VIC · Wellington Council
Cowwarr, 3857
Current weather
11.5°CRain showers
92% humidity · 15 km/h wind · 15.4° / 9.3° today · 14.1 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Cowwarr is a small locality in the Wellington area, home to around 389 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 29 offences in 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-17%), roughly 74.6 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, limited but present public transport access, 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
- 389
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,571
- Dwelling vacancy
- 13.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 19 of 144
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,262
- Employment rate
- 54.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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)
- 29
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 12
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 74.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 65 residents
- State safety percentile
- 64.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -17.1%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A22 Assault Police, Emergency Services Or Other Authorised Officer2
- B21 Criminal Damage3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft4
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle3
- E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer9
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
- 917
- Cowwarr 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
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- McEwan Rd/Traralgon - Maffra Rd
- Railway St/Traralgon - Maffra Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
2 planning-related records
2020· 2 proposals
November 2020
- Buildings and works associated with construction of a domestic shed. Buildings and works associated with construction of a domestic shed.62 Downings RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
October 2020
- Use of land for a takeway food premises (mobile coffee van). Use of land for a take way food premises (mobile coffee van).37 Main StreetPermit 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
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
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
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- FORMER COWWARR BUTTER FACTORYNH1282
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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)
- 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
- 24.5/100
- National rank
- 6012th in Australia
- State rank
- 1153rd in VIC
- Peer rank
- #340 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #644 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- A22 Assault Police, Emergency Services Or Other Authorised Officercrime2
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime4
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime3
- E13 Resist Or Hinder Officercrime9
- FORMER COWWARR BUTTER FACTORYheritageNH1282
- Buildings and works associated with construction of a domestic shed. Buildings and works associated with construction of a domestic shed.planning62 Downings RoadLodged 30 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use of land for a takeway food premises (mobile coffee van). Use of land for a take way food premises (mobile coffee van).planning37 Main StreetLodged 13 Oct 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- McEwan Rd/Traralgon - Maffra Rdtransport
- Railway St/Traralgon - Maffra Rdtransport
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.