VIC · East Gippsland Council

Delegate River, 3888

Est. population · Jun 2025

40

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+2.6%

Median age

38

Median income

$1,874/wk

Employment rate

45.5%

University qualified

10%

Work from home

16.7%

Languages at home

12.1%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • River access
  • Remote
What Delegate River is known for: River access, Remote

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Delegate River, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Delegate River, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/delegate-river

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Suburb profile

Delegate River is a remote locality in Victoria, in East Gippsland Council. It is close to the River Fire Station and the River Tavern.

Population growth is a relative strength, placing it among the highest-ranked remote localities, and household incomes sit well above the peer median, with household incomes 80% above the peer median, and university qualifications are a relative strength. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. Trade-offs centre on thinner local amenities and thinner mapped green cover within the suburb boundary, with local amenities 100% below the peer median.

Delegate River is a better fit for people who value university qualifications more than local amenities.

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

Remote locality · compared with remote localities in Victoria (41)

Strengths

  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Household incomes sit well above the peer median
  • University qualifications are a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Everyday shops and services are sparse
  • Green cover is thinner than in comparable places

What stands out

  • River Fire Station
  • River Tavern
  • River Diversion Tunnel
  • River State School
  • River Upper
  • River Lower

Housing, growth and risk

How Delegate River compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

40

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

25.0%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

20th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

14th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

0%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

2/10

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

Population

Estimated resident population

40(June 2025)

0.0% annual · +2.6% over 5 years · 14th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
+2.6%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
+1
Growth rank in VIC
14th 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 (~50), extrapolated at -0.2% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
41
Median age
38
Median household income / week
$1,874
Dwelling vacancy
25%
Unoccupied private dwellings
3 of 12
Median monthly mortgage
$1,625
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
44.4% / 55.6% / 0%
Employment rate
45.5%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
16.7% / 0% / 55.6%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
3 / 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

10% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 10% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified10% · 29.2% VIC
  • Trade / vocational10% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below80% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Engineering and related technologies41.7%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services33.3%
  • Management and commerce25%
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)
$45,098

14th percentile in VIC · -23% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$46,872

6th percentile in VIC · -28% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
11.0%

34th percentile in VIC · -20% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$69,189

35th percentile in VIC · +9% vs Australia

Residents with business income
11.0%

43rd percentile in VIC · +6% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3888 — 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
1,862
Taxpayers reporting net rent
199
Median net rent
$2,638
Taxpayers reporting business income
214
Taxable income vs state median
-15%
Salary / wages vs state median
-20%
Rental investment vs state median
-15%
Super vs state median
-14%
Business income vs state median
0%

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

12.1% speak a language other than English at home; 11.4% born overseas

Language at home
29 English only · 4 other
Non-English at home
12.1%
Born overseas
4 (11.4%)
Australian citizens
37

Religion

56.1%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 56.1%, while Christianity accounts for 29.3%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion56.1%38.8%
Christianity29.3%40.9%
Other / not stated14.6%20.3%

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)
1
Against the person
0
Against property
1
Rate per 1,000 residents
25
State crime-rate percentile
19.7th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-74.9%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
2
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
50

Most common offence types

  • B49 Other Theft1

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

School list
School catchments
  • Cann River P-12 CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Orbost Community CollegeGovernment 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

  • Victorian designated neighbourhood zones — Victorian Department of Education · current · Updated · Open catchment polygons where published

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

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
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
23°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
Delegate Multi-Purpose Service (13.8 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)
1
Participants per 1,000 residents
25.0

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
23° / 10°
Rainfall
180 mm · ~22 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
17° / 6°
Rainfall
165 mm · ~21 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
10° / 1°
Rainfall
162 mm · ~20 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
17° / 5°
Rainfall
193 mm · ~24 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

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
Gippsland
Member of Parliament
Darren CHESTER (The Nationals)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
118,075
Turnout (2025)
92.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+1.2 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 69.4%Labor 30.6%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 105.7 km away).

Coalition 71.8%Labor 28.2%

2.4 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.1 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • BuchanLabor 28.8% · Coalition 71.2% TPP (2025)69.5 km away
  • OrbostLabor 29.3% · Coalition 70.7% TPP (2025)72.6 km away
  • NewmerellaLabor 14.4% · Coalition 85.6% TPP (2025)76.8 km away
  • MarloLabor 35.7% · Coalition 64.3% TPP (2025)80.1 km away
  • Nowa NowaLabor 22.9% · Coalition 77.1% TPP (2025)93.0 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)
2/10
IRSD decile (2021)
2/10

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

More in East Gippsland Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.