VIC · Cardinia Council
Cardinia, 3978
Current weather
10.5°CLight drizzle
95% humidity · 30 km/h wind · 12.3° / 10.3° today · 17.8 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Cardinia is a small locality in the Cardinia area, home to around 342 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 51 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+50%), roughly 149.1 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, fewer mapped amenities than nearby suburbs, and some planning and development activity on record. See the sections below for population, safety, schools and local activity.
Population
- Population
- 342
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,875
- Dwelling vacancy
- 5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 6 of 119
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,950
- Employment rate
- 64.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 14 / 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 · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2026)
- 51
- Against the person
- 5
- Against property
- 34
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 149.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 68 residents
- State safety percentile
- 85.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +50%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B11 Cause Damage By Fire4
- B21 Criminal Damage5
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary5
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle8
- B49 Other Theft6
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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 976
- Cardinia Primary SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
5 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
February 2021
- Buildings and works associated with two (2) new buildings (shed and stable)775 DALMORE ROAD CARDINIA 3978Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Removal of Native VegetationRoad Reserve (adjacent to 1975 Pound Road)Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 3 proposals
December 2020
- Development of the land for a garage associated with a dwelling and for an outbuilding associated with agriculture2250 Ballarto RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
- Earthworks associated with the construction of a dam2285 Ballarto RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
- Buildings and works associated with a pool enclosure729 Dalmore 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 · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
Amenities
9 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (6)
- Picnic Table
- Australia PostPost Box
- TelstraTelephone
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
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)
- 1
- 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 · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 24.9/100
- National rank
- 5968th in Australia
- State rank
- 1146th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #202 among Metro Melbourne · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #389 among Metro Melbourne suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- B11 Cause Damage By Firecrime4
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime5
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime5
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime8
- B49 Other Theftcrime6
- Buildings and works associated with a pool enclosureplanning729 Dalmore RoadLodged 21 May 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works associated with two (2) new buildings (shed and stable)planning775 DALMORE ROAD CARDINIA 3978Lodged 15 Feb 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of the land for a garage associated with a dwelling and for an outbuilding associated with agricultureplanning2250 Ballarto RoadLodged 17 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Earthworks associated with the construction of a damplanning2285 Ballarto RoadLodged 25 Jun 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Removal of Native VegetationplanningRoad Reserve (adjacent to 1975 Pound Road)Lodged 25 Jan 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
- 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.