suburb.guide

VIC · Mansfield Council

Goughs Bay, 3723

Est. population · Jun 2025

361

Growth (1 yr)

+2.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+11.8%

Median age

57

Median income

$892/wk

Employment rate

40.9%

Languages at home

5%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

22.4/100
Below average

1217th in VIC

Verified 62% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • High desirability
What Goughs Bay is known for: National parks, High desirability

Suburb profile

Goughs Bay is a quieter smaller community in Mansfield Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

Everyday basics may be close by, but bigger shopping and services typically require a trip to a nearby centre. Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

Housing sits in the middle of the local market: neither cheap nor premium. Light infill development is updating a few streets while the wider area stays largely unchanged.

Desirability sits below average overall, with community and employment the main drag compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Goughs Bay snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

361

+2.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

60.5%

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

#378

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

22nd

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

87th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

4/10

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

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
22.4/100 — Below average
National rank
6553rd in Australia
State rank
1217th in VIC
Peer rank
#378 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#693 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
62%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

361(June 2025)

+2.0% annual · +11.8% over 5 years · 87th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+2.0%
5-year growth
+11.8%
Change in 1 year
+7
Change in 5 years
+38
Growth rank in VIC
87th 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 (~400), extrapolated at +2.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
328
Median age
57
Median household income / week
$892
Dwelling vacancy
60.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
204 of 337
Median monthly mortgage
$1,300
Employment rate
40.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
129 / 0 / 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)
10
Against the person
2
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
27.7
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 164 residents
State safety percentile
22.3th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+11.1%

Most common offence types

  • A212 Non-Fv Serious Assault1
  • B21 Criminal Damage1
  • B49 Other Theft3
  • D13 Explosives Offences2
  • Other Crimes Against The Person1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

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

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Bracks BridgePark
  • Loyola G109 Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
2
Parks (OSM)
1

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
Mansfield District Hospital (10.3 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)
7
Participants per 1,000 residents
19.4

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
28° / 11°
Rainfall
176 mm · ~22 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
21° / 7°
Rainfall
233 mm · ~29 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
12° / 2°
Rainfall
385 mm · ~48 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 6°
Rainfall
295 mm · ~37 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).

16 planning-related records

2021· 11 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Extension to existing dwelling and outbuilding
    12 HONEY BEE RUN GOUGHS BAY 3723Refusal issued by a delegate

  • July 2021

  • Development of a dwelling
    49 HARBOUR LINE DRIVE GOUGHS BAY 3723In progress

  • June 2021

  • Subdivision of land into two (2) lots and removal of native vegetation.
    2/12 BAYSIDE BOULEVARD GOUGHS BAY 3723Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of shed
    735 PIRIES-GOUGHS BAY ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Development of dwelling
    7 GRANDVIEW DRIVE GOUGHS BAY 3723In progress
  • Earthworks
    67 WALSHS ROAD GOUGHS BAY 3723NOD issued by a delegate

  • April 2021

  • Use of the land for on premises liquor licence
    678 PIRIES-GOUGHS BAY ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling
    49 HARBOUR LINE DRIVERefusal issued by the Resp. Authority

  • March 2021

  • Development of a dwelling
    9 HILLS ROAD GOUGHS BAY 3723Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of a dwelling and native vegetation removal
    18 HONEY BEE RUNRefusal issued by a delegate

  • January 2021

  • Buildings and Works in a Rural Zone - Extension to Dwelling
    109 WALSHS ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 5 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Development of dwelling
    7 GRANDVIEW DRIVEWithdrawn

  • October 2020

  • Buildings and works associated with retro fitting an existing shed into an art studio and gallery
    678 PIRIES-GOUGHS BAY ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Construct Storage Shed within 100 metres of a waterway.
    20 HARBOUR LINE DRIVE GOUGHS BAY 3723No permit required

  • June 2020

  • Development of a shed
    926 MONKEY GULLY ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Development of a dwelling
    9 GOUGHS CRESCENTPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

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 overlays — State 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 37.4 km away).

Coalition 58.1%Labor 41.9%

1.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.1 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • MansfieldLabor 44.5% · Coalition 55.5% TPP (2025)10.8 km away
  • JamiesonLabor 33.9% · Coalition 66.1% TPP (2025)17.5 km away
  • EildonLabor 45.9% · Coalition 54.1% TPP (2025)17.6 km away
  • Bonnie DoonLabor 42.1% · Coalition 57.9% TPP (2025)23.9 km away
  • ThorntonLabor 31.5% · Coalition 68.5% TPP (2025)27.5 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)
4/10
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 Mansfield Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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