VIC · Greater Geelong Council

Indented Head, 3223

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,580

Growth (1 yr)

+2.6%

Growth (5 yr)

+22.4%

Median age

59

Median income

$1,201/wk

Employment rate

41.6%

University qualified

18.8%

Work from home

24.7%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$600,800

Languages at home

6.7%non-English

Most common: Greek, Croatian, Spanish

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

48.6/100
Average

Top 45% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 87% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Holiday parks
What Indented Head is known for: Beach, Holiday parks

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Indented Head, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Indented Head, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/indented-head

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Suburb profile

Indented Head is a coastal town in Victoria, in Greater Geelong Council. It is close to the Bellarine Peninsula.

Housing is relatively affordable, with median house prices 29% below the peer median. Population growth is an exceptional strength, placing it among the highest-ranked coastal towns, and recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places, with recorded road crashes 70% below the peer median, and working from home is another of the suburb's defining strengths, with working from home 18% above the peer median. The main trade-offs are thinner park access and weaker employment.

Overall, Indented Head suits people prioritising more affordable housing over open space.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in Victoria (105)

Strengths

  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • Housing is relatively affordable
  • Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places
  • Working from home is a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Park access is a relative weakness
  • Employment rates sit below those of comparable places

What stands out

  • Bellarine Peninsula

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Indented Head compares

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

Median house price

$601k

-11% change

Median rent

$490/wk

Population (ERP)

1,580

+2.6% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

51.5%

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

#38

among Coastal & beach · Mature

Crime rate

9th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

93rd

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

16%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

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
48.6/100 — Average
State standing
Top 45% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
2285th in Australia
State rank
563rd in VIC
Peer rank
#38 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#68 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
87%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$490
Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$600,800
Median price change
-11%

Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

1,580(June 2025)

+2.6% annual · +22.4% over 5 years · 93th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+2.6%
5-year growth
+22.4%
Change in 1 year
+40
Change in 5 years
+289
Growth rank in VIC
93th 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 (~1,900), extrapolated at +3.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,391
Median age
59
Median household income / week
$1,201
Dwelling vacancy
51.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
630 of 1,223
Median monthly mortgage
$1,733
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$346
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
57.4% / 26.6% / 16%
Employment rate
41.6%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
24.7% / 0.6% / 56.3%
Walked or cycled to work
2.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
576 / 14 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

18.8% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 18.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified18.8% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified13% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational18.9% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below49.3% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies17.8%
  • Management and commerce17.7%
  • Society and culture14.6%
  • Education13.3%
  • Health10.2%
  • Architecture and building8%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$47,119

22nd percentile in VIC · -20% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$58,736

51st percentile in VIC · -10% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
15.0%

69th percentile in VIC · +9% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$127,334

91st percentile in VIC · +101% vs Australia

Residents with business income
10.0%

25th percentile in VIC · -4% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3223 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
5,932
Taxpayers reporting net rent
864
Median net rent
$214
Taxpayers reporting business income
591
Taxable income vs state median
-12%
Salary / wages vs state median
+1%
Rental investment vs state median
+15%
Super vs state median
+58%
Business income vs state median
-9%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in VIC, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

6.7% speak a language other than English at home; 14.8% born overseas

Language at home
1,216 English only · 88 other
Non-English at home
6.7%
Born overseas
191 (14.8%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
12 (0.9%)
Australian citizens
1,269
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
4

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Greek24 · 64.9%
  • Croatian6 · 16.2%
  • Spanish4 · 10.8%
  • Italian3 · 8.1%

Religion

51.9%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 51.9%, while 38.4% reported no religion.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion38.4%38.8%
Christianity51.9%40.9%
Other / not stated9.7%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic24.9%20.5%
Anglican10.7%6.5%
Uniting Church4.2%2.4%
Eastern Orthodox4.1%3.3%
Christian (not further defined)3.2%2.5%
Presbyterian and Reformed2.9%1.4%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
23
Against the person
5
Against property
13
Rate per 1,000 residents
14.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 278 residents
State crime-rate percentile
8.5th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-50%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
10
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
6.33

Most common offence types

  • A231 Fv Common Assault2
  • B21 Criminal Damage3
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle3
  • B49 Other Theft3
  • A232 Non-Fv Common Assault2

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

School list
School catchments
  • Bellarine Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Portarlington Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • St Leonards Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

  • Victorian designated neighbourhood zones — Victorian Department of Education · current · Updated · Open catchment polygons where published

Public transport

22 public transport stops in this suburb

  • 248 The Esplanade
  • Brett Dr/The Esplanade
  • David St/The Esplanade
  • Lewis St/The Esplanade
  • Pike St/The Esplanade

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

22 mapped amenities

5 playgrounds · 1 sports centres · 1 beaches · 3 caravan parks · 1 post offices

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • A car helps for daily needs
  • Great for outdoor family life — 0 parks mapped in suburb, 5 playgrounds nearby
  • Well connected by public transport — 22 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
30/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Everyday services(1)
  • Indented Head Post OfficePost office
Sport & outdoors(9)
  • Grassy / Point GeorgeBeach
  • The ForeshoreCycling route
  • Anderson ReservePlayground
  • Grieves Avenue ReservePlayground
  • Playground
  • Point George ReservePlayground
  • Taylor ReservePlayground
  • Public toilets
  • Indented Head Boat Club & Community HallSports centre
Camping & holiday parks(3)
  • Anderson ReserveCaravan park
  • Batman ReserveCaravan park
  • Taylor ReserveCaravan park
Entertainment(1)
  • Ozone Paddle Steamer Ship WreckViewpoint
Other(4)
  • Beachlea Boat HireBoat Rental
  • Indented Head General StoreGeneral
  • Information
  • Shelter (5)

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Sporting clubs

1 named sporting club in this suburb

  • Indented Head Yacht Club

    Sailing

Named sporting clubs from OpenStreetMap, assigned to this suburb's boundary. Sporting facilities such as ovals, courts and recreation centres are listed under Amenities.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap sporting clubs — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Geofabrik australia-latest.osm.pbf

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
24°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Barwon Health - Newcomb (27.2 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
45
Participants per 1,000 residents
28.5

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
24° / 13°
Rainfall
155 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
186 mm · ~23 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

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).

14 planning-related records

2021· 9 proposals
  • September 2021

  • Construction of a Dwelling on a Lot Less than 300m2
    2/493 HOOD ROAD INDENTED HEAD 3223Refusal issued by a delegate
  • July 2021

  • Drainage Works within a Heritage Overlay
    326B The EsplanadePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • June 2021

  • Alterations and Additions to an Existing Dwelling
    194 THE ESPLANADE INDENTED HEAD 3223NOD issued by a delegate
  • Construction of Two (2) Dwellings
    11 FLINDERS STREET INDENTED HEAD 3223NOD issued by a delegate
  • Removal of Vegetation
    81-99 IBBOTSON STREET INDENTED HEAD 3223Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of Two (2) Dwellings and Two (2) Lot Subdivision
    745 BATMAN ROAD INDENTED HEAD 3223NOD issued by a delegate
  • March 2021

  • Alterations and Additions to an Existing Dwelling within a Land Subject to Inundation Overlay
    224 The EsplanadePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Extension to an Existing Dwelling exceeding 7.5 metres in Height above Natural Ground Level
    3 Whiting AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of Two (2) Dwellings and Create Access to a Road in a Road Zone, Category 1
    403 HOOD ROAD INDENTED HEAD 3223NOD issued by a delegate
2020· 5 proposals
  • December 2020

  • Construction of a Second Dwelling, Buildings/Works to the Existing Dwelling and a Two Lot Subdivision
    1 Valda AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • October 2020

  • Demolition of Existing Tennis Court and Buildings and Works to Construct a Replacement Tennis Court, Associated Fencing and Installation of Two Basket Ball Towers
    326B The EsplanadePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • July 2020

  • Extension to an Existing Dwelling and Construction of a New Garage on a Lot Less than 300sqm
    3/15 Gregory CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • January 2020

  • Two (2) Lot Subdivision
    356 The EsplanadeNOD issued by a delegate
  • Two (2) Lot Subdivision
    81-99 Ibbotson StreetNOD issued by a delegate

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping. Flood cover uses inundation overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Corangamite
Member of Parliament
Libby COKER (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
114,123
Turnout (2025)
94.7%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+0.2 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 42.0%Labor 58.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 19.7 km away).

Coalition 41.0%Labor 59.0%

1.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +3.7 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • PortarlingtonLabor 56.3% · Coalition 43.7% TPP (2025)4.3 km away
  • St LeonardsLabor 60.7% · Coalition 39.3% TPP (2025)4.3 km away
  • DrysdaleLabor 62.8% · Coalition 37.2% TPP (2025)11.8 km away
  • Clifton SpringsLabor 59.2% · Coalition 40.8% TPP (2025)13.2 km away
  • QueenscliffLabor 64.0% · Coalition 36.0% TPP (2025)15.1 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)
6/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Greater Geelong Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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