VIC · Greater Geelong Council

Swan Bay, 3225

Est. population · Jun 2025

113

Growth (1 yr)

+3.7%

Growth (5 yr)

+17.7%

Median age

61

Median income

$784/wk

Employment rate

53.3%

University qualified

32.6%

Work from home

34.7%

Languages at home

5.8%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Rural living
What Swan Bay is known for: Rural living

Using this data? Cite or embed. Publishers

Suburb snapshot infographic

Download PNG
Swan Bay, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Embed this snapshot

The image links to the canonical suburb page. Copy the HTML as-is.

Swan Bay, VIC suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Cite this suburb snapshot

Suburb Guide, “Swan Bay, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/swan-bay-vic

No registration is required. Please keep the link to the suburb page.

Suburb profile

Swan Bay is a semi-rural locality near Melbourne, in Greater Geelong Council. It is close to the Swan Island and the Duck Island.

Population growth is an exceptional strength, placing it among the highest-ranked semi-rural and lifestyle localities, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 58% above the peer median, and recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places, with recorded road crashes 65% below the peer median, and working from home is more common than in comparable places, with working from home 43% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. Household incomes are a relative weakness.

Overall, Swan Bay suits people prioritising university qualifications.

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

Semi-rural locality · compared with semi-rural and lifestyle localities in Victoria (228)

Strengths

  • Population growth is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Recorded road-crash rates are lower than in comparable places
  • Working from home is more common than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Household incomes are a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Swan Island
  • Duck Island
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • StudentsInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Swan Bay compares

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

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$490/wk

Population (ERP)

113

+3.7% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

11.1%

Census unoccupied dwellings

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Crime rate

32nd

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

96th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

22%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

7/10

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$490

Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

113(June 2025)

+3.7% annual · +17.7% over 5 years · 96th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+3.7%
5-year growth
+17.7%
Change in 1 year
+4
Change in 5 years
+17
Growth rank in VIC
96th 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 (~150), extrapolated at +2.7% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
103
Median age
61
Median household income / week
$784
Dwelling vacancy
11.1%
Unoccupied private dwellings
6 of 54
Median monthly mortgage
$2,296
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$250
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
66.7% / 11.1% / 22.2%
Employment rate
53.3%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
34.7% / 0% / 40.8%
Walked or cycled to work
10.2%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
19 / 0 / 0 (+ 27 other)

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

32.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 13.5% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified32.6% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified10.1% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational13.5% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below43.8% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

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

  • Society and culture23.5%
  • Management and commerce20.6%
  • Engineering and related technologies17.6%
  • Architecture and building14.7%
  • Education11.8%
  • Health11.8%
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)
$48,920

30th percentile in VIC · -17% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$59,999

56th percentile in VIC · -8% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
16.0%

77th percentile in VIC · +16% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$209,599

99th percentile in VIC · +231% vs Australia

Residents with business income
11.0%

42nd percentile in VIC · +6% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3225 — 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
3,698
Taxpayers reporting net rent
602
Median net rent
$1,976
Taxpayers reporting business income
416
Taxable income vs state median
-8%
Salary / wages vs state median
+3%
Rental investment vs state median
+23%
Super vs state median
+160%
Business income vs state median
0%

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

Community & culture

5.8% speak a language other than English at home; 10.9% born overseas

Language at home
98 English only · 6 other
Non-English at home
5.8%
Born overseas
11 (10.9%)
Australian citizens
93

Religion

53.4%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 53.4%, while Christianity accounts for 47.6%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion53.4%38.8%
Christianity47.6%40.9%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic21.4%20.5%
Anglican9.7%6.5%

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 increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
4
Against the person
0
Against property
3
Rate per 1,000 residents
35.4
State crime-rate percentile
31.8th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+100%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
2
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
17.7

Most common offence types

  • B11 Cause Damage By Fire1
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order1
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle1
  • B49 Other Theft1

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
  • Bellarine Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Drysdale Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Point Lonsdale Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Queenscliff Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • St Leonards Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_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

Amenities

13 mapped amenities

2 swimming pools · 1 wineries · 1 caravan parks

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0
Sport & outdoors(6)
  • Bellarine Peninsula Rail TrailCycling route
  • Swan Bay - Edwards Point Wildlife ReserveNature reserve
  • SWAN BAY TOILET NEWPublic toilets
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (2)
Wineries & breweries(1)
  • Basils FarmWinery

    43-53 Nye Road, Swan Bay

Camping & holiday parks(1)
  • Swan Bay Holiday ParkCaravan park
Other(3)
  • Boat StorageParking
  • Parking
  • Shelter (3)

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

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0.3%
Woodland / forest cover
0.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
0
Parks (OSM)
0
Typical summer maximum
24°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
Geelong Clinic (22.5 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)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
17.7

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
24° / 13°
Rainfall
155 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
186 mm · ~23 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 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).

2 planning-related records

2020· 2 proposals
  • May 2020

  • Construction of a Replacement Dwelling
    1329 Queenscliff RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • February 2020

  • Alterations and Additions to an Existing Outbuilding
    307 Fellows RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

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
Corangamite
Member of Parliament
Libby COKER (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
114,123
Turnout (2025)
94.7%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+0.2 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 42.0%Labor 58.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 11.9 km away).

Coalition 36.9%Labor 63.1%

5.0 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +6.7 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • QueenscliffLabor 64.0% · Coalition 36.0% TPP (2025)4.1 km away
  • Point LonsdaleLabor 63.2% · Coalition 36.8% TPP (2025)5.0 km away
  • DrysdaleLabor 62.8% · Coalition 37.2% TPP (2025)9.2 km away
  • St LeonardsLabor 60.7% · Coalition 39.3% TPP (2025)9.2 km away
  • Ocean Grove SouthLabor 66.4% · Coalition 33.6% TPP (2025)9.3 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)
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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

More in Greater Geelong Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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