suburb.guide

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%

University qualified

26.5%

Work from home

23.2%

Languages at home

3.6%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

57.4/100
Good

Top 15% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 92% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Agricultural
  • Country town
What Koonwarra is known for: Green suburb, Agricultural, Country town

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Suburb Guide, “Koonwarra, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 27 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/koonwarra

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Suburb profile

Koonwarra is a regional town in Victoria, in South Gippsland Council.

Employment rates are stronger than in comparable places, with employment 19% above the peer median. Local amenities are a relative strength, with local amenities 50% above the peer median. Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked regional towns, and open-space access is better than in most comparable places. University qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 93% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high.

Overall, Koonwarra suits people prioritising school quality and local amenities.

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

Regional town · compared with regional towns in Victoria (187)

Strengths

  • Local school ICSEA scores are among the highest in the peer group
  • Local amenities are a relative strength
  • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places
  • Employment rates are stronger than in comparable places
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places

Weaknesses

No relative weaknesses against comparable places.

What stands out

  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Koonwarra compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$252/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

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

#25

among Country & regional · Mature

Crime rate

61st

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

54th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

5%

2021 Census tenure

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
57.4/100 — Good
State standing
Top 15% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
782nd in Australia
State rank
189th in VIC
Peer rank
#25 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#38 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
92%

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
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$252
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
59.4% / 36.1% / 4.5%
Employment rate
65.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
23.2% / 0% / 63.3%
Walked or cycled to work
3.4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
141 / 0 / 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

26.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 19.6% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified26.5% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified9.7% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational19.6% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below44.2% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Management and commerce18.7%
  • Engineering and related technologies15.4%
  • Health15.4%
  • Education14.3%
  • Society and culture10.4%
  • Architecture and building8.2%
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)
$44,455

10th percentile in VIC · -24% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$46,206

5th percentile in VIC · -29% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
19.0%

91st percentile in VIC · +38% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$124,558

90th percentile in VIC · +97% vs Australia

Residents with business income
15.0%

84th percentile in VIC · +44% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3954 — 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
251
Taxpayers reporting net rent
48
Median net rent
-$338
Taxpayers reporting business income
37
Taxable income vs state median
-17%
Salary / wages vs state median
-21%
Rental investment vs state median
+46%
Super vs state median
+55%
Business income vs state median
+36%

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

Seasonal & agricultural work

12.1% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 5.3× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.1% across Victoria.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
12.1%

51st percentile in VIC · +426% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
25
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 3954

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers19

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 3954 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Latrobe - Gippsland (SA4 205), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12135,481
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415940
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212417
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1214382
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211370
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412228
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 8419184
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 8413112
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841624
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110

Latrobe - Gippsland is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 207 · AFF share +476% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

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

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

3.6% speak a language other than English at home; 10.7% born overseas

Language at home
344 English only · 13 other
Non-English at home
3.6%
Born overseas
38 (10.7%)
Australian citizens
344

Religion

52.2%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 52.2%, while Christianity accounts for 43.7%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion52.2%38.8%
Christianity43.7%40.9%
Other / not stated4.1%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic15.8%20.5%
Anglican11.7%6.5%
Uniting Church6.3%2.4%
Christian (not further defined)3%2.5%

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 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 crime-rate percentile
61.1th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+257.1%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
26
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
70.08

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 (22%)

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

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
1,092
Median ICSEA percentile
82th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
3
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
1
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 →
School catchments
  • Leongatha Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Leongatha Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Meeniyan Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Tarwin Lower 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

Public transport

1 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Koala Dr/Swan Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

21 mapped amenities

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(6)
  • Great Southern Rail TrailCycling route
  • Koonwarra Fish Beds Geological ReserveNature reserve
  • Koonwarra Flora ReserveNature reserve
  • Park
  • Public toilets
  • Sports field
Other(8)
  • Happy Park elves doorsArtwork
  • Bench (4)
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Fire station
  • Information
  • Parking (2)
  • Australia PostPost Box
  • 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. 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

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Koonwarra Flora ReserveNature reserve
  • Koonwarra Memorial ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
7.8%
Woodland / forest cover
7.7%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
44
Parks (OSM)
3
Typical summer maximum
25°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
Leongatha Memorial Hospital (8.0 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)
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

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 (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).

7 planning-related records

2021· 2 proposals

  • June 2021

  • Develop land with an outbuilding
    70 Whittingham WayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling
    335 OLD KOONWARRA-MEENIYAN ROAD KOONWARRA 3954Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 5 proposals

  • October 2020

  • Two lot subdivision
    225 Caithness RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Develop land with a dwelling and domestic outbuilding
    1 Kangaroo RisePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Development of land for an extension to an existing domestic outbuilding
    3 Bacon AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling
    285 Sewells RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Develop land with a replacement dwelling
    160 Minns RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

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
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

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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

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.