VIC · Ballarat Council
Bonshaw, 3352
Current weather
7.3°CLight drizzle
95% humidity · 25.6 km/h wind · 9.1° / 5.9° today · 13.9 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Bonshaw (Vic.) is a small locality in the Ballarat area, home to around 949 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 150 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+63%), roughly 158.1 offences per 1,000 residents, fewer mapped amenities than nearby suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 949
- Median age
- 28
- Median household income / week
- $1,854
- Dwelling vacancy
- 2.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 9 of 350
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,500
- Employment rate
- 74.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 37 / 18 / 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)
- 150
- Against the person
- 20
- Against property
- 110
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 158.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 47 residents
- State safety percentile
- 86.9th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +63%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage12
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary21
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft9
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle9
- B49 Other Theft47
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).
14 planning-related records
2021· 7 proposals
July 2021
- Multi lot subdivision64 WEBB ROAD BONSHAW 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2021
- Staged Multi-Lot Subdivision30 Cobden StreetWithdrawn
May 2021
- Multi-lot subdivision and removal of registered restrictive covenant U133202A on PS329735R73 WEBB ROAD BONSHAW 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Display of signageLOT 1 TAIT STREET BONSHAW 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- construction of single dwelling and garage29 Edmund DriveWithdrawn
February 2021
- Staged multi-lot subdivision and removal of restrictive building envelopes on PS405208T36 ROSS CREEK ROAD BONSHAW 3352Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Staged multi-lot subdivision and removal of registered restrictive Covenant U008879N70 Webb RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 7 proposals
November 2020
- Development of 11 dwellings and staged multi lot subdivision12 Ross Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
October 2020
- Removal of restrictive covenant U009020B from Lot 1 of PS807477X64 Webb RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Removal of restrictive covenant U360135M from Lot 8 of PS329735R74 Webb RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Display of three promotional signs (retrospectively)3 Indigo StreetWithdrawn
June 2020
- Development of two dwellings65 Berrigan DriveLapsed
May 2020
- Staged multi lot subdivisionLot 1 Tait StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- Two lot subdivision30 COBDEN STREET BONSHAW 3352Lapsed
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
5 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (4)
- Kidscape Early Learning CentreChildcare
282 Tait Street, Bonshaw
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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Chifley ParkPark
- Dairymans Way ReservePark
- Ploughmans Arms WetlandsNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Kidscape Early Learning CentreTait Streetchildcare
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
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.
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)
- 5
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
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
- 36.7/100
- National rank
- 3854th in Australia
- State rank
- 768th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #170 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #328 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 69%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime12
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime21
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime9
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime9
- B49 Other Theftcrime47
- Kidscape Early Learning CentrechildcareTait Streetchildcare
- Chifley Parkgovernmentpark
- Dairymans Way Reservegovernmentpark
- Ploughmans Arms Wetlandsgovernmentnature_reserve
- Development of 11 dwellings and staged multi lot subdivisionplanning12 Ross Creek RoadLodged 20 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- 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
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.