suburb.guide

VIC · Alpine Council

Hotham Heights, 3741

Est. population · Jun 2025

126

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

+3.3%

Median age

30

Median income

$2,107/wk

Employment rate

74.2%

Languages at home

10.7%non-English

Most common: Mandarin

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Green suburb
  • National parks
  • Heritage area
  • Excellent transport
What Hotham Heights is known for: Green suburb, National parks, Heritage area, Excellent transport

Suburb profile

Hotham Heights sits up in the Alpine Council hills, a smaller community where elevation and tree cover define the mood. It is a long way from Melbourne, so life orients around regional towns and local hubs rather than the metro area. The community skews younger, with a strong working population.

The town centre holds its own, with enough local flavour to make staying close to home appealing. With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice. Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many comparable suburbs, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime.

Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.

At a glance

Hotham Heights snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

126

+0.8% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

82.2%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Safety

3rd

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

62nd

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

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

126(June 2025)

+0.8% annual · +3.3% over 5 years · 62th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+3.3%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+4
Growth rank in VIC
62th 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 (~150), extrapolated at +1.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
128
Median age
30
Median household income / week
$2,107
Dwelling vacancy
82.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
152 of 185
Median monthly mortgage
$834
Employment rate
74.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
0 / 0 / 25

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

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2018)
1
Against the person
0
Against property
1
Rate per 1,000 residents
7.9
State safety percentile
3.1th (lower crime is better)

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Big D/Great Alpine Rd
  • Big D/Great Alpine Rd
  • Transit Lounge/Great Alpine Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

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

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Boiler Plain Reference AreaNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
35
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

Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
1
Nearest hospital
Alpine Health [Mount Beauty] (29.9 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
  • Mount Hotham Medical CentreGreat Alpine RoadClinic

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
15.9

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
20° / 9°
Rainfall
232 mm · ~29 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
14° / 5°
Rainfall
299 mm · ~37 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
5° / -1°
Rainfall
420 mm · ~52 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
12° / 3°
Rainfall
345 mm · ~43 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).

8 planning-related records

2021· 4 proposals

  • June 2021

  • Alterations and additions to an existing dwelling, construction of a second dwelling and removal of native vegetation
    130 GREAT ALPINE ROAD HOTHAM HEIGHTS 3741Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Construction of a single dwelling on leasehold lots 22, 24, 26 and 31, and associated vegetation removal
    22 HOTPLATE DRIVE MOUNT HOTHAM 3741In progress
  • The Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board (RMB) are the public land manager proposing a new development at Wire Plain to support leisure and recreational activities. A new public building will include food and beverage and retail premise to support existing informal outdoor recreational use. A permit is required for use of the land, buildings and works associated with leisure and recreation and retail premises, use of land to sell or consume liquor, removal of native vegetation, a reductio
    WIRE PLAIN GREAT ALPINE ROAD HOTHAM HEIGHTS 3741In progress

  • January 2021

  • Building and works for a public building (associated with leisure and recreation) including the removal of native vegetation.
    WHISKEY FLAT GREAT ALPINE ROAD HOTHAM HEIGHTS 3741Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals

  • November 2020

  • s72 Amendment: minor adjustments to the proposed heights and car parking layout proposed in the decision plans, and a revised preliminary geotechnical assessment requiring amendment to conditions 1 and 25 and necessitating the inclusion of a new condition at condition 6.
    1 Great Alpine RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • s72 Amendment: change to proposed roofline of Unit 3, amendments to covered entry walkway to Unit 3 & 4, new cladding to Unit 3 and steel balcony to match Unit 4 replacing dilapidated existing timber balcony.
    3 & 4 17 Higgi DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works associated with the installation of underground cables, scanning gates and the removal of vegetation including native vegetation
    Gotcha Ski Lift Access TrackPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Alterations and additions to a structure (pedestrian stairway) and existing building (covered deck and ski cupboard), relocation of a building (waste hut) and associated vegetation removal
    8 1 Hot Plate DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

4 heritage places

  • MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERING CLUB (MUMC) HUT NH2470
  • RED ROBIN GOLD MINE & BATTERYNH1881
  • RED ROBIN GOLD MINE & BATTERYNH1881
  • SPARGOS HUTNH1609

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

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 62.9 km away).

Coalition 43.6%Labor 56.4%

13.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.7 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • HarrietvilleLabor 60.6% · Coalition 39.4% TPP (2025)15.2 km away
  • Mount BeautyLabor 56.3% · Coalition 43.7% TPP (2025)28.6 km away
  • WandiligongLabor 56.4% · Coalition 43.6% TPP (2025)30.5 km away
  • BrightLabor 57.5% · Coalition 42.5% TPP (2025)34.9 km away
  • PorepunkahLabor 52.6% · Coalition 47.4% TPP (2025)40.3 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)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
8/10

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 Alpine Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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