Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Colac Otway Council
Colac East, 3250
Est. population · Jun 2025
362
Growth (1 yr)
-0.3%
Growth (5 yr)
-1.6%
Median age
46
Median income
$1,541/wk
Employment rate
57%
Languages at home
20%non-English
Most common: Mandarin
2021 Census · usual residence
- Education hub
Suburb profile
In Colac Otway Council, Colac East keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with family life visible on every street. Food and coffee punch above the usual for comparable suburbs, giving the suburb a lived-in social scene.
Open space is thinner than in many comparable suburbs, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Housing is more affordable than in many parts 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.
At a glance
Colac East snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
362
-0.3% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
14.1%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Safety
74th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
3rd
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
23rd
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
Population
Estimated resident population
362(June 2025)
-0.3% annual · -1.6% over 5 years · 3th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- -0.3%
- 5-year growth
- -1.6%
- Change in 1 year
- -1
- Change in 5 years
- -6
- Growth rank in VIC
- 3th 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 (~350), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 168
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $1,541
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 10 of 71
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,690
- Employment rate
- 57%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 48 / 14 / 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)
- 34
- Against the person
- 8
- Against property
- 19
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 93.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 74.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +142.9%
Most common offence types
- A232 Non-Fv Common Assault4
- B21 Criminal Damage2
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle5
- B44 Theft Of A Bicycle2
- B49 Other Theft6
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) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 946
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 23th
School list
- Colac Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 946 · 23th percentile · LBOTE 12% · 164 students · Top SEA quarter 4% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
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 · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Amenities
3 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 pubs · 1 petrol stations
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 2/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 5.95
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Food & drink(1)
- East HotelPub
Unit 9 1 Dalton Street
Shopping(1)
- Convenience store
Other(1)
- ShellPetrol station
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
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Colac Area Health (2.9 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 17
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 47.0
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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).
3 planning-related records
2021· 1 proposal
April 2021
- Construction of Warehouse and Associated Works17 HUGH MURRAY DRIVE COLAC EAST 3250Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 2 proposals
November 2020
- Building and Works Comprising Installation of Three (3) Portable Build ings and Covered Walkway (Retrospective)18 Saunders StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Construction of a Warehouse, Including Ancillary Office and Showroom, and Business Identification Sign9 Hugh Murray DrivePermit 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) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
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
- Wannon
- Member of Parliament
- Dan TEHAN (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 121,788
- Turnout (2025)
- 94.0%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -2.3 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 60.9%Labor 39.1%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 17.1 km away).
Coalition 58.6%Labor 41.4%
2.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +41.4 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Colac EastLabor 42.0% · Coalition 58.0% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
- ElliminytLabor 36.5% · Coalition 63.5% TPP (2025)3.7 km away
- Colac WestLabor 45.5% · Coalition 54.5% TPP (2025)3.8 km away
- CororookeLabor 33.4% · Coalition 66.6% TPP (2025)10.2 km away
- WarrionLabor 25.6% · Coalition 74.4% TPP (2025)13.6 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Colac Otway Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.