Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Golden Plains Council
Happy Valley, 3360
Est. population · Jun 2025
92
Growth (1 yr)
+1.1%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.5%
Median age
47
Median income
$1,187/wk
Employment rate
38.8%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Suburb profile
Happy Valley offers a slower smaller community life in Golden Plains Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Distance from the metro area around Melbourne is part of the appeal, with regional hubs closer to hand than the city. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with plenty of young families in the mix.
With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Open space is thinner than in many comparable suburbs, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk.
Purchase and rent costs sit on the more affordable side of the local range. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
At a glance
Happy Valley snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
92
+1.1% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
25.0%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Pop. growth
72nd
percentile in VIC
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
92(June 2025)
+1.1% annual · +4.5% over 5 years · 72th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.1%
- 5-year growth
- +4.5%
- Change in 1 year
- +1
- Change in 5 years
- +4
- Growth rank in VIC
- 72th 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 (~100), extrapolated at +1.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 87
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,187
- Dwelling vacancy
- 25%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 11 of 44
- Median monthly mortgage
- $821
- Employment rate
- 38.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 34 / 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.
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- 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
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Skipton Hospital (20.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 3
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 32.6
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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
- 26° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 128 mm · ~16 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 10°
- Rainfall
- 124 mm · ~16 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 14° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 149 mm · ~19 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 182 mm · ~23 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).
3 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
April 2021
- Use of the land (dwelling) under clause 35.03-1 (RLZ), construction of a building associated wth a section 2 use and within a specified setback under clause 35.03-4 (RLZ)245 HAPPY VALLEY ROAD HAPPY VALLEY 3360Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Use of the land for a dwelling under clause 35.03-2, buildings and works associated with a section 2 use under clause 35.03-4 and construction of a building (dwelling) under clause 44.06-2540 Linton-Piggoreet RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 1 proposal
August 2020
- The use and development of the land for the purposes of a dwelling and shed pursuant to the provisions of the RLZ (Clauses 35.03-1 & 35.03-4) & DDO7 (Clause 43.02-2)449 HAPPY VALLEY ROAD HAPPY VALLEY 3360Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
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
- Ballarat
- Member of Parliament
- Catherine KING (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 116,238
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.3%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -2.3 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 39.3%Labor 60.7%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 22.5 km away).
Coalition 44.3%Labor 55.7%
4.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +0.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- LintonLabor 58.7% · Coalition 41.3% TPP (2025)5.7 km away
- Cape ClearLabor 52.4% · Coalition 47.6% TPP (2025)7.3 km away
- SmythesdaleLabor 57.3% · Coalition 42.7% TPP (2025)12.1 km away
- DereelLabor 58.2% · Coalition 41.8% TPP (2025)17.2 km away
- Ross CreekLabor 53.5% · Coalition 46.5% TPP (2025)17.6 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
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 (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Golden Plains Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.