suburb.guide

VIC · Mornington Peninsula Council

Merricks Beach, 3926

Est. population · Jun 2025

151

Growth (1 yr)

0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.9%

Median age

62

Median income

$1,465/wk

Employment rate

40.1%

University qualified

46.3%

Work from home

42.6%

Languages at home

4.5%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Rural living
What Merricks Beach is known for: Rural living

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Merricks Beach, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

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Suburb Guide, “Merricks Beach, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 29 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/merricks-beach

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Suburb profile

Merricks Beach is a semi-rural locality near Melbourne, in Mornington Peninsula Council. It is close to the Western Port Bay and the Mornington Peninsula.

Open-space access is exceptionally strong, placing it among the highest-ranked semi-rural and lifestyle localities. University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, and working from home is a very strong feature of the suburb, with working from home 76% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are weaker employment and weaker population growth, with employment 34% below the peer median.

Overall, Merricks Beach suits people prioritising open space and university qualifications over employment.

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

Semi-rural locality · compared with semi-rural and lifestyle localities in Victoria (228)

Strengths

  • Open-space access is exceptionally strong
  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group
  • Working from home is a relative strength

Weaknesses

  • Employment is a relative weakness
  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining

What stands out

  • Merricks Beach
  • Western Port Bay
  • Mornington Peninsula
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Merricks Beach compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$595/wk

Population (ERP)

151

0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

66.5%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

64th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

26th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

23%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$595

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

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

151(June 2025)

0.0% annual · -1.9% over 5 years · 26th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
0.0%
5-year growth
-1.9%
Change in 1 year
0
Change in 5 years
-3
Growth rank in VIC
26th 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 (~150), extrapolated at +0.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
157
Median age
62
Median household income / week
$1,465
Dwelling vacancy
66.5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
147 of 221
Median monthly mortgage
$1,700
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$436
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
60.3% / 16.4% / 23.3%
Employment rate
40.1%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
42.6% / 0% / 44.3%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
74 / 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

46.3% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 6.8% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified46.3% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified12.2% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational6.8% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below34.7% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Management and commerce19.2%
  • Society and culture19.2%
  • Health14.1%
  • Education10.1%
  • Agriculture and environment9.1%
  • Engineering and related technologies9.1%
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)
$54,642

56th percentile in VIC · -7% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$58,030

48th percentile in VIC · -11% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
17.0%

81st percentile in VIC · +23% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$148,983

96th percentile in VIC · +135% vs Australia

Residents with business income
13.0%

64th percentile in VIC · +25% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3926 — 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
2,251
Taxpayers reporting net rent
375
Median net rent
$43
Taxpayers reporting business income
301
Taxable income vs state median
+2%
Salary / wages vs state median
-1%
Rental investment vs state median
+31%
Super vs state median
+85%
Business income vs state median
+18%

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

Community & culture

4.5% speak a language other than English at home; 14.8% born overseas

Language at home
150 English only · 7 other
Non-English at home
4.5%
Born overseas
23 (14.8%)
Australian citizens
145

Religion

48.4%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 48.4%, while Christianity accounts for 40.8%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion48.4%38.8%
Christianity40.8%40.9%
Other / not stated10.8%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic15.3%20.5%
Anglican8.9%6.5%
Uniting Church8.9%2.4%

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)
11
Against the person
0
Against property
11
Rate per 1,000 residents
72.8
State crime-rate percentile
64.2th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+37.5%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
2
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
13.25

Most common offence types

  • B311 Residential Aggravated Burglary1
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary2
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft1
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle3
  • B49 Other Theft3

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

School list
School catchments
  • Balnarring Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Dromana Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_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

  • Victorian designated neighbourhood zones — Victorian Department of Education · current · Updated · Open catchment polygons where published

Amenities

1 mapped amenities

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
6.37
Sport & outdoors(1)
  • Bill Carroll ReservePark

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

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Bill Carroll ReservePark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
25.8%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
1
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
24°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
The Bays Hospital (12.8 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)
7
Participants per 1,000 residents
46.4

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
24° / 13°
Rainfall
155 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
186 mm · ~23 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 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).

18 planning-related records

2021· 6 proposals

  • August 2021

  • DEVELOPMENT OF A CARPORT AND ASSOCIATED WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    71 MERRICKS BEACH ROAD MERRICKS BEACH 3926Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • UPGRADE TO SLIDE TRACK - INSTALLATION OF RISERS AND EXTENSION TO HANDRAIL
    MERRICKS BEACH FORESHORE MERRICKS BEACH 3926Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2021

  • DEVELOPMENT OF DWELLING ADDITIONS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS.
    1 MINTO STREET MERRICKS BEACH 3926Withdrawn

  • June 2021

  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF DWELLING ADDITIONS, ALTERATIONS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    19 MINTO STREET MERRICKS BEACH 3926Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • DEVELOP A DWELLING, VEGETATION REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS
    87 BAYVIEW ROAD MERRICKS BEACH 3926Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • DWELLING ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS
    18 Palmers Hill RoadNo permit required
2020· 12 proposals

  • November 2020

  • DEVELOPMENT OF DWELLING ADDITION AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS
    13 Palmers Hill RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF DWELLING ADDITIONS AND ASSOCIATED WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    145 Bayview RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • THE REMOVAL OF THREE TREES IN ACCORDANCE IN WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    23 Minto StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Construction of a carport
    77 Merricks Beach RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • DWELLING ADDITIONS
    77 Merricks Beach RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • DEVELOP A SHED AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS - VICSMART
    5 Wave StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • DEVELOP A SHED AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS
    5 Wave StreetWithdrawn
  • DEVELOPMENT OF A DWELLING, VEGETATION REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED WORKS GENERALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SUBMITTED PLANS
    11 Minto StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DWELLING, VEGETATION REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    2 Minto StreetNOD issued by a delegate
  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DWELLING, GARAGE, VEGETATION REMOVAL AND ASSOCIATED WORKS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    58 Palmers Hill RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • THE REMOVAL OF ONE TREE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ENDORSED PLANS
    24 Spray StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2020

  • CONSTRUCTION OF A SHED
    11 Foam StreetPermit 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
Flinders
Member of Parliament
Zoe McKENZIE (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
127,540
Turnout (2025)
93.4%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+1.4 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 54.8%Labor 45.2%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 11.7 km away).

Coalition 42.4%Labor 57.6%

12.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +2.3 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • BalnarringLabor 57.3% · Coalition 42.7% TPP (2025)2.8 km away
  • SomersLabor 64.9% · Coalition 35.1% TPP (2025)5.1 km away
  • ShorehamLabor 59.9% · Coalition 40.1% TPP (2025)6.4 km away
  • BitternLabor 53.4% · Coalition 46.6% TPP (2025)8.6 km away
  • Crib PointLabor 51.6% · Coalition 48.4% TPP (2025)9.1 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)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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 Mornington Peninsula Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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