VIC · Surf Coast Council

Bells Beach, 3228

Current weather

9.6°CMainly clear

85% humidity · 28.4 km/h wind · 12.7° / 8.7° today · 6.9 mm rain

Updated 2 July 2026 at 6:15 pm AEST

Green suburb
Café precinct
Education hub

Suburb profile

Bells Beach is a welcoming smaller community in Surf Coast, with a settled community character. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood.

Housing carries a premium, but residents tend to feel the lifestyle justifies the commitment. Local identity runs deep. This is the kind of place people stay once they have found it.

Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.

Population

Population: 151
Median age: 48
Median household income / week: $2,600
Dwelling vacancy: 43.1%
Unoccupied private dwellings: 31 of 72
Median monthly mortgage: $2,600
Employment rate: 61.9%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats): 0 / 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 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Total offences (2026): 10
Against the person: 3
Against property: 5
Rate per 1,000 residents: 66.2
Person-crime prevalence: About 1 in 50 residents
State safety percentile: 58.6th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate): +25%

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

A231 Fv Common Assault1
A232 Non-Fv Common Assault1
A722 Non-Fv Harassment And Private Nuisance1
B21 Criminal Damage2
B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle2

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 2 July 2026 at 12:14 pm AEST · 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).

10 planning-related records

2021· 3 proposals

August 2021
Use and development of a replacement dwelling Reason for Revision: Amend the application plans to show the existing dwelling to be demolished and replaced with a new Studio/Home based business.31 Aug 2021
165 BELLS ROAD BELLS BEACH 3228Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2021
Use and Development of a Dwelling21 Apr 2021
168 Bells RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
Use of the Land for Horticulture and Buildings and Works Associated with the Construction of Greenhouses09 Feb 2021
115 Hurst RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

2020· 7 proposals

November 2020
Alterations and additions to existing dwelling, construction of a habitable outbuilding and separate studio and associated removal and lopping of native vegetation.26 Nov 2020
200 BONES ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2020
Alterations and Additions to an Existing Dwelling07 Aug 2020
45 HURST ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2020
Construction of an Agricultural building (shed)30 Jul 2020
130 BELLS ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Construction of shed to be used in conjunction with existing dwelling17 Jul 2020
110 JAROSITE ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Amend Condition 16 - Native Vegetation Removal03 Jul 2020
210 Jarosite RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
Use land for utility installation (water transfer pipes), construct earthworks which change the rate of flow or discharge point of water across a property boundary, construct building and works (clean & enlarge dams, construct underground water tanks and interconnect water supplies) associated with an existing section 3 use (two dwellings on a lot) and remove native vegetation.19 May 2020
95 HURST ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2020
Dwelling Extension17 Jan 2020
115 HURST ROADPermit 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 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021): 10/10
IRSD decile (2021): 10/10

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 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 SEIFA release

Heritage

1 state heritage place

BELLS BEACH SURFING RECREATION RESERVENH2032

Data sources & freshness

State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:33 pm AEST

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 1 July 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM): 2
Parks (OSM): 0

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 1 July 2026 at 5:16 pm AEST · Weekly refresh

Recent changes

A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime1
A232 Non-Fv Common Assaultcrime1
A722 Non-Fv Harassment And Private Nuisancecrime1
B21 Criminal Damagecrime2
B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime2
BELLS BEACH SURFING RECREATION RESERVEheritageNH2032
Alterations and Additions to an Existing Dwellingplanning45 HURST ROADLodged 07 Aug 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Alterations and additions to existing dwelling, construction of a habitable outbuilding and separate studio and associated removal and lopping of native vegetation.planning200 BONES ROADLodged 26 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Amend Condition 16 - Native Vegetation Removalplanning210 Jarosite RoadLodged 03 Jul 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Construction of an Agricultural building (shed)planning130 BELLS ROADLodged 30 Jul 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site 2 July 2026 at 12:13 pm AEST · Year ending March release
State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:33 pm AEST
PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

More in Surf Coast Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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