Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Baw Baw Council
Darnum, 3822
Est. population · Jun 2025
837
Growth (1 yr)
+2.2%
Growth (5 yr)
+15.0%
Median age
41
Median income
$1,744/wk
Employment rate
61%
Languages at home
1.3%non-English
Most common: Greek, Thai
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Darnum offers a slower smaller community life in Baw Baw Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. 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.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield.
Homes are neither a bargain nor a premium buy against the wider market. An emerging neighbourhood feel is building here, with new households gradually reshaping local life.
The desirability picture is below average, weighed down by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus growth momentum relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Darnum snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
837
+2.2% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
6.7%
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
#90
among Country & regional · Emerging
Safety
45th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
90th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
50th
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
- 36.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4453rd in Australia
- State rank
- 865th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #90 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #393 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
837(June 2025)
+2.2% annual · +15.0% over 5 years · 90th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +2.2%
- 5-year growth
- +15.0%
- Change in 1 year
- +18
- Change in 5 years
- +109
- Growth rank in VIC
- 90th 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 (~950), extrapolated at +2.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- 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)
- 213 / 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 · 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)
- 39
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 46.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 190 residents
- State safety percentile
- 44.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +5.4%
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
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,006
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 50th
School list
- Darnum Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1006 · 50th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 175 students · Top SEA quarter 10%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
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
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb
- Walkability proxy
- 5/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.64
Sport & outdoors(1)
- Sports field
Other(1)
- Parking
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
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)
- 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 — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- West Gippsland Hospital (8.1 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)
- 32
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 38.2
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
- 25° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 197 mm · ~25 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 228 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 13° / 5°
- Rainfall
- 261 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 304 mm · ~38 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).
9 planning-related records
2021· 3 proposals
July 2021
- Remove native vegetation to facilitate a minor utility installation150 DARNUM PARK ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding84 Streitbergs RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Buildings and works to construct 2 outbuildings164 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 demolition186 DARNUM-ALLAMBEE ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Use and development of a dwellingRhodes RoadRefusal issued by a delegate
July 2020
- Subdivide land into 3 Lots83 Darnum-Allambee RoadNOD issued by a delegate
- Use and development of a contractor's depot16 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 works150 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) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
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 · current · Updated
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
- Monash
- Member of Parliament
- Mary ALDRED (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 116,463
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.2 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 54.1%Labor 45.9%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 9.5 km away).
Coalition 64.6%Labor 35.4%
10.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -5.6 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- DarnumLabor 31.9% · Coalition 68.1% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
- NilmaLabor 39.5% · Coalition 60.5% TPP (2025)3.9 km away
- YarragonLabor 46.9% · Coalition 53.1% TPP (2025)5.2 km away
- Bona VistaLabor 39.4% · Coalition 60.6% TPP (2025)5.7 km away
- Warragul EastLabor 50.2% · Coalition 49.8% TPP (2025)6.8 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)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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
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.