VIC · Baw Baw Council
Darnum, 3822
Current weather
10.3°CThunderstorm
94% humidity · 26.2 km/h wind · 12.6° / 9.1° today · 17 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Darnum is a small locality in the Baw Baw area, home to around 759 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 39 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+5%), roughly 51.4 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, limited but present public transport access, 1 active roadworks or transport incidents on nearby routes, and some planning and development activity on record. See the sections below for population, safety, schools and local activity.
Population
- Population
- 759
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $1,744
- Dwelling vacancy
- 6.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 18 of 267
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,517
- Employment rate
- 61%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 19 / 31 / 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)
- 39
- Against the person
- 4
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 51.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 190 residents
- State safety percentile
- 48.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +5.4%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft5
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle4
- B49 Other Theft3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order5
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
- 1,006
- Darnum 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
3 public transport stops in this suburb
- Princes Fwy
- Princes Fwy
- Princes Fwy
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
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Building / 3rd Party Works activities occurring between 11/11/2024 and 30/04/2027 during the following times: Weekdays 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Weekends 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Impact to traffic will be lanes closed eastbound. Altered speed limit during operation will be Nil and the traffic delay is expected to be 0 to 5 min.PRINCES FREEWAY, DROUIN-WARRAGUL-PRINCES OUT RAMP ON10 Nov 2024 – 29 Apr 2027
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
9 planning-related records
2021· 3 proposals
July 2021
- Remove native vegetation to facilitate a minor utility installation150 DARNUM PARK ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding84 Streitbergs RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Buildings and works to construct 2 outbuildings164 Darnum-Shady Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals
December 2020
- Buildings and works to extend a heritage dwelling including partial demolition186 DARNUM-ALLAMBEE ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Use and development of a dwellingRhodes RoadRefusal issued by a delegate
July 2020
- Subdivide land into 3 Lots83 Darnum-Allambee RoadNOD issued by a delegate
- Use and development of a contractor's depot16 SHEARMANS ROAD DARNUM 3822Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2020
- To develop the land for six additional milk storage silos, two water silos and associated works150 Darnum Park RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Use and development of a store (i.e. shipping container)44 Streitbergs RoadNOD issued by a delegate
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
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)
- 9
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
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
- 35.2/100
- National rank
- 4145th in Australia
- State rank
- 819th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #185 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #368 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
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime5
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime4
- B49 Other Theftcrime3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime5
- Buildings and works to construct 2 outbuildingsplanning164 Darnum-Shady Creek RoadLodged 25 Mar 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct an outbuildingplanning84 Streitbergs RoadLodged 21 May 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to extend a heritage dwelling including partial demolitionplanning186 DARNUM-ALLAMBEE ROAD DARNUM 3822Lodged 08 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Remove native vegetation to facilitate a minor utility installationplanning150 DARNUM PARK ROAD DARNUM 3822Lodged 20 Jul 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Subdivide land into 3 Lotsplanning83 Darnum-Allambee RoadLodged 27 Jul 2020 · NOD issued by a delegate
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.