Median house price
—
No data available
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%
Languages at home
2.7%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Cottles Bridge sits up in the Nillumbik Council hills, a smaller community where elevation and tree cover define the mood. 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.
Open space is thinner than in many regional towns, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets. Housing is expensive relative to much of the state.
Reported crime has been falling recently. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus growth momentum compared with similar regional towns, though community and employment remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Cottles Bridge snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
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
#39
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
60th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
58th
percentile in VIC
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
- 48.6/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 39% of Victoria's suburbs
- National rank
- 2349th in Australia
- State rank
- 496th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #39 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #129 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
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 (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DFFH rent report and Valuer-General property sales report — Department of Families, Fairness and Housing / Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Sep 2025 (council median) · Updated · Quarterly releases; council median rent fallback where suburb rent unavailable
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
- Employment rate
- 61.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 213 / 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
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2026)
- 10
- Against the person
- 0
- Against property
- 7
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 65.4
- State safety percentile
- 59.6th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -28.6%
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
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,065
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 74th
School list
- Learning Co-Operative SchoolPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1065 · 74th percentile · LBOTE 27% · 31 students · Top SEA quarter 29%View 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
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 4
- 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 — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Hospital (11.0 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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 (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).
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 21440 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Removal of 1 dead native treeBELFIELDS ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Withdrawn
June 2021
- Buildings and works to construct a shed1235 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct a retaining wall145 Belfields RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Demolition of an outbuilding and buildings and works to construct an outbuilding1394 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
- Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwelling1139 HEIDELBERG-KINGLAKE ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Withdrawn
January 2021
- Amendment - Buildings and works to construct a shed346 Mine RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct a shed28 GOLDMANS ROAD COTTLES BRIDGE 3099Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals
November 2020
- Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding190 Hildebrand RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Buildings and works to construct a shed346 Mine RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
- Buildings and works to extend an existing deck1335 Heidelberg-Kinglake RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2020
- Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding1280 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) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
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 · 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
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 (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
This suburb ranks highly for
Compare with
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