VIC · Towong Council

Eskdale, 3701

Est. population · Jun 2025

240

Growth (1 yr)

+0.4%

Growth (5 yr)

+0.4%

Median age

54

Median income

$1,343/wk

Employment rate

55.8%

Languages at home

3.5%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

25.6/100
Below average

1167th in VIC

Verified 70% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • Green suburb
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Eskdale is known for: National parks, Green suburb, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Eskdale offers a slower smaller community life in Towong Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting.

With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.

Property prices are middling for the area: fair relative to what is nearby. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.

Desirability sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus growth momentum the main drag compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Eskdale snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

240

+0.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

25.9%

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

#346

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

15th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

51st

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

54th

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
25.6/100 — Below average
National rank
6201st in Australia
State rank
1167th in VIC
Peer rank
#346 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#650 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
70%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

240(June 2025)

+0.4% annual · +0.4% over 5 years · 51th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.4%
5-year growth
+0.4%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+1
Growth rank in VIC
51th 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 (~250), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
238
Median age
54
Median household income / week
$1,343
Dwelling vacancy
25.9%
Unoccupied private dwellings
35 of 135
Median monthly mortgage
$1,083
Employment rate
55.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
92 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
5
Against the person
0
Against property
4
Rate per 1,000 residents
20.8
State safety percentile
15.2th (lower crime is better)
No change (daily rate)
0%

Most common offence types

  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
  • B43 Steal From A Retail Store1
  • B49 Other Theft1
  • B53 Obtain Benefit By Deception1
  • E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,016
Median ICSEA percentile
54th
School list
  • Eskdale Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1016 · 54th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 23 students · Top SEA quarter 13%View on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Other(1)
  • Little Snowy Creek Education AreaNature Reserve

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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Little Snowy Creek Education AreaNature reserve
  • Mitta Mitta River K28 Streamside ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
4
Parks (OSM)
0

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

Health access

Nearest hospital
Alpine Health [Mount Beauty] (27.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
6
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
29° / 15°
Rainfall
153 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
22° / 9°
Rainfall
178 mm · ~22 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
254 mm · ~32 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
20° / 8°
Rainfall
206 mm · ~26 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 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).

4 planning-related records

2021· 4 proposals
  • August 2021

  • Shed
    112 LEYS ROAD ESKDALE 3701Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of dwelling
    LITTLE SNOWY CREEK ROAD ESKDALE 3701Lapsed
  • April 2021

  • New shed
    3794 OMEO HIGHWAY ESKDALE 3701Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • January 2021

  • Shed for vehicle store use
    OMEO HIGHWAY ESKDALE 3701Withdrawn

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

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 overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Indi
Member of Parliament
Helen HAINES (Independent)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
120,774
Turnout (2025)
92.8%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-1.4 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 56.7%Labor 43.3%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 34.8 km away).

Coalition 65.1%Labor 34.9%

8.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -2.2 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • EskdaleLabor 31.0% · Coalition 69.0% TPP (2025)6.9 km away
  • DederangLabor 31.5% · Coalition 68.5% TPP (2025)18.7 km away
  • Mount BeautyLabor 56.3% · Coalition 43.7% TPP (2025)25.1 km away
  • BrightLabor 57.5% · Coalition 42.5% TPP (2025)32.8 km away
  • PorepunkahLabor 52.6% · Coalition 47.4% TPP (2025)34.0 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)
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

More in Towong Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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