suburb.guide

VIC · Baw Baw Council

Darnum, 3822

Current weather

10.3°CThunderstorm

94% humidity · 26.2 km/h wind · 12.6° / 9.1° today · 17 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

33.6/100
Below average

858th in VIC

78% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Rural
  • Established
  • Residential
  • Amenities
  • Open space
What Darnum is known for: Rural, Established, Residential, Amenities, Open space

Suburb profile

Darnum offers a slower smaller community life in Baw Baw, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.

Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with plenty of young families in the mix. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play.

The market sits in a sensible middle ground: not cheap, but fair value for the area. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
759
Median age
41
Median household income / week
$1,744
Dwelling vacancy
6.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
18 of 267
Median monthly mortgage
$1,517
Employment rate
61%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
19 / 31 / 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)
39
Against the person
4
Against property
21
Rate per 1,000 residents
51.4
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 190 residents
State safety percentile
48.5th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+5.4%

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage3
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft5
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle4
  • B49 Other Theft3
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order5

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
1
Median school ICSEA
1,006
  • Darnum Primary SchoolPrimary

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Princes Fwy
  • Princes Fwy
  • Princes Fwy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Roadworks & transport

1 active roadworks / incidents

  • Building / 3rd Party Works activities occurring between 11/11/2024 and 30/04/2027 during the following times: Weekdays 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Weekends 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Impact to traffic will be lanes closed eastbound. Altered speed limit during operation will be Nil and the traffic delay is expected to be 0 to 5 min.PRINCES FREEWAY, DROUIN-WARRAGUL-PRINCES OUT RAMP ON10 Nov 2024 – 29 Apr 2027

Data sources & freshness

  • Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported

Planning & development

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

9 planning-related records

2021· 3 proposals

  • July 2021

  • Remove native vegetation to facilitate a minor utility installation
    150 DARNUM PARK ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

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

  • March 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct 2 outbuildings
    164 Darnum-Shady Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Buildings and works to extend a heritage dwelling including partial demolition
    186 DARNUM-ALLAMBEE ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Use and development of a dwelling
    Rhodes RoadRefusal issued by a delegate

  • July 2020

  • Subdivide land into 3 Lots
    83 Darnum-Allambee RoadNOD issued by a delegate
  • Use and development of a contractor's depot
    16 SHEARMANS ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • To develop the land for six additional milk storage silos, two water silos and associated works
    150 Darnum Park RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Use and development of a store (i.e. shipping container)
    44 Streitbergs RoadNOD 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) · 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)
5/10
IRSD decile (2021)
5/10

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)
9
Parks (OSM)
2

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
33.6/100 — Below average
National rank
4543rd in Australia
State rank
858th in VIC
Peer rank
#201 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#403 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

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
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime5
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime4
  • B49 Other Theftcrime3
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime5
  • Buildings and works to construct 2 outbuildingsplanning164 Darnum-Shady Creek RoadLodged 25 Mar 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuildingplanning84 Streitbergs RoadLodged 21 May 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to extend a heritage dwelling including partial demolitionplanning186 DARNUM-ALLAMBEE ROAD DARNUM 3822Lodged 08 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Remove native vegetation to facilitate a minor utility installationplanning150 DARNUM PARK ROAD DARNUM 3822Lodged 20 Jul 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Subdivide land into 3 Lotsplanning83 Darnum-Allambee RoadLodged 27 Jul 2020 · NOD issued by a delegate

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 Baw Baw Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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