suburb.guide

VIC · Golden Plains Council

Smythesdale, 3351

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,232

Growth (1 yr)

+1.0%

Growth (5 yr)

+4.0%

Median age

39

Median income

$1,656/wk

Employment rate

58.7%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$622,500

Languages at home

1.8%non-English

Most common: Vietnamese

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

52.4/100
Average

Top 33% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 89% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • Green suburb
  • High desirability
  • Heritage area
  • Excellent transport
What Smythesdale is known for: National parks, Green suburb, High desirability, Heritage area, Excellent transport

Suburb profile

Away from the major hubs, Smythesdale is a smaller community in Golden Plains Council with its own quieter rhythm. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Neighbourhood food and coffee spots add warmth to the local routine.

Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus, and buses help with longer trips. Housing costs sit in a more approachable middle band than nearby premium pockets.

Crime trends have improved of late compared with the previous period. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.

The overall desirability read is around average, pulled by softer schools and education, plus community and employment compared with similar regional towns, though growth momentum remain brighter spots.

At a glance

Smythesdale snapshot

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

Median house price

$623k

+21% change

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

1,232

+1.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

6.4%

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

#22

among Country & regional · Emerging

Safety

42nd

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

68th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

4/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

44th

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
52.4/100 — Average
State standing
Top 33% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
1876th in Australia
State rank
419th in VIC
Peer rank
#22 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#91 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
89%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$622,500
Median price change
+20.9%

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

1,232(June 2025)

+1.0% annual · +4.0% over 5 years · 68th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+1.0%
5-year growth
+4.0%
Change in 1 year
+12
Change in 5 years
+47
Growth rank in VIC
68th 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 (~1,350), extrapolated at +1.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,189
Median age
39
Median household income / week
$1,656
Dwelling vacancy
6.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
28 of 437
Median monthly mortgage
$1,430
Employment rate
58.7%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
402 / 7 / 0

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 decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
55
Against the person
8
Against property
43
Rate per 1,000 residents
44.6
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 149 residents
State safety percentile
42.4th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-16.7%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage8
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary4
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft5
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle7
  • B49 Other Theft10

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
993
Median ICSEA percentile
44th
School list
  • Woady Yaloak Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 993 · 44th percentile · LBOTE 3% · 326 students · Top SEA quarter 9% · 0.5 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

4 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Loader St/Glenelg Hwy
  • Loader St/Glenelg Hwy
  • Loader St/Glenelg Hwy
  • Loader St/Glenelg Hwy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

65 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

2 cafes · 1 pubs · 1 supermarkets · 1 pharmacies · 1 places of worship · 1 sports centres · 1 petrol stations · 1 post offices

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Reasonably walkable — many errands reachable on foot or by bus
  • Great for outdoor family life — 4 parks mapped in suburb
Walkability proxy
52/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
1.68
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
2.52
Parks per 1,000 residents
3.36
Food & drink(3)
  • Rustic Edge Cafe & TakeawayCafe

    39 Brooke Street

  • Thru the Gate CafeCafe

    42 Brooke Street

  • Court House HotelPub

    63 Brooke Street

Shopping(3)
  • Tama Valley ButcherButcher
  • IGASupermarket

    40 Brooke Street

Community(1)
  • Woady Yaloak Primary School - Smythesdale CampusSchool

    50 Becker Street

Health & services(3)
  • Smythesdale PharmacyPharmacy
  • Ballarat Country VetsVeterinary

    45 Brooke Street

  • Fur Life VetVeterinary

    67 Brooke Street

Sport & outdoors(7)
  • Koala BendPark
  • Koala Bend Picnic areaPark
  • Smythesdale GardensPark
  • Brewers DamPicnic area
  • Sports centre
  • Football/cricketSports field
  • Sports field
Transport(2)

2 bus stops

Other(26)
  • Smythsdale Farm SuppliesAgrarian

    43 Brooke Street

  • 44 Brooke StreetAntiques

    44 Brooke Street

  • Bench (2)
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Smythesdale GardensCamp Site
  • Drinking water
  • Smythesdale CFAFire station
  • LR Hair LoungeHairdresser
  • Information (5)
  • Smythsdale StationInformation
  • Woady Yallock River, Smythesdale Streamside ReserveNature Reserve
  • Parking (10)
  • CaltexPetrol station
  • Picnic Table (2)
  • St Mary's ChurchPlace of worship
  • Australia PostPost Box
  • Smythesdale Post OfficePost office

    37 Brooke Street

  • Public toilets
  • Recycling (2)
  • Shelter (3)
  • Shower
  • S and J SadderlySports
  • Telephone
  • Track
  • Phoenix FeedsVariety Store
  • Waste Basket (4)

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

8 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Koala BendPark
  • Koala Bend Picnic areaPark
  • Nintingbool Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Smythesdale GardensPark
  • Smythesdale H15 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Smythesdale H16 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Woady Yallock River, Smythesdale Streamside ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
5
Parks (OSM)
4

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

Places of worship

1 places of worship within ~1.5 km

  • St Mary's Church

From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
Queen Elizabeth Centre (16.5 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)
39
Participants per 1,000 residents
31.7

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
26° / 12°
Rainfall
128 mm · ~16 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
21° / 10°
Rainfall
124 mm · ~16 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
149 mm · ~19 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 8°
Rainfall
182 mm · ~23 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).

24 planning-related records

2021· 7 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Subdivision of the land into three (3) lots under clause 35.03-3 (RLZ), 43.02-3 (DDO7), 44.06-2 (BMO) and removal of Native vegetation under clause 52.17-1 (Native vegetation)
    26 VERMONT ROAD SMYTHESDALE 3351Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2021

  • Liquor license (alteration of trading hours allowed under license extended from 11pm to 1am) under clause 52.27 (Licensed premises)
    63 BROOKE STREET SMYTHESDALE 3351Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2021

  • Use of the land (dwelling) under clause 35.03-1 (RLZ) and construction of a building and works associated with a section 2 use under clause 35.03-4 (RLZ) and construction of a building (dwelling) under clause 44.06-2 (BMO)
    176 GRAMS ROAD SMYTHESDALE 3351Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Use and Development of a single dwelling and associated outbuilding
    TANNERY ROAD SMYTHESDALE 3351Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • The use and development of the land for the purposes of a dwelling and shed pursuant to the provisions of the RLZ (Clauses 35.03-1 and 35.03-4 ), DDO7 (Clause 43.02-2) and BMO (Clause 44.06-2)
    19 WETHLING LANE SMYTHESDALE 3351NOD issued by a delegate

  • March 2021

  • The development of the land for the purposes of a staged nine lot subdivision and associated native vegetation removal in accordance with endorsed plans.
    CA10 Lightwood Park RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Construction of a building (dwelling) pursuant to clause 43.02-2 (DDO) in accordance with endorsed plans
    9 Lynch StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 17 proposals

  • December 2020

  • The development of the land for the purposes of a dwelling and shed pursuant to the provisions of the BMO (Clause 44.06-2) & DDO7 (Clause 43.02-2)
    93 Bykersmas RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • November 2020

  • Construction of a building (dwelling) under clauses 43.02-2 and 44.02-2 and creation of access to a road in a Road Zone Category 1 (RDZ1) under clause 52.29-2 in accordance with endorsed plans
    13 Browns RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of a building (dwelling) under clause 44.06-2
    13 Wills StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Earthworks (retrospective) which change the rate of flow of water across a property boundary under the schedule to clause 35.03-4 (RLZ)
    270 Ross Creek-Haddon RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Construct or carry out works under clause 43.02-2
    19 Lynch StreetWithdrawn

  • September 2020

  • CONSTRUCTION OF A DWELLING
    32 BISHOP ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construction of a building (replacement dwelling) on a lot under the minimum lot size pursuant to clause 35.03-4 (RLZ) and construction of a building (dwelling) and associated works pursuant to clause 44.06-2 (BMO) in accordance with endorsed plans
    79 Gists RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2020

  • The development of the land for a shed
    5 Junipers RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use of the land for a veterinary centre under clause 34.01-4, construction of a building and works under clauses 34.01-4, 43.01-1, 43.02-2, signs under clause 34.01-9 and 43.01-1 and provision of car parking under clause 52.06-3 in accordance with endorsed plans.
    67 BROOKE STREETPermit issued by the RA
  • Construction of buildings (dwelling & shed) under clauses 44.02-2 (SMO) and 43.02-2 (DDO) and creation of access to a road in a Road Zone Category 1 (RDZ1) under clause 52.29-2 in accordance with endorsed plans
    17 Browns RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • The development of the land for the purposes of a shed
    157 VERMONT ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Application to amend a planning permit for the use of the land for animal keeping (9 Toy Poodles) in accordance with endorsed plans
    16 GRAMS ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • The development of an outbuilding and crossover
    7 LYNCH STREETPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • The development of the land for a two lot subdivision (boundary realignment)
    7 LOCK STREETPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • The development of the land for building and works associated with an existing dwelling
    42 VERMONT ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • The development of the land for a shed
    116 BROOKE STREETPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2020

  • The development of the land for a dwelling extension
    128 BUTTERWORTH ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

5 heritage places

  • SMYTHESDALE COURT HOUSENH1653
  • STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAYNH1701
  • STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAYNH1701
  • STONE MILEPOSTS - GLENELG HIGHWAYNH1701
  • SURFACE HILL HYDRAULIC GOLD SLUICING PITNH1226

Data sources & freshness

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

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

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
Ballarat
Member of Parliament
Catherine KING (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
116,238
Turnout (2025)
93.3%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.3 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 39.3%Labor 60.7%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.0 km away).

Coalition 42.8%Labor 57.2%

3.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -3.6 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • SmythesdaleLabor 57.3% · Coalition 42.7% TPP (2025)1.3 km away
  • HaddonLabor 53.1% · Coalition 46.9% TPP (2025)7.9 km away
  • Ross CreekLabor 53.5% · Coalition 46.5% TPP (2025)7.9 km away
  • LintonLabor 58.7% · Coalition 41.3% TPP (2025)10.4 km away
  • NapoleonsLabor 60.1% · Coalition 39.9% TPP (2025)14.3 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)
4/10
IRSD decile (2021)
6/10

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

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Golden Plains Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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