Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · South Gippsland Council
Waratah Bay, 3959
Est. population · Jun 2025
49
Growth (1 yr)
0.0%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.3%
Median age
59
Median income
$1,406/wk
Employment rate
52.1%
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Suburb profile
Waratah Bay offers a slower smaller community life in South Gippsland Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric. Weekends tend to revolve around local favourites: a café, a market run, a walk through town.
Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many comparable suburbs, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.
Reported crime has been rising recently. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
At a glance
Waratah Bay snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
49
0.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
80.3%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Safety
81st
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
40th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
9/10
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
Population
Estimated resident population
49(June 2025)
0.0% annual · +4.3% over 5 years · 40th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- 0.0%
- 5-year growth
- +4.3%
- Change in 1 year
- 0
- Change in 5 years
- +2
- Growth rank in VIC
- 40th 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 (~50), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 48
- Median age
- 59
- Median household income / week
- $1,406
- Dwelling vacancy
- 80.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 98 of 122
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 52.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 26 / 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 (2025)
- 6
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 122.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 48 residents
- State safety percentile
- 80.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +100.5%
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle1
- B49 Other Theft2
- Other Crimes Against The Person1
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) · 2024 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Amenities
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb
- Walkability proxy
- 0/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 20.83
Other(2)
- Waratah Beach CampCamp Site
30 Gale Street, Waratah Bay
- Parking
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
- Gale Street ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- South Gippsland Hospital (20.5 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)
- 1
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 20.4
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).
9 planning-related records
2021· 6 proposals
July 2021
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling AMEND WHAT THE PERMIT ALLOWS24 WARATAH AVENUE WARATAH BAY 3959Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- GENERATED IN ERROR SEE 2020/8 NO AMENDMENT PERMIT REQUIRED Development of the land for a dwelling - amend endorsed plans3 Freycinet StreetNo permit required
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling9 BROWN STREET WARATAH BAY 3959Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2021
- Removal of native vegetation (single non-endemic tree)19 Birrahlea StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a dwelling and out building - Amend endorsed plan148 Gale StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling22 BROWN STREET WARATAH BAY 3959Withdrawn
2020· 3 proposals
July 2020
- Use and development of a dwelling and ancillary outbuildings - amend endorsed plans17 Caringal StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- Develop land with a dwelling and outbuilding148 Gale StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2020
- Development of the land for a dwelling3 Freycinet StreetNOD issued by the Resp. Authority
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
- 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 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 29.7 km away).
Coalition 49.3%Labor 50.7%
4.8 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.7 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Fish CreekLabor 53.9% · Coalition 46.1% TPP (2025)11.9 km away
- YanakieLabor 51.4% · Coalition 48.6% TPP (2025)15.9 km away
- Tarwin LowerLabor 56.5% · Coalition 43.5% TPP (2025)19.8 km away
- FosterLabor 50.9% · Coalition 49.1% TPP (2025)20.5 km away
- Port FranklinLabor 43.4% · Coalition 56.6% TPP (2025)22.8 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)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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.