suburb.guide

VIC · Nillumbik Council

Cottles Bridge, 3099

Population

609

Growth (1 yr)

+0.7%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.9%

Median age

52

Median income

$2,170/wk

Employment rate

61.5%

University qualified

36.4%

Work from home

28%

Languages at home

2.7%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

49.8/100
Average

Top 40% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 88% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Hills
  • Rural living
What Cottles Bridge is known for: Green suburb, Hills, Rural living

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Cottles Bridge, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Cottles Bridge, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/cottles-bridge

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Suburb profile

Cottles Bridge is a semi-rural locality near Melbourne, in Nillumbik Council.

Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked semi-rural and lifestyle localities, and university qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, with university qualifications 77% above the peer median, and green cover is an exceptional strength. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. Trade-offs centre on higher rents and weaker population growth, with median rents 10% above the peer median.

Cottles Bridge is a better fit for people who value socio-economic advantage and university qualifications more than lower rents.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Semi-rural locality · compared with semi-rural and lifestyle localities in Victoria (228)

Strengths

  • Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group
  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
  • Green cover is stronger than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Rents run above those in comparable places
  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining

What stands out

  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Cottles Bridge compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$640/wk

Population (Census)

609

+0.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.3%

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

#110

among Country & regional · Mature

Crime rate

54th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

58th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

11%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

74th

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
49.8/100 — Average
State standing
Top 40% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
2031st in Australia
State rank
501st in VIC
Peer rank
#110 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#198 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
88%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$640

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

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Population growth

+0.7% annual · -1.9% over 5 years · 58th percentile in VIC

Growth rates are from ABS Estimated Resident Population at SA2 level. Headcount uses 2021 Census when allocated ERP is too low relative to Census to display reliably.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

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
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$260
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
49% / 40% / 11%
Employment rate
61.5%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
28% / 0% / 52.2%
Walked or cycled to work
1.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
213 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

36.4% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 16.3% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified36.4% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified14.7% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational16.3% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below32.6% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies17.3%
  • Society and culture15.9%
  • Health12.8%
  • Management and commerce12.8%
  • Education12.5%
  • Architecture and building8.1%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$60,899

77th percentile in VIC · +4% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$66,452

78th percentile in VIC · +2% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
13.0%

54th percentile in VIC · -6% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$119,119

89th percentile in VIC · +88% vs Australia

Residents with business income
13.0%

70th percentile in VIC · +25% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3099 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
3,140
Taxpayers reporting net rent
410
Median net rent
-$1,584
Taxpayers reporting business income
404
Taxable income vs state median
+14%
Salary / wages vs state median
+14%
Rental investment vs state median
0%
Super vs state median
+48%
Business income vs state median
+18%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in VIC, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

2.7% speak a language other than English at home; 15.5% born overseas

Language at home
574 English only · 16 other
Non-English at home
2.7%
Born overseas
92 (15.5%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
8 (1.3%)
Australian citizens
583

Religion

51.9%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 51.9%, while Christianity accounts for 39.7%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion51.9%38.8%
Christianity39.7%40.9%
Other / not stated8.4%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic15.8%20.5%
Anglican14%6.5%
Uniting Church3.6%2.4%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
9
Against the person
2
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
58.8
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 304 residents
State crime-rate percentile
54.1th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-30.8%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
32
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
209.15

Most common offence types

  • A731 Fv Threatening Behaviour1
  • B21 Criminal Damage1
  • Other Crimes Against The Person1
  • B49 Other Theft2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order2

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,065
Median ICSEA percentile
74th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
4
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
2
School list
  • Learning Co-Operative SchoolPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1065 · 74th percentile · LBOTE 27% · 31 students · Top SEA quarter 29%View on My School →
School catchments
  • Arthurs Creek Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Diamond Valley CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Hazel Glen CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Hurstbridge Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Panton Hill Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • St Andrews Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

1 mapped amenities

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Sport & outdoors(1)
  • Diamond Creek TrailCycling route

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
25.6%
Woodland / forest cover
25.6%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
4
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
24°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Hospital (11.0 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
4
Participants per 1,000 residents
26.1

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
24° / 13°
Rainfall
155 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
186 mm · ~23 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

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).

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

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping. Flood cover uses inundation overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
McEwen
Member of Parliament
Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
117,921
Turnout (2025)
93.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+0.9 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 45.2%Labor 54.8%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 8.2 km away).

Coalition 43.1%Labor 56.9%

2.1 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.6 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Arthurs CreekLabor 51.2% · Coalition 48.8% TPP (2025)3.5 km away
  • HurstbridgeLabor 65.9% · Coalition 34.1% TPP (2025)3.7 km away
  • Panton HillLabor 52.1% · Coalition 47.9% TPP (2025)4.2 km away
  • St Andrews (McEwen)Labor 60.8% · Coalition 39.2% TPP (2025)4.4 km away
  • DoreenLabor 49.4% · Coalition 50.6% TPP (2025)7.0 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)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

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

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.