VIC · Baw Baw Council

Ripplebrook, 3818

Est. population · Jun 2025

306

Growth (1 yr)

+1.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+15.5%

Median age

43

Median income

$1,604/wk

Employment rate

65.1%

Languages at home

2%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

36/100
Below average

871st in VIC

Verified 78% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Green suburb
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Ripplebrook is known for: Green suburb, Excellent transport, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Ripplebrook offers a slower smaller community life in Baw Baw Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.

Open space is thinner than in many regional towns, so residents often travel a little further for a longer park day. 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.

Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.

Desirability lands below average here: softer local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus 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

Ripplebrook snapshot

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

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

306

+1.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

9.2%

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

#92

among Country & regional · Emerging

Safety

11th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

83rd

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

22nd

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
36.0/100 — Below average
National rank
4478th in Australia
State rank
871st in VIC
Peer rank
#92 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#399 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
78%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

306(June 2025)

+1.7% annual · +15.5% over 5 years · 83th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.7%
5-year growth
+15.5%
Change in 1 year
+5
Change in 5 years
+41
Growth rank in VIC
83th 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 (~350), extrapolated at +3.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
268
Median age
43
Median household income / week
$1,604
Dwelling vacancy
9.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
9 of 98
Median monthly mortgage
$2,029
Employment rate
65.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
92 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs 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)
5
Against the person
0
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
16.3
State safety percentile
11.2th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-58.3%

Most common offence types

  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft4

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
1
Median school ICSEA
943
Median ICSEA percentile
22th
School list
  • Ripplebrook Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 943 · 22th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 43 students · Top SEA quarter 1% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →

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

  • 2525 Westernport Rd
  • 2675 Westernport Rd
  • Ripplebrook Primary School/Westernport Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
5/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Community(1)
  • Ripplebrook Primary SchoolSchool

    2260 Westernport Road

Transport(1)

1 bus stops

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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
4
Parks (OSM)
0

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

Health access

Nearest hospital
Proposed West Gippsland Hospital (12.8 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
10
Participants per 1,000 residents
32.7

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
25° / 12°
Rainfall
197 mm · ~25 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 9°
Rainfall
228 mm · ~28 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 5°
Rainfall
261 mm · ~33 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 7°
Rainfall
304 mm · ~38 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 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).

10 planning-related records

2021· 3 proposals
  • August 2021

  • Use of land for a Depot and alteration to a road in Transport Zone 2
    2635 WESTERNPORT ROAD RIPPLEBROOK 3818In progress
  • April 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    1935 WESTERNPORT ROAD RIPPLEBROOK 3818Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • February 2021

  • Use and development of a dwelling associated with agriculture and to create access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1
    1935 WESTERNPORT ROAD RIPPLEBROOK 3818Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 7 proposals
  • September 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    70 Lye and Dixon RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building
    2556 Westernport RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding associated with an existing dwelling
    2725 Westernport RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and development of a dwelling
    36 Lye and Dixon RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • July 2020

  • Use and development of a Motel and Place of Assembly and alter access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1
    1855 WESTERNPORT ROAD RIPPLEBROOK 3818NOD issued by the Resp. Authority
  • April 2020

  • Re-subdivide land into 2 lots 1995 WESTERNPORT ROAD RIPPLEBROOK
    1995 Westernport RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • January 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a carport
    2635 Westernport RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

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 overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Monash
Member of Parliament
Mary ALDRED (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
116,463
Turnout (2025)
93.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-1.2 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 54.1%Labor 45.9%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.7 km away).

Coalition 59.0%Labor 41.0%

4.9 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.7 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • Drouin SouthLabor 31.0% · Coalition 69.0% TPP (2025)6.3 km away
  • Drouin SummerhillLabor 48.2% · Coalition 51.8% TPP (2025)9.7 km away
  • LongwarryLabor 42.9% · Coalition 57.1% TPP (2025)9.7 km away
  • DrouinLabor 48.0% · Coalition 52.0% TPP (2025)10.7 km away
  • Drouin CentralLabor 51.8% · Coalition 48.2% TPP (2025)11.3 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)
7/10
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 (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

More in Baw Baw Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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