Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · South Gippsland Council
Koonwarra, 3954
Est. population · Jun 2025
371
Growth (1 yr)
+0.5%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.5%
Median age
53
Median income
$1,825/wk
Employment rate
65.3%
Languages at home
3.6%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Koonwarra offers a slower smaller community life in South Gippsland Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. A genuine café and dining culture runs through the area, denser than many peers of a similar size.
Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Buyers typically pay more than the metro middle for a home here.
Reported crime has been rising recently. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
The overall desirability read is below average, pulled by softer growth momentum compared with similar regional towns, though community and employment, plus schools and education remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Koonwarra snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
371
+0.5% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
12.5%
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
#216
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
61st
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
54th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
7/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
82nd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
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
- 34.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4869th in Australia
- State rank
- 943rd in VIC
- Peer rank
- #216 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #460 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
371(June 2025)
+0.5% annual · +2.5% over 5 years · 54th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.5%
- 5-year growth
- +2.5%
- Change in 1 year
- +2
- Change in 5 years
- +9
- Growth rank in VIC
- 54th 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 +0.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 366
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,825
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 160
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,517
- Employment rate
- 65.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 141 / 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)
- 25
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 67.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 366 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +257.1%
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary2
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary11
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle5
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order2
- Other Crimes Against The Person1
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,092
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 82th
School list
- Koonwarra Village SchoolPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1092 · 82th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 64 students · Top SEA quarter 33% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
1 public transport stops in this suburb
- Koala Dr/Swan Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
19 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 cafes
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 3 parks mapped in suburb
- Walkability proxy
- 6/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 5.46
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 5.46
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 8.2
Food & drink(2)
- Koonwarra Store & EmporiumCafe
- Milly & Romeo'sCafe
Community(1)
- Koonwarra Village SchoolSchool
20-26 Koala Drive
Sport & outdoors(2)
- Park
- Sports field
Other(10)
- Happy Park elves doorsArtwork
- Bench (4)
- Bicycle Parking
- Fire station
- Information
- Koonwarra Flora ReserveNature Reserve
- Parking (2)
- Australia PostPost Box
- Public toilets
- Telephone
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
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
- Koonwarra Flora ReserveNature reserve
- Koonwarra Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 45
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- Leongatha Memorial Hospital (8.0 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)
- 11
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 29.6
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
- 25° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 197 mm · ~25 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 228 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 13° / 5°
- Rainfall
- 261 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 304 mm · ~38 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).
7 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
June 2021
- Develop land with an outbuilding70 Whittingham WayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling335 OLD KOONWARRA-MEENIYAN ROAD KOONWARRA 3954Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 5 proposals
October 2020
- Two lot subdivision225 Caithness RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2020
- Develop land with a dwelling and domestic outbuilding1 Kangaroo RisePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of land for an extension to an existing domestic outbuilding3 Bacon AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling285 Sewells RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a replacement dwelling160 Minns RoadPermit 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
- Monash
- Member of Parliament
- Mary ALDRED (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 116,463
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.2 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 54.1%Labor 45.9%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 17.5 km away).
Coalition 56.3%Labor 43.7%
2.2 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +4.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- KoonwarraLabor 45.8% · Coalition 54.2% TPP (2025)1.5 km away
- MeeniyanLabor 37.5% · Coalition 62.5% TPP (2025)5.8 km away
- NerrenaLabor 27.2% · Coalition 72.8% TPP (2025)6.9 km away
- Leongatha SouthLabor 27.9% · Coalition 72.1% TPP (2025)7.0 km away
- Leongatha EastLabor 42.6% · Coalition 57.4% TPP (2025)8.9 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)
- 7/10
- 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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in South Gippsland Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.