Median house price
$515k
+3.5% change
VIC · South Gippsland Council
Venus Bay, 3956
Est. population · Jun 2025
925
Growth (1 yr)
+0.5%
Growth (5 yr)
+3.7%
Median age
58
Median income
$922/wk
Employment rate
39.2%
Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025
$515,000
Languages at home
7.5%non-English
Most common: Greek, Spanish, Polish
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Well away from Melbourne, Venus Bay is a coastal smaller community built around sand, sea and space. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub.
Green space punches above what many coastal suburbs offer, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets. Homes are relatively cheap compared with the wider market, which keeps entry costs lower.
Local crime has been trending higher of late. A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The overall desirability read is below average, pulled by softer community and employment compared with similar coastal suburbs, though growth momentum remain brighter spots. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Venus Bay snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
925
+0.5% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
75.5%
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
#79
among Coastal & beach · Mature
Safety
77th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
55th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
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
- 25.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6286th in Australia
- State rank
- 1178th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #79 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #127 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 73%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
- $515,000
- Median price change
- +3.5%
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DFFH rent report and Valuer-General property sales report — Department of Families, Fairness and Housing / Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 4th Quarter 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases; council median rent fallback where suburb rent unavailable
Population
Estimated resident population
925(June 2025)
+0.5% annual · +3.7% over 5 years · 55th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.5%
- 5-year growth
- +3.7%
- Change in 1 year
- +5
- Change in 5 years
- +33
- Growth rank in VIC
- 55th 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 (~1,000), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- 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)
- 419 / 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 · 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 increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (2026)
- 99
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 39
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 107
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 70 residents
- State safety percentile
- 77.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +115.2%
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) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Amenities
17 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 playgrounds
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 0/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 2.21
Sport & outdoors(3)
- Park
- Picnic area
- Fishermans Road PlaygroundPlayground
Entertainment(1)
- Viewpoint
Other(9)
- Bbq (3)
- No 4 Beach Car ParkParking
- No 5 Beach Car ParkParking
- Parking
- 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). 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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Jupiter ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
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 — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Wonthaggi Medical Centre (19.3 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 22
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 23.8
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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
- 23° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 143 mm · ~18 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 223 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 14° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 308 mm · ~38 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 17° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 248 mm · ~31 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).
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) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
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
- 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 19.7 km away).
Coalition 45.8%Labor 54.2%
8.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.5 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Tarwin LowerLabor 56.5% · Coalition 43.5% TPP (2025)6.9 km away
- InverlochLabor 55.9% · Coalition 44.1% TPP (2025)7.7 km away
- Cape PatersonLabor 65.5% · Coalition 34.5% TPP (2025)15.0 km away
- Leongatha SouthLabor 27.9% · Coalition 72.1% TPP (2025)18.2 km away
- Wonthaggi NorthLabor 53.8% · Coalition 46.2% TPP (2025)19.1 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
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.