Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Moorabool Council
Dales Creek, 3341
Est. population · Jun 2025
409
Growth (1 yr)
+1.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.6%
Median age
40
Median income
$1,966/wk
Employment rate
68.1%
Languages at home
2.6%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Dales Creek offers a slower smaller community life in Moorabool Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting.
Open space is thinner than in many regional towns, 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. Homes are neither a bargain nor a premium buy against the wider market.
Local crime has been trending higher of late. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because growth momentum trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Dales Creek snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
409
+1.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
7.4%
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
#73
among Country & regional · Established
Safety
53rd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
68th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
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
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 39.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3849th in Australia
- State rank
- 767th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #73 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #313 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 52%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
409(June 2025)
+1.0% annual · +4.6% over 5 years · 68th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.0%
- 5-year growth
- +4.6%
- Change in 1 year
- +4
- Change in 5 years
- +18
- Growth rank in VIC
- 68th 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 (~450), extrapolated at +1.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 403
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $1,966
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 11 of 149
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 68.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 139 / 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 increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2026)
- 23
- Against the person
- 11
- Against property
- 3
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 56.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 37 residents
- State safety percentile
- 52.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +91.7%
Most common offence types
- A211 Fv Serious Assault2
- A231 Fv Common Assault4
- A731 Fv Threatening Behaviour2
- D23 Offensive Conduct2
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order4
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
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
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Ballan District Health and Care (11.2 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)
- 13
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 31.8
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).
7 planning-related records
2021· 1 proposal
March 2021
- Development of a Shed Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling116 Cowans DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals
September 2020
- Development of a Shed Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling22 Cowans DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2020
- Development and Use of a Dwelling and Removal of Native VegetationCowans DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of Addition Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling (Verandah)141 Dales Creek AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
- Two Lot Subdivision (Boundary Realignment), Development and Use of a Dwelling and Ancillary Outbuilding and Removal of Native VegetationPeppermint CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Development of a Shed Ancillary to an Existing Dwelling31 Cowans DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2020
- Development of a Shed Ancillary to an Existing DwellingDales Creek AvenueNOD issued by a delegate
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
- Hawke
- Member of Parliament
- Sam RAE (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 118,785
- Turnout (2025)
- 91.1%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- 0.0 pp
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 42.4%Labor 57.6%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 26.5 km away).
Coalition 37.9%Labor 62.1%
4.4 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +0.2 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- BlackwoodLabor 68.1% · Coalition 31.9% TPP (2025)5.7 km away
- BallanLabor 58.6% · Coalition 41.4% TPP (2025)11.0 km away
- MyrniongLabor 47.3% · Coalition 52.7% TPP (2025)11.5 km away
- Pentland HillsLabor 57.1% · Coalition 42.9% TPP (2025)18.2 km away
- DarleyLabor 56.8% · Coalition 43.2% TPP (2025)18.9 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
Compare with
Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.
More in Moorabool Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.