VIC · South Gippsland Council
Venus Bay, 3956
Current weather
10.8°CLight drizzle
92% humidity · 31.6 km/h wind · 12.3° / 9.5° today · 23.8 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- High desirability
- Green suburb
- Café precinct
- Education hub
Suburb profile
Life in Venus Bay revolves around the coast, with the feel of a smaller community that never strays far from the water. The coast is the anchor, with regional towns nearby for markets, dining and weekend exploring. There is a lightness to the air here, with the coast never far from mind.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability against similar coastal suburbs, even with growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 904
- Median age
- 58
- Median household income / week
- $922
- Dwelling vacancy
- 75.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 1,313 of 1,740
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,083
- Employment rate
- 39.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 57 / 0 / 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 · 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)
- 99
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 39
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 109.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 70 residents
- State safety percentile
- 77.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +115.2%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage7
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary12
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary5
- B49 Other Theft9
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order44
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Year ending March release
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
82 planning-related records
2021· 36 proposals
September 2021
- Two (2) lot subdivision4 RODNEY AVENUE VENUS BAY 3956Refusal issued by a delegate
- Development associated with a dwelling (Extension)21 ANITA CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956NOD issued by a delegate
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling62 PANDORA AVENUE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling2 JASMINE STREET VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling5 GARY COURT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling and outbuilding.97 CANTERBURY ROAD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling14 WOORAK AVENUE VENUS BAY 3956NOD issued by a delegate
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling8 ST IVES CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2021
- Building and works to extend an existing dwelling37 LEES ROAD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwelling22 ORION ROAD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing the land with a dwelling16 OUTLOOK DRIVE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling13 CRICHTON CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling12 SATURN PARADE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling31 BRADLEY AVENUE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling1 DONALD STREET VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling24 SATELLITE CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling53 CANTERBURY ROAD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling73 Landscape DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling64 ANITA CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling8 Carol CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling21 Centre RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with an existing telecommunications facility32 Centre RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling809 LEES ROAD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a domestic shed in association with the existing dwelling18 ANITA CRESCENT VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling69 ATHERTON DRIVE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use and development of land with a store4 GEORGE STREET VENUS BAY 3956Withdrawn
April 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling4 OCKENGA CLOSE VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling159 JUPITER BOULEVARD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling and ancillary outbuilding146 Jupiter BoulevardPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling11 Lees RoadPermit issued by the RA
- Develop land with an extension to the existing dwelling and an outbuilding24 JUPITER BOULEVARD VENUS BAY 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling17-19 Centre RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling36 Jupiter BoulevardPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling6 Anthony AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling - Amend shed location and dimensions4 Fishermans RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling177 Lees RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals
December 2020
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling26 Paris CrescentPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling31 Crichton CrescentPermit issued by the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling67 Landscape DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling75 Atherton DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
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
12 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bbq (3)
- No 4 Beach Car ParkParking
- No 5 Beach Car ParkParking
- Picnic Table (2)
- Post Box
- Public toilets
- Shelter (2)
- Anderson Inlet Boat RampSlipway
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Jupiter ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- 15.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6822nd in Australia
- State rank
- 1257th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #81 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #130 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 62%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime7
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime12
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime5
- B49 Other Theftcrime9
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime44
- Jupiter Parkgovernmentpark
- Building and works associated with an existing telecommunications facilityplanning32 Centre RoadLodged 24 May 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwellingplanning62 PANDORA AVENUE VENUS BAY 3956Lodged 09 Sep 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwellingplanning2 JASMINE STREET VENUS BAY 3956Lodged 08 Sep 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works associated with developing land with a dwellingplanning5 GARY COURT VENUS BAY 3956Lodged 07 Sep 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
More in South Gippsland Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.