VIC · Corangamite Council

Princetown, 3269

Est. population · Jun 2025

230

Growth (1 yr)

-0.4%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.3%

Median age

45

Median income

$1,387/wk

Employment rate

65.3%

University qualified

10.9%

Work from home

27%

Languages at home

5.2%non-English

Most common: Filipino

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

57.3/100
Good

Top 17% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 87% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • National parks
  • Agricultural
  • Holiday parks
  • Green suburb
What Princetown is known for: Beach, National parks, Agricultural, Holiday parks, Green suburb

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Suburb Guide, “Princetown, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 1 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/princetown

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Suburb profile

Princetown is a coastal town in Victoria, in Corangamite Council.

Employment is stronger than in comparable places, with employment 23% above the peer median. Open-space access is better than in most comparable places, with park access 70% above the peer median. Green cover is an exceptional strength, well above typical levels for coastal towns. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The clearer weaknesses are weaker population growth and thinner local amenities, with local amenities 64% below the peer median.

Princetown is a better fit for people who value employment and open space more than population growth.

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

Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in Victoria (105)

Strengths

  • Employment is a relative strength
  • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places
  • Green cover is stronger than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining
  • Local amenity access is relatively limited

What stands out

  • Princetown Beach
  • Gibson Beach
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Princetown compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$216/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

230

-0.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

16.7%

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

#18

among Coastal & beach · Mature

Crime rate

26th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

2nd

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

11%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

8/10

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

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
57.3/100 — Good
State standing
Top 17% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
805th in Australia
State rank
205th in VIC
Peer rank
#18 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#33 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
87%

Data sources & freshness

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

Population

Estimated resident population

230(June 2025)

-0.4% annual · -1.3% over 5 years · 2th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
-0.4%
5-year growth
-1.3%
Change in 1 year
-1
Change in 5 years
-3
Growth rank in VIC
2th 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 (~250), extrapolated at -0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
236
Median age
45
Median household income / week
$1,387
Dwelling vacancy
16.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
17 of 102
Median monthly mortgage
$1,261
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$216
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
52.3% / 36.9% / 10.8%
Employment rate
65.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
27% / 0% / 39.3%
Walked or cycled to work
20.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
76 / 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

10.9% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 22.4% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified10.9% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified6.8% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational22.4% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below59.9% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Agriculture and environment28.6%
  • Engineering and related technologies15.6%
  • Food, hospitality and personal services15.6%
  • Education11.7%
  • Health11.7%
  • Management and commerce11.7%
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)
$46,795

20th percentile in VIC · -20% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$48,428

9th percentile in VIC · -25% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
15.0%

74th percentile in VIC · +9% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$55,219

17th percentile in VIC · -13% vs Australia

Residents with business income
13.0%

73rd percentile in VIC · +25% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3269 — 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
471
Taxpayers reporting net rent
71
Median net rent
$2,168
Taxpayers reporting business income
59
Taxable income vs state median
-12%
Salary / wages vs state median
-17%
Rental investment vs state median
+15%
Super vs state median
-31%
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

Seasonal & agricultural work

66.4% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 28.9× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.1% across Victoria.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
66.4%

97th percentile in VIC · +2787% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
81
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 3269

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers62
  • Labourers16

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 3269 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Warrnambool and South West (SA4 217), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 12132,501
  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 84151,483
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1214640
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211414
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212140
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841368
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 841266
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841665
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 841963
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110

Warrnambool and South West is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 122 · AFF share +3062% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

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

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

5.2% speak a language other than English at home; 12.3% born overseas

Language at home
200 English only · 11 other
Non-English at home
5.2%
Born overseas
26 (12.3%)
Australian citizens
205
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
1

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Filipino5 · 100%

Religion

43.2%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 43.2%, while Christianity accounts for 41.5%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion43.2%38.8%
Christianity41.5%40.9%
Other / not stated15.3%20.3%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic14.8%20.5%
Anglican8.9%6.5%
Uniting Church8.1%2.4%
Christian (not further defined)5.1%2.5%

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 decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
7
Against the person
0
Against property
7
Rate per 1,000 residents
30.4
State crime-rate percentile
25.9th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-41.7%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
19
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
82.61

Most common offence types

  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle3
  • B49 Other Theft4

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
  • Carlisle River Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Lavers Hill K-12 CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Simpson Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Timboon P-12 SchoolGovernment 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

Public transport

3 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Old Ocean Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • Old Ocean Rd/Great Ocean Rd
  • Twelve Apostles/Great Ocean Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

10 mapped amenities

5 beaches · 2 caravan parks · 1 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
5/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
4.24
Sport & outdoors(7)
  • Beach
  • Brown HillBeach
  • Clifton BeachBeach
  • Gellibrand EastBeach
  • Gibson BeachBeach
  • Princetown Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve
  • Twelve Apostles Marine National ParkNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(3)
  • Campground
  • Apostles Camping Park and CabinsCaravan park
  • Princetown Camping ReserveCaravan park

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

  • Princetown Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
18.9%
Woodland / forest cover
18.9%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
10
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
22°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
Timboon District Healthcare Service (25.0 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
30.4

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
22° / 13°
Rainfall
146 mm · ~18 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
19° / 11°
Rainfall
222 mm · ~28 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 7°
Rainfall
351 mm · ~44 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
17° / 9°
Rainfall
258 mm · ~32 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· 8 proposals
  • August 2021

  • Buildings and works for construction of an outbuilding (domestic shed)
    8616 GREAT OCEAN ROAD PRINCETOWN 3269Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • July 2021

  • Use and Development of the Land for a Dwelling and Agriculture Shed
    OLD OCEAN ROAD PRINCETOWN 3269Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • June 2021

  • Use and development of land for single dwelling and associated outbuilding
    6-8 SERPENTINE LANE PRINCETOWN 3269Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • May 2021

  • Use and Development of the Land for a Dwelling and Upgrade of Access to a Road in Road Zone Category 1 (Princetown Road)
    PRINCETOWN ROAD PRINCETOWN 3269NOD issued by the Resp. Authority
  • Buildings and works associated with agriculture (machinery shed)
    Fords Access RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • March 2021

  • Buildings and Works Associated with Agriculture (Worker Accommodation) and Alteration to Access to a Road in a Road Zone Category 1 (Princetown Road)
    2509 Princetown RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • January 2021

  • Use of land for take away food premises (mobile food van)
    28 Old Post Office RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and Development of Land for Group Accommodation (Three Units) and Construction of an Outbuilding
    7914 GREAT OCEAN ROAD PRINCETOWN 3269Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 10 proposals
  • October 2020

  • Two Lot Subdivision (Excision of Dwelling)
    50 Valley View RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • September 2020

  • Buildings and Works Associated with a Dwelling and Construction of an Outbuilding (amended to allow for two storey dwelling)
    7357 Great Ocean RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works associated with existing dwelling (two storey extension)
    7357 Great Ocean RoadNo permit required
  • Buildings and Works Associated with Agriculture (Dairy Shed)
    161 Wiridjil RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • August 2020

  • Buildings and Works Associated with a Dwelling and Construction of an Outbuilding
    7357 Great Ocean RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • July 2020

  • Removal of Native Vegetation from Road Reserve (Princetown Road)
    Princetown Road (Road Reserve)Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • April 2020

  • Buildings and works associated with alterations and additions to a dwelling
    2099 Princetown RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works for the construction of an Outbuilding
    7861 Great Ocean RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two Lot Subdivision (Excision of Dwelling)
    359 Valley View RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • February 2020

  • Buildings and Works Associated with Construction on a Agricultural Building (Shed)
    2200 Princetown RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • GLENAMPLE HOMESTEADNH0392

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

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
Wannon
Member of Parliament
Dan TEHAN (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
121,788
Turnout (2025)
94.0%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.3 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 60.9%Labor 39.1%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 32.1 km away).

Coalition 83.0%Labor 17.0%

22.0 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +17.0 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • PrincetownLabor 12.7% · Coalition 87.3% TPP (2025)3.9 km away
  • Port CampbellLabor 44.7% · Coalition 55.3% TPP (2025)15.9 km away
  • SimpsonLabor 18.1% · Coalition 81.9% TPP (2025)17.6 km away
  • Lavers HillLabor 56.0% · Coalition 44.0% TPP (2025)19.2 km away
  • Scotts CreekLabor 21.7% · Coalition 78.3% TPP (2025)24.9 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)
8/10
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 Corangamite Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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