suburb.guide

VIC · Baw Baw Council

Willow Grove, VIC, 3825

Current weather

12.9°CLight drizzle

70% humidity · 12.2 km/h wind · 16.8° / 8.1° today · 6.6 mm rain

Desirability index

80.8/100

#97 among Country & regional suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Willow Grove is a small locality in the Baw Baw area, home to around 654 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 19 offences in 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-50%), roughly 29.1 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.

Population

Population
654
Median age
42
Median household income / week
$1,801
Dwelling vacancy
6.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
15 of 243
Median monthly mortgage
$1,600
Employment rate
59.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
16 / 0 / 0

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)
19
Against the person
5
Against property
10
Rate per 1,000 residents
29.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 131 residents
State safety percentile
22.6th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
-50%

Most common offence types

  • A231 Fv Common Assault2
  • A232 Non-Fv Common Assault1
  • B21 Criminal Damage3
  • B49 Other Theft4
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order4

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
1
Median school ICSEA
1,002
  • Willow Grove Primary SchoolPrimary

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

17 planning-related records

2021· 6 proposals

  • June 2021

  • Use and Development of the land for three dwellings
    1889 WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building
    786 ARALUEN ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    1275 WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Building and works to construct an agricultural building
    2795 Old Sale RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and and works to construct an agricultural building
    786 Araluen RoadWithdrawn

  • February 2021

  • Buildings and works to extend a dwelling
    1740 Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 11 proposals

  • October 2020

  • Subdivide land into 30 lots and associated works, remove native vegetation, create, remove and vary easements and create access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1.
    WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825NOD issued by a delegate

  • September 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building
    Moe-Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding associated with an existing dwelling
    1072 Moe-Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a single dwelling
    10 Glenbrook PlacePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and alter access to a road in Road Zone, Category 1.
    102 Daveys RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2020

  • Use and development of a poultry farm (free range egg production) associated with primary produce sales, construct and display business identification signs and alter access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1
    1106 MOE-WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825NOD issued by a delegate
  • Amending what the permit allows by replacing the word "Tavern" with the word "Hotel" and add the words "use of the land for the sale and consumption of liquor" Amending condition 21 by replacing the words "All weather sealed surface" with "gravel" Amending the endorsed plans by way of 2 additional signs.
    14 Moe-Willow Grove RoadNOD issued by a delegate
  • Construction of a Shed
    1612 Willow Grove RoadWithdrawn

  • March 2020

  • Amendment to approved garage location
    17 Glenbrook PlacePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an extension to an existing dwelling
    190 Hunts RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and associated outbuilding
    Daveys RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

  • PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Period: 2020; 2020–2022; 2021 · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Blue Rock Lake West picnic areaPark
  • Neerim East G79 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Willow Grove Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
7/10
IRSD decile (2021)
8/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

  • Willow Grove Kindergartenkindergarten

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
18
Parks (OSM)
1

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
80.8/100
Cohort rank
#97 among Country & regional suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Willow Grove Kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
  • Blue Rock Lake West picnic areagovernmentpark
  • Neerim East G79 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Willow Grove Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Amending what the permit allows by replacing the word "Tavern" with the word "Hotel" and add the words "use of the land for the sale and consumption of liquor" Amending condition 21 by replacing the words "All weather sealed surface" with "gravel" Amending the endorsed plans by way of 2 additional signs.planning14 Moe-Willow Grove RoadLodged 15 Apr 2020 · NOD issued by a delegate
  • Amendment to approved garage locationplanning17 Glenbrook PlaceLodged 13 Mar 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Building and works to construct an agricultural buildingplanning2795 Old Sale RoadLodged 04 Mar 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and and works to construct an agricultural buildingplanning786 Araluen RoadLodged 01 Mar 2021 · Withdrawn
  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and alter access to a road in Road Zone, Category 1.planning102 Daveys RoadLodged 08 May 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and associated outbuildingplanningDaveys RoadLodged 03 Mar 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

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