VIC · Colac Otway Council
Forrest (Vic.), VIC, 3236
Current weather
11.9°COvercast
78% humidity · 22 km/h wind · 14° / 8.4° today · 5 mm rain
Desirability index
#226 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Forrest (Vic.) is a small locality in the Colac Otway area, home to around 257 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 13 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+44%), roughly 50.6 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, limited but present public transport access, and some planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 257
- Median age
- 52
- Median household income / week
- $1,091
- Dwelling vacancy
- 35.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 50 of 142
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,509
- Employment rate
- 52.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 17 / 0 / 0
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)
- 13
- Against the person
- 0
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 50.6
- State safety percentile
- 47.7th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +44.4%
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
- B49 Other Theft2
- C32 Drug Possession4
- E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer2
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order2
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Year ending March release
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,009
- Forrest Primary SchoolPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Forrest General Store/Birregurra - Forrest Rd
- Turner Dr/Birregurra -Forrest Rd
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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· 2 proposals
March 2021
- Construction of a Dwelling and Associated Works50 STATION STREET FORREST 3236Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Change to Liquor Licence73 GRANT STREET FORREST 3236Withdrawn
2020· 2 proposals
December 2020
- Building and Works Comprising Extension and Alteration of Dwelling23 Grant StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2020
- Building and Works Comprising Extension and Alterations to Dwelling140 Thompsons TrackPermit 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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Forrest CommonPark
- Souther Trails - Forrest MTB ParkPark
- Yaugher Trails - Forrest MTB ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
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)
- 13
- Parks (OSM)
- 4
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
- 13.5/100
- Cohort rank
- #226 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Forrest Commongovernmentpark
- Souther Trails - Forrest MTB Parkgovernmentpark
- Yaugher Trails - Forrest MTB Parkgovernmentpark
- Building and Works Comprising Extension and Alteration of Dwellingplanning23 Grant StreetLodged 04 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and Works Comprising Extension and Alterations to Dwellingplanning140 Thompsons TrackLodged 20 Jul 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Change to Liquor Licenceplanning73 GRANT STREET FORREST 3236Lodged 15 Mar 2021 · Withdrawn
- Construction of a Dwelling and Associated Worksplanning50 STATION STREET FORREST 3236Lodged 30 Mar 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Forrest General Store/Birregurra - Forrest Rdtransport
- Turner Dr/Birregurra -Forrest Rdtransport
- Forrest Primary SchoolschoolsPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- 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
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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