suburb.guide

VIC · Greater Bendigo Council

Lockwood South, 3551

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,229

Growth (1 yr)

+1.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+11.5%

Median age

41

Median income

$2,112/wk

Employment rate

64.7%

Languages at home

1.1%non-English

Most common: Indonesian

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

39.5/100
Below average

769th in VIC

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Lockwood South is known for: National parks, Excellent transport, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Lockwood South is a quieter smaller community in Greater Bendigo Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting.

Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. 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 falling recently. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.

The overall desirability read is below average, pulled by softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus parks and green space compared with similar regional towns, though housing affordability, plus community and employment remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Lockwood South snapshot

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$475/wk

Population (ERP)

1,229

+1.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.0%

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

#79

among Country & regional · Emerging

Safety

12th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

84th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

56th

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
39.5/100 — Below average
National rank
3851st in Australia
State rank
769th in VIC
Peer rank
#79 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#314 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$475

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

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

1,229(June 2025)

+1.7% annual · +11.5% over 5 years · 84th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.7%
5-year growth
+11.5%
Change in 1 year
+21
Change in 5 years
+127
Growth rank in VIC
84th 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 (~1,400), extrapolated at +2.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,052
Median age
41
Median household income / week
$2,112
Dwelling vacancy
7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
25 of 357
Median monthly mortgage
$1,633
Employment rate
64.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
332 / 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 decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
22
Against the person
4
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
17.9
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 263 residents
State safety percentile
12.4th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-15.4%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage2
  • B49 Other Theft2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order6
  • E22 Breach Intervention Order5
  • Other Crimes Against The Person2

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
1,020
Median ICSEA percentile
56th
School list
  • Lockwood South Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1020 · 56th percentile · LBOTE 9% · 38 students · Top SEA quarter 11%View on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

4 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Pinjarra Dr/Bendigo - Maldon Rd
  • Pinjarra Dr/Bendigo - Maldon Rd
  • Roadside Store/Calder Alternative Hwy
  • Roadside Store/Calder Alternative Hwy

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

  • Lockwood Streamside ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
1
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

Nearest hospital
Maldon Hospital (15.1 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)
42
Participants per 1,000 residents
34.2

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
27° / 12°
Rainfall
115 mm · ~14 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
21° / 8°
Rainfall
133 mm · ~17 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
180 mm · ~22 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 7°
Rainfall
172 mm · ~22 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).

17 planning-related records

2021· 7 proposals

  • May 2021

  • Construction of a dwelling
    174 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Development of the land for an outbuilding (shed)
    101 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of an outbuilding and removal of native vegetation
    74 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • 2 lot subdivision of land (dwelling excision)
    15 PANORAMA ROAD LOCKWOOD SOUTH 3551Failure to determine

  • March 2021

  • Construction of an outbuilding
    207 McGlashans RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Construction of an outbuilding
    87 Lockwood Rises RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2021

  • Buildings and works for the construction of a dwelling
    401 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 10 proposals

  • October 2020

  • Construction of an outbuilding
    36 Hamilton WayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Construction of a shed
    103 Mulberry LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • Use and development of land for a dwelling and outbuilding and alteration of access to a road in a Road Zone Category 1. Amended plans to allow for design change
    Hewletts RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Removal of native vegetation
    Part CA 14 Pepe LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Buildings and works for the construction of an outbuilding
    191 Hamilton WayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of an outbuilding (storage shed)
    142 Nethercraig RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • Use and development of land for a second dwelling and the alteration of access to a road in a Road Zone Category 1
    84 Lockwood Rises RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • Construction of shed
    15 BroadwayNo permit required

  • January 2020

  • Construction of an outbuilding
    218 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of outbuilding
    345 Wild Cherry RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

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
Bendigo
Member of Parliament
Lisa CHESTERS (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
120,088
Turnout (2025)
94.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+51.4 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 48.6%Labor 51.4%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.8 km away).

Coalition 48.7%Labor 51.3%

0.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +51.3 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • LockwoodLabor 45.9% · Coalition 54.1% TPP (2025)8.6 km away
  • Big HillLabor 45.6% · Coalition 54.4% TPP (2025)10.2 km away
  • Kangaroo FlatLabor 50.4% · Coalition 49.6% TPP (2025)13.0 km away
  • Kangaroo Flat SouthLabor 55.2% · Coalition 44.8% TPP (2025)13.0 km away
  • MaldonLabor 63.7% · Coalition 36.3% TPP (2025)14.2 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

Compare with

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

More in Greater Bendigo Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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