suburb.guide

VIC · Yarriambiack Council

Murtoa, 3390

Current weather

9.1°CModerate drizzle

92% humidity · 22.6 km/h wind · 12.3° / 7.8° today · 5.4 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

25.4/100
Below average

1125th in VIC

89% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • Green suburb
  • Heritage area
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Murtoa is known for: National parks, Green suburb, Heritage area, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Murtoa offers a slower smaller community life in Yarriambiack, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.

Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state.

Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, with local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum the main drags compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
897
Median age
48
Median household income / week
$1,007
Dwelling vacancy
15.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
70 of 462
Median monthly mortgage
$700
Employment rate
49%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
37 / 5 / 4

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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Total offences (2026)
54
Against the person
15
Against property
28
Rate per 1,000 residents
60.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 60 residents
State safety percentile
55.1th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+80%

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary6
  • B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary7
  • B49 Other Theft5
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order6
  • Other Crimes Against The Person4

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
989.5
  • Murtoa CollegeCombined
  • Our Lady Help of Christians SchoolPrimary

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • McDonald St/Marma St
  • McDonald St/Marma St
  • McDonald St/Marma St

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

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

5 planning-related records

2021· 3 proposals

  • May 2021

  • Erection of a Promotion Sign
    LOT 3, WIMMERA HIGHWAY MURTOA 3390Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • 5 Units
    51 LAKE ST MURTOA 3390Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Consolidation
    21-27 McClintock StNo permit required
2020· 2 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Re-alignment of Boundaries
    36-38 Duncan StNo permit required

  • June 2020

  • Consolidation
    49 Duncan StNo permit required

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) · Period: 2020–2022 · Updated on site · 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.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

6 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Ashens I93 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Coromby Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Jung Recreation ReservePark
  • Lierschs Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Rabl ParkPark
  • Saw Pit Swamp Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
1
Emergency department
On site
  • Murtoa Community Health CentreMarma Streethospital

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
2/10
IRSD decile (2021)
2/10

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

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

4 state heritage places

  • AVENUE OF KURRAJONG TREES MURTOANH2061
  • LONGERENONG HOMESTEADNH0290
  • MARMALAKE /MURTOA GRAIN STORENH0791
  • MURTOA WATER TOWERNH1193

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

  • Murtoa Pre Schoolkindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

Childcare centre count

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site

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 · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
4
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

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability Index

Desirability score
25.4/100 — Below average
National rank
5963rd in Australia
State rank
1125th in VIC
Peer rank
#324 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#624 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
89%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime6
  • B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime7
  • B49 Other Theftcrime5
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime6
  • Other Crimes Against The Personcrime4
  • Murtoa Pre Schoolchildcarekindergarten
  • AVENUE OF KURRAJONG TREES MURTOAheritageNH2061
  • LONGERENONG HOMESTEADheritageNH0290
  • MARMALAKE /MURTOA GRAIN STOREheritageNH0791
  • MURTOA WATER TOWERheritageNH1193

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
  • Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site

More in Yarriambiack Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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