  • Midland Hwy/Warrenheip St

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

61 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

1 pubs · 1 supermarkets · 1 pharmacies · 1 fast food · 1 places of worship · 5 playgrounds · 1 sports centres · 1 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Highly walkable for everyday errands
  • Great for outdoor family life — 17 parks mapped in suburb, 5 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport — 18 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 8 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
71/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.53
Parks per 1,000 residents
4.48
Food & drink(2)
  • Fast food
  • Crown HotelPub
Shopping(2)
  • FoodworksSupermarket
Community(1)
  • Buninyong Primary SchoolSchool

    202 Simpson Street

Health & services(1)
  • UFSPharmacy
Sport & outdoors(22)
  • Birdwood ParkPark
  • Buninyong Community ReservePark
  • Buninyong Recreation ParkPark
  • Buninyong SustainabilityPark

    1101 Warrenheip Street, Buninyong

  • Crown Land .. Extension of Union Jack ReservePark
  • James ReservePark
  • Park (5)
  • Royal ParkPark
  • Union Jack ReservePark
  • Buninyong GardensPicnic area
  • Playground (5)
  • Buninyong Swimming PoolSports centre
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool
Transport(7)

7 bus stops

Other(16)
  • Bbq
  • Drinking water
  • EV charging
  • Buninyong Community GardenGarden
  • Union Jack Education AreaNature Reserve
  • Parking (11)
  • Picnic Table
  • Uniting ChurchPlace of worship
  • Buninyong Police StationPolice
  • Australia PostPost office
  • Public toilets
  • Recycling
  • Queen Victoria RotundaShelter
  • Shelter (2)
  • Track
  • Espresso DepotYes

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

12 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Birdwood ParkPark
  • Buninyong Community ReservePark
  • Buninyong H18 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Buninyong Recreation ParkPark
  • Buninyong SustainabilityPark
  • Cathcart Street ReservePark
  • Crown Land .. Extension of Union Jack ReservePark
  • De Soza ParkPark
  • James ReservePark
  • Royal ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
34
Parks (OSM)
17

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

Places of worship

1 places of worship within ~1.5 km

  • Uniting Church

From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
1
Nearest hospital
Queen Elizabeth Centre (10.9 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
  • UFSPharmacy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
99
Participants per 1,000 residents
25.4

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).

65 planning-related records

2021· 28 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Development of Two (2) Sheds Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling
    65 YENDON NO 1 ROAD BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2021

  • Eight lot subdivision and removal of native vegetation
    102-116 BARKLY STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of an outbuilding (shed)
    74 MACS ROAD BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a Shed Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling
    14 SCARFFS ROAD NORTH BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Addition to dwelling
    606 HERRIOTT STREET BUNINYONG 3357Withdrawn
  • Construction of outbuilding
    1207 WINTER STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Installation of solar panels
    312 SIMPSON STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • A new vehicle crossover as per attached plans
    316 SIMPSON STREET BUNINYONG 3357Withdrawn

  • July 2021

  • Development of an outbuilding, solar panels, verandah and fence
    607 INGLIS STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development and Use of a Dwelling
    459 Yankee Flat RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two (2) lot subdivision
    509 BARKLY STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Removal of five street trees
    408 WARRENHEIP STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Three (3) lot subdivision
    3 ALLAN STREET BUNINYONG 3357Refusal issued by a delegate
  • Variation to restriction U885574K
    18 MACS ROAD BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling and vehicle crossover
    209 RUSSELL STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Alterations and additions to a dwelling including development of an attached carport
    109 Yuille StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Two lot subdivision (Re-subdivision)
    109 ELIZABETH STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Installation of spa and safety barrier
    26 Fasham StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of an outbuilding
    102 Cornish StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and development of a dwelling, outbuilding, tennis court and associated works
    12 Nashs RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Development of fence (retrospective)
    102 Cornish StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of 6 Light Towers, Earthworks to upgrade the site, Extension of emergency operating hours of the light towers (for driver and patron safety at race conclusion) past 11pm curfew with a maximum of 6 extensions per season
    569 YANKEE FLAT ROAD BUNINYONG 3357In progress
  • Two Lot Subdivision
    105-107 Barkly StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two lot subdivision
    8 Russell StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Development of a dwelling
    5 Barkly StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Demolition of balcony and construction of a new balcony
    505 WARRENHEIP STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2021

  • Use and development of a dwelling
    Lot 3 Buninyong - Mount Mercer RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling and shed
    CA 100 Strawberry Glen LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 12 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Development of an outbuilding
    102 Cornish StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use of land for rural industry (winery)
    51 GITTINGS LANE BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a Shed and Installation of Onsite Wastewater Management System in the ESO1
    193 Mount Buninyong RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of Three (3) Ancillary Buildings (Garage, Pool Shed, Shed)
    58 Hogarths Road EastPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Additions to carport (convert to garage), development of decking
    404 Simpson StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Four lot subdivision and removal of native vegetation
    111 ELIZABETH STREET BUNINYONG 3357Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling
    4 Gumtree CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling and associated shed.
    Lot 2 Hendersons LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a pergola
    807 Warrenheip StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling
    20 Delaland AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling and associated fencing
    9 Hannah ClosePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two lot subdivision
    9 Elizabeth StreetWithdrawn

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

4 heritage places

  • BALLANTRAENH0551
  • BUNINYONG BOTANIC GARDENSNH1826
  • BUNINYONG TOWN HALL AND COURT HOUSENH0758
  • FORMER LIBRARYNH0488

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

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
Ballarat
Member of Parliament
Catherine KING (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
116,238
Turnout (2025)
93.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.3 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 39.3%Labor 60.7%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 8.6 km away).

Coalition 36.8%Labor 63.2%

2.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -1.8 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • BuninyongLabor 62.8% · Coalition 37.2% TPP (2025)0.9 km away
  • Mount ClearLabor 67.0% · Coalition 33.0% TPP (2025)4.5 km away
  • MagpieLabor 62.0% · Coalition 38.0% TPP (2025)5.6 km away
  • NapoleonsLabor 60.1% · Coalition 39.9% TPP (2025)6.8 km away
  • SebastopolLabor 69.5% · Coalition 30.5% TPP (2025)7.3 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)
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

Compare with

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

More in Ballarat Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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