suburb.guide

VIC · South Gippsland Council

Loch, 3945

Est. population · Jun 2025

722

Growth (1 yr)

+0.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+2.6%

Median age

50

Median income

$1,526/wk

Employment rate

60.3%

Languages at home

2.7%non-English

Most common: Sinhalese

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

40.5/100
Average

733rd in VIC

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • Café precinct
  • National parks
What Loch is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, Education hub, Café precinct, National parks

Suburb profile

Loch sits in South Gippsland Council as a regional smaller community that feels self-contained and a long way from big-city bustle. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. For regional towns, the café and dining scene is notably rich, with locals returning to favourite spots.

Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, 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. Buyers typically pay more than the metro middle for a home here.

Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.

Desirability lands around average here: softer schools and education weighing on the result versus similar regional towns, even with growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Loch snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

722

+0.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

18.2%

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

#114

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

57th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

59th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

45th

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
40.5/100 — Average
National rank
3664th in Australia
State rank
733rd in VIC
Peer rank
#114 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#284 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

Data sources & freshness

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

Population

Estimated resident population

722(June 2025)

+0.7% annual · +2.6% over 5 years · 59th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.7%
5-year growth
+2.6%
Change in 1 year
+5
Change in 5 years
+18
Growth rank in VIC
59th 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 (~750), extrapolated at +0.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
707
Median age
50
Median household income / week
$1,526
Dwelling vacancy
18.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
59 of 324
Median monthly mortgage
$1,450
Employment rate
60.3%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
257 / 0 / 0 (+ 7 other)

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 decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
44
Against the person
3
Against property
29
Rate per 1,000 residents
60.9
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 236 residents
State safety percentile
56.5th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-25.4%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage3
  • B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary6
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft6
  • B49 Other Theft4
  • E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer4

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
995
Median ICSEA percentile
45th
School list
  • Loch Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 995 · 45th percentile · LBOTE 6% · 129 students · Top SEA quarter 6% · 1.0 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

2 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Clarence St/Victoria Rd
  • Clarence St/Victoria Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

28 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

2 cafes · 1 bars · 1 playgrounds · 1 petrol stations · 1 post offices

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 3 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
Walkability proxy
9/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
2.83
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
4.24
Parks per 1,000 residents
4.24
Food & drink(3)
  • Loch Brewery & DistilleryBar
  • Cosy Kitchen LochCafe
  • Hard Loch CafeCafe
Community(2)
  • Loch Community CentreCommunity centre
  • Loch Primary SchoolSchool

    2 Victoria Road

Sport & outdoors(5)
  • Park
  • Sunnyside ParkPark
  • Picnic area
  • Playground
  • Sports field
Entertainment(1)
  • Viewpoint
Transport(1)

1 bus stops

Other(13)
  • Bbq
  • Bench (2)
  • Loch CFAFire station
  • Guest House

    13 Clarence Street, Loch

  • Information
  • Parking
  • ShellPetrol station
  • LochPolice
  • Community Loch Post OfficePost office
  • Public toilets
  • Shelter
  • Telephone
  • Waste Basket (3)

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

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Sunnyside ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
22
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

Health access

Nearest hospital
Gippsland Southern Health Service - Korumburra (13.0 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
22
Participants per 1,000 residents
30.5

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
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).

25 planning-related records

2021· 13 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Development of land for a shed in the SLO1
    395 KERNOT-LOCH ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2021

  • Develop land with a replacement dwelling
    305 BASS VALLEY ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • development of land for a shed in the SLO1
    40 WALKER ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and Works to develop the land with an Agricultural Building (hay and machinery storage)
    158 LOCH-POOWONG ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Develop land with an agricultural outbuilding
    3 GOLDIES ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2021

  • Development of land for a machinery shed in the SLO1 and EMO1
    90 BOUNDARY ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Develop land with alterations to the existing dwelling
    255 HENRYS ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Extension to an dwelling in the FZ and SLO1
    55 COLLIERS ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Development of the land for a dwelling in the SLO1
    55 LOCH-KERNOT ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Buildings and works for agricultural outbuilding over 100sqm in SLO1
    315 LOCH-KERNOT ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Develop land with an agricultural Shed
    365 LOCH-WONTHAGGI ROAD LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Three (3) lot subdivision
    14 CLARENCE STREET LOCH 3945Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Development associated with a Dwelling (alterations and Shed)
    75 Bells RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 12 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Develop land with a replacement dwelling
    305 Bass Valley RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and development of a dwelling, outbuilding and ancillary works -amend siting and include outbuilding
    33 Ferriers RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Develop land with an agricultural outbuilding
    105 Loch-Poowong RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Extension to existing dwelling in SLO1
    15 Cochrane RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Alterations & Additions to an existing shed in FZ and SLO1
    215 Nyora-St Helier RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • Use and development of the land for a dwelling in the FZ - Amendment to Plans Only
    45 McKenzies RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Develop land with a domestic carport
    6321 South Gippsland HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Extension to existing dwelling in SLO1
    25 Cochrane RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • Development of Farm Shed in SLO1 and FZ
    6430b South Gippsland HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Two lot subdivision
    6815 South Gippsland HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Use and development of land for a dwelling in a FZ, EMO1 and SLO1
    362 Anderson Hill RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2020

  • Development of land for dirt track ancillary to the dwelling
    90 Boundary RoadNOD issued by a delegate

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

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 15.3 km away).

Coalition 58.1%Labor 41.9%

4.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.8 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • LochLabor 43.4% · Coalition 56.6% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
  • KernotLabor 40.6% · Coalition 59.4% TPP (2025)4.6 km away
  • NyoraLabor 37.1% · Coalition 62.9% TPP (2025)4.8 km away
  • BenaLabor 36.7% · Coalition 63.3% TPP (2025)7.8 km away
  • PoowongLabor 36.3% · Coalition 63.7% TPP (2025)8.5 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 (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

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.