VIC · Ballarat Council

Magpie, VIC, 3352

Current weather

9.5°CRain showers

96% humidity · 31.5 km/h wind · 12.9° / 7.7° today · 4.7 mm rain

Desirability index

1.7/100

#478 among Metro Melbourne suburbs

How this score is calculated

Last updated 1 July 2026 at 10:11 pm AEST

Suburb snapshot

Magpie is a small locality in the Ballarat area, home to around 368 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 29 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+222%), roughly 78.8 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, and some planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.

Population

Population: 368
Median age: 48
Median household income / week: $2,097
Dwelling vacancy: 2.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings: 3 of 127
Median monthly mortgage: $1,690
Employment rate: 60.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats): 12 / 0 / 0

Data sources & freshness

2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Total offences (2026): 29
Against the person: 3
Against property: 17
Rate per 1,000 residents: 78.8
Person-crime prevalence: About 1 in 123 residents
State safety percentile: 66.9th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change: +222.2%

Most common offence types

A81 Dangerous Driving1
B11 Cause Damage By Fire6
B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle2
B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goods5
C32 Drug Possession9

Data sources & freshness

Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Period: 2025 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 6:15 pm AEST · Year ending March release

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools: 1
Median school ICSEA: 923

Magpie Primary SchoolPrimary

Data sources & freshness

ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:19 pm AEST · Annual ACARA release
School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:19 pm AEST · Annual ACARA release

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

3 planning-related records

2020· 3 proposals

December 2020
Development of a shed15 Dec 2020
7713 Midland HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
November 2020
Development of a habitable outbuilding, carport, outbuildings, dog run and fencing20 Nov 2020
16 Magpie RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
Development of a dwelling, two lot subdivision and removal of native vegetation05 Jun 2020
85 Hiscock Gully RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Period: 2020; 2020–2022 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:15 pm AEST · Weekly refresh

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021): 7/10
IRSD decile (2021): 9/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 SEIFA release

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone: Overlay applies

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Data sources & freshness

Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM): 1
Parks (OSM): 1

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:16 pm AEST · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score: 1.7/100
Cohort rank: #478 among Metro Melbourne suburbs

Data sources & freshness

Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 10:11 pm AEST · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

Development of a dwelling, two lot subdivision and removal of native vegetationplanning85 Hiscock Gully RoadLodged 05 Jun 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Development of a habitable outbuilding, carport, outbuildings, dog run and fencingplanning16 Magpie RoadLodged 20 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Development of a shedplanning7713 Midland HighwayLodged 15 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Magpie Primary SchoolschoolsPrimary
A81 Dangerous Drivingcrime1
B11 Cause Damage By Firecrime6
B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime2
B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goodscrime5
C32 Drug Possessioncrime9

Data sources & freshness

Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:18 pm AEST · Year ending March release
ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:19 pm AEST · Annual ACARA release
PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

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