suburb.guide

VIC · West Wimmera Council

Charam, 3318

Est. population · Jun 2025

41

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

-4.7%

Median age

56

Median income

$1,124/wk

Employment rate

57.1%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • National parks
What Charam is known for: National parks

Suburb profile

Charam offers a slower smaller community life in West Wimmera Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. The town centre holds its own, with enough local flavour to make staying close to home appealing.

With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.

At a glance

Charam snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

41

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

36.4%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Safety

19th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

11th

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

Population

Estimated resident population

41(June 2025)

0.0% annual · -4.7% over 5 years · 11th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
-4.7%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
-2
Growth rank in VIC
11th 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 (~50), extrapolated at -0.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
42
Median age
56
Median household income / week
$1,124
Dwelling vacancy
36.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
8 of 22
Median monthly mortgage
$803
Employment rate
57.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
12 / 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

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2020)
1
Against the person
0
Against property
1
Rate per 1,000 residents
24.4
State safety percentile
19.1th (lower crime is better)

Most common offence types

  • B49 Other Theft1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

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

Parks & reserves

6 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Charam Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Little Donkey Woman Swamp Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve
  • Mahney Swamp Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve
  • OKeefe Swamp Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve
  • Richardsons State ForestNature reserve
  • Silver Lake Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
1
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
Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital (22.3 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)
1
Participants per 1,000 residents
24.4

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
27° / 11°
Rainfall
86 mm · ~11 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 8°
Rainfall
138 mm · ~17 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
220 mm · ~28 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 7°
Rainfall
178 mm · ~22 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).

1 planning-related records

2021· 1 proposal

  • May 2021

  • Use and development of land for a Dwelling
    LOT 1 AND LOT 2 ON TP326986B BOWLES ROAD CHARAM 3318NOD issued by the Resp. Authority

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
Mallee
Member of Parliament
Anne WEBSTER (The Nationals)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
121,604
Turnout (2025)
91.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-0.1 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 69.0%Labor 31.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 67.1 km away).

Coalition 75.3%Labor 24.7%

6.3 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -2.1 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • EdenhopeLabor 28.4% · Coalition 71.6% TPP (2025)21.2 km away
  • HarrowLabor 22.5% · Coalition 77.5% TPP (2025)24.4 km away
  • GorokeLabor 16.7% · Coalition 83.3% TPP (2025)26.7 km away
  • ApsleyLabor 24.3% · Coalition 75.7% TPP (2025)38.2 km away
  • NatimukLabor 26.7% · Coalition 73.3% TPP (2025)44.9 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)
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 West Wimmera Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.