suburb.guide

VIC · Buloke Council

Donald, VIC, 3480

Current weather

12.3°CModerate drizzle

95% humidity · 23 km/h wind · 15.8° / 10.2° today · 9.4 mm rain

Desirability index

24.4/100

#403 among Country & regional suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Donald is a small locality in the Buloke area, home to around 1,472 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 83 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+73%), roughly 56.4 offences per 1,000 residents, 3 school and preschool sites in the area, limited but present public transport access, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.

Population

Population
1,472
Median age
52
Median household income / week
$1,044
Dwelling vacancy
13.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
94 of 699
Median monthly mortgage
$815
Employment rate
46%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
35 / 8 / 24

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)
83
Against the person
4
Against property
52
Rate per 1,000 residents
56.4
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 368 residents
State safety percentile
52.5th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
+72.9%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage5
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft10
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle6
  • B49 Other Theft11
  • C32 Drug Possession10

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
3
Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
968
  • Donald High SchoolSecondary
  • Donald Primary SchoolPrimary
  • St Mary's SchoolPrimary

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Post Office/Sunraysia Hwy
  • Post Office/Sunraysia Hwy
  • Post Office/Sunraysia Hwy

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

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

18 planning-related records

2021· 8 proposals

  • May 2021

  • Construction of a machinery shed
    22 CAMP STREET DONALD 3480Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two lot subdivision of land and use and development of land for animal production (cattle)
    SUNRAYSIA HIGHWAY DONALD 3480Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of a domestic shed
    65 Woods StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Works and removal of native vegatation to extend race track
    Racecourse RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two lot subdivision (rural dwelling excision)
    35 Aitken AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Two lot subdivision (boundary realignment) and use and development of land for one dwelling per lot (two dwellngs)
    AITKEN AVENUE DONALD 3480Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Construct and display a double sided, non-illuminated major promotion sign
    5 Woods StreetRefusal issued by the Resp. Authority

  • January 2021

  • Construction of six units, garage and storage shed associated with existing age care and residential living facility
    22 Camp StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 10 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Construction of a shed for machinery storage and servicing
    36 Tower RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construct and display an internally illuminated sign with an electronic price board
    31 Bunker RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • November 2020

  • Building and works to locate a sevice station (self-bunded fuel cell)
    31 Bunker RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Building and works to construct an extension to an existing food production facility
    22 Racecourse RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Building and works to locate an office/amenities building
    31 Bunker RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of a hay shed
    591 Donald-Stawell RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Construction of a 5m x 4m outdoor deck at rear of existing dwelling
    12 Willow CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Extension to a building
    8 Racecourse RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Construction of a domestic shed
    17 Camp StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2020

  • Church
    7 Blair StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

  • PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Period: 2020; 2020–2022; 2021 · 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.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

6 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Apex ParkPark
  • Donald I146 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Donald I147 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Donald Public ParkPark
  • Donald Recreation ReservePark
  • Lake Buloke Wildlife Management Co-operative AreaNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
1
Emergency department
On site
  • East Wimmera Health Service - Donald Campushospital

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
2/10
IRSD decile (2021)
2/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

3 state heritage places

  • DONALD SHIRE OFFICESNH2437
  • GEORGIES HUT (CHINESE MARKET GARDEN)NH0873
  • TAGGERTY BUFFET CARYH2318

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
16
Parks (OSM)
6

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
24.4/100
Cohort rank
#403 among Country & regional suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • DONALD SHIRE OFFICESheritageNH2437
  • GEORGIES HUT (CHINESE MARKET GARDEN)heritageNH0873
  • TAGGERTY BUFFET CARheritageYH2318
  • East Wimmera Health Service - Donald Campushealthhospital
  • Apex Parkgovernmentpark
  • Donald I146 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Donald I147 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Donald Public Parkgovernmentpark
  • Donald Recreation Reservegovernmentpark
  • Lake Buloke Wildlife Management Co-operative Areagovernmentnature_reserve

Data sources & freshness

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