suburb.guide

VIC · Nillumbik Council

Cottles Bridge, 3099

Current weather

9.9°CLight drizzle

93% humidity · 29.1 km/h wind · 11° / 8.5° today · 7.8 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

50/100
Average

Top 32% of Victoria's suburbs

70% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • High desirability
What Cottles Bridge is known for: Green suburb, High desirability

Suburb profile

Cottles Bridge sits up in the Nillumbik hills, a smaller community where elevation and tree cover define the mood. The capital is reachable when needed, but everyday life stays firmly rooted in the surrounding region. Fresh country air and elevated outlooks are part of the appeal up here among the hills.

Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.

Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.

The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space against similar regional towns, even with transport and access and community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
609
Median age
52
Median household income / week
$2,170
Dwelling vacancy
7.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
17 of 233
Median monthly mortgage
$2,524
Employment rate
61.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
18 / 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)
10
Against the person
0
Against property
7
Rate per 1,000 residents
16.4
State safety percentile
10th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-28.6%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage3
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
  • B49 Other Theft2
  • B53 Obtain Benefit By Deception1
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order2

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
1
Median school ICSEA
1,065
  • Learning Co-Operative SchoolPrimary

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

12 planning-related records

2021· 8 proposals

  • July 2021

  • Use of the land for a dwelling, building and works to construct a dwelling and a shed, removal of native vegetation and alteration of access to a Transport Zone 2
    1440 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Removal of 1 dead native tree
    BELFIELDS ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Withdrawn

  • June 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct a shed
    1235 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a retaining wall
    145 Belfields RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Demolition of an outbuilding and buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    1394 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwelling
    1139 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Withdrawn

  • January 2021

  • Amendment - Buildings and works to construct a shed
    346 Mine RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a shed
    28 GOLDMANS ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    190 Hildebrand RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a shed
    346 Mine RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Buildings and works to extend an existing deck
    1335 Heidelberg-Kinglake RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    1280 Heidelberg-Kinglake 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

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

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)
10/10
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

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

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)
3
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

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability Index

Desirability score
50.0/100 — Average
State standing
Top 32% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
1934th in Australia
State rank
397th in VIC
Peer rank
#25 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#89 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
70%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • B21 Criminal Damagecrime3
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime1
  • B49 Other Theftcrime2
  • B53 Obtain Benefit By Deceptioncrime1
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime2
  • Amendment - Buildings and works to construct a shedplanning346 Mine RoadLodged 28 Jan 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwellingplanning1139 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Lodged 27 Feb 2021 · Withdrawn
  • Buildings and works to construct a retaining wallplanning145 Belfields RoadLodged 02 Jun 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a shedplanning1235 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Lodged 28 Jun 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a shedplanning28 GOLDMANS ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Lodged 08 Jan 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

  • 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 Nillumbik Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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