Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Wangaratta Council
Milawa, 3678
Est. population · Jun 2025
515
Growth (1 yr)
+0.2%
Growth (5 yr)
+2.6%
Median age
47
Median income
$1,674/wk
Employment rate
63.3%
Languages at home
2.8%non-English
Most common: Samoan
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- Café precinct
- Heritage area
Suburb profile
Milawa is a regional smaller community in Wangaratta Council, oriented around local life rather than the metro orbit of Melbourne. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street. A genuine café and dining culture runs through the area, denser than many peers of a similar size.
Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Property prices run toward the upper end of the local market.
Local crime has been trending higher of late. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
Desirability lands below average here: softer growth momentum weighing on the result versus similar regional towns, even with community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Milawa snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
515
+0.2% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
8.3%
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
#176
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
46th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
46th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
7/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
64th
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
- 36.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4388th in Australia
- State rank
- 857th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #176 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #385 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
515(June 2025)
+0.2% annual · +2.6% over 5 years · 46th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.2%
- 5-year growth
- +2.6%
- Change in 1 year
- +1
- Change in 5 years
- +13
- Growth rank in VIC
- 46th 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 (~550), extrapolated at +0.6% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 588
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,674
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 240
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 63.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 208 / 0 / 0 (+ 6 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 increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2026)
- 25
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 7
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 48.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 84 residents
- State safety percentile
- 46.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +25%
Most common offence types
- A712 Non-Fv Stalking1
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary4
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order10
- Other Crimes Against The Person4
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,040
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 64th
School list
- Milawa Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1040 · 64th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 63 students · Top SEA quarter 19% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Milawa-Bobinawarrah Rd/Snow Rd
- Milawa-Bobinawarrah Rd/Snow Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Amenities
33 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
2 restaurants · 1 cafes · 1 pubs · 1 bakeries · 1 playgrounds · 1 sports centres · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Decent local green space — 1 parks in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 13/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 1.7
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 8.5
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.7
Food & drink(5)
- Milawa BakeryBakery
- Cafe
- Milawa HotelPub
- Brown Brothers RestaurantRestaurant
- Restaurant
Shopping(1)
- Convenience store
Community(2)
- Milawa Primary SchoolSchool
133 Milawa-Bobinawarrah Road
- Milawa Public HallTownhall
Sport & outdoors(4)
- John McAleese Community ParkPark
- Playground
- Milawa Squash ClubSports centre
- Sports field
Entertainment(1)
- Theatre
Transport(2)
2 bus stops
Other(8)
- Brown Brothers VineyardAttraction
239 Milawa-Bobinawarrah Road
- Milawa Caravan & Tourist ParkCaravan Site
- Milawa Fire StationFire station
- Lancemore MilawaMotel
- Parking (11)
- Australia PostPost office
- Public toilets
- Brown Brothers Cellar DoorWine
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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- John McAleese Community ParkPark
- Tarrawingee Streamside ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Northeast Health Wangaratta (16.1 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 13
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 25.2
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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
- 31° / 15°
- Rainfall
- 115 mm · ~14 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 23° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 129 mm · ~16 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 14° / 4°
- Rainfall
- 167 mm · ~21 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 144 mm · ~18 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).
16 planning-related records
2021· 4 proposals
September 2021
- Development of a Pavilion185E MILAWA-BOBINAWARRAH ROAD MILAWA 3678Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of an agricultural building on the land in the Farming Zone and Land Subject to Inundation Overlay398 MARKWOOD-TARRAWINGEE ROAD MILAWA 3678NOD issued by a delegate
April 2021
- Addition and Buildings and Works to an Existing Dwelling; and construction of a Veranda and Walkway to the Cheese FactoryShop 1/17 Milawa-Bobinawarrah RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use and Development of Land for a Dwelling and Alteration of an Access to a Road in a Road Zone Category 11433 Snow RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 12 proposals
December 2020
- Use and development of the land for stone extraction (Application to amend the permit to provide access via Ivones Lane)233 IVONES LANE MILAWA 3678Withdrawn
- Buildings and Works (two detached buildings) associated with a Dwelling145 Church LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use and Development of Land for a Dwelling145 Church LaneNo permit required
November 2020
- Use and Development of Land for a Dwelling and Alteration of an Access to a Road in a Road Zone Category 11433 Snow RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Two Lot Subdivision1531 SNOW ROAD MILAWA 3678Lapsed
August 2020
- Addition and Alterations to an Existing Dwelling435 Kerrs RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
- Two lot subdivision and creation of access to a road in RDZ1 (Snow Road)Milawa Lodge MotelPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Additions to Existing Emergency Services Facility (Fire Station)Milawa Cfa ShedPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
- Use of the land for a restaurant (tea rooms), retail premises (wine tasting and sales), function centre, accommodation, sale & consumption of liquor, alteration of access to a road in RDZ1 (Snow Road), associated car parking works and reduction in the number of car parking spaces to be provided.1597 SNOW ROAD MILAWA 3678NOD issued by a delegate
March 2020
- Buildings and Works (two detached buildings) associated with a Dwelling145 Church LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Use of Land for a Home Based Business and Installation of a Home Based Business Sign216 Whorouly-Bobinawarrah RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of an Agricultural Building173 Robinsons LanePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
Heritage
1 heritage place
- FORMER FLOUR MILLNH0330
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
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
- Indi
- Member of Parliament
- Helen HAINES (Independent)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 120,774
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.4 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 56.7%Labor 43.3%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 17.9 km away).
Coalition 65.6%Labor 34.4%
8.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -0.3 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- MilawaLabor 34.0% · Coalition 66.0% TPP (2025)1.2 km away
- TarrawingeeLabor 39.6% · Coalition 60.4% TPP (2025)7.2 km away
- WhoroulyLabor 26.3% · Coalition 73.7% TPP (2025)14.2 km away
- YarrungaLabor 49.3% · Coalition 50.7% TPP (2025)14.3 km away
- MoyhuLabor 35.0% · Coalition 65.0% TPP (2025)14.7 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Wangaratta Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.