VIC · Murrindindi Council
Castella, 3777
Current weather
10.1°CRain showers
93% humidity · 24.1 km/h wind · 11.5° / 9° today · 13.4 mm rain
Desirability score
- Premium
- Regional
- Established
- Amenities
- Open space
Suburb profile
In Murrindindi, Castella keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, with a strong presence of young families throughout.
Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Property is in demand, reflecting the appeal of living in a place people actively choose.
The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with transport and access and housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 257
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $1,978
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 7 of 95
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,817
- Employment rate
- 66.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 11 / 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)
- 11
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 8
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 42.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 257 residents
- State safety percentile
- 39.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +266.7%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B11 Cause Damage By Fire1
- B22 Graffiti1
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
- B41 Motor Vehicle 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) · 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).
5 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
July 2021
- Single Dwelling and Garages/Carports/Outbuildings Use and development of land for a dwelling and shed2838 MELBA HIGHWAY CASTELLA 3777Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Single Dwelling Development of the land for a single dwelling53 Banksia CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 3 proposals
November 2020
- Garages/Carports/Outbuildings Development of the land for a storage shed2900 Melba HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Garages/Carports/Outbuildings Development of the land for the purpose of a domestic outbuilding19A Banksia CourtLapsed
June 2020
- Single Dwelling Use and development of the land for a dwelling2760 Melba HighwayPermit 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
5 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Parking (2)
- Public toilets
- Shelter (2)
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
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Castella Central ParkPark
- Kinglake G134 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- 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 · 2021 SEIFA release
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
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 features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 37.8/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3731st in Australia
- State rank
- 713th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #152 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #292 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 62%
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 Firecrime1
- B22 Graffiticrime1
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime1
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime2
- Other Crimes Against The Personcrime1
- Castella Central Parkgovernmentpark
- Kinglake G134 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Garages/Carports/Outbuildings Development of the land for a storage shedplanning2900 Melba HighwayLodged 20 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Garages/Carports/Outbuildings Development of the land for the purpose of a domestic outbuildingplanning19A Banksia CourtLodged 16 Nov 2020 · Lapsed
- Single Dwelling Development of the land for a single dwellingplanning53 Banksia CourtLodged 11 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
- 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
More in Murrindindi Council
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Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.