suburb.guide

VIC · Southern Grampians Council

Dunkeld, 3294

Current weather

7.2°CMainly clear

93% humidity · 25.6 km/h wind · 11.1° / 5.9° today · 5.9 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

34.6/100
Below average

823rd in VIC

82% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Rural
  • Safe area
  • Established
  • Residential
  • Amenities
What Dunkeld is known for: Rural, Safe area, Established, Residential, Amenities

Suburb profile

In Southern Grampians, Dunkeld keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.

An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. The market sits in a sensible middle ground: not cheap, but fair value for the area.

This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.

On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
688
Median age
48
Median household income / week
$1,309
Dwelling vacancy
16.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
58 of 350
Median monthly mortgage
$1,083
Employment rate
62.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
21 / 8 / 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)
9
Against the person
3
Against property
5
Rate per 1,000 residents
13.1
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 229 residents
State safety percentile
6.3th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-47.1%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • A232 Non-Fv Common Assault1
  • A83 Throw Or Discharge Object Endangering People1
  • B11 Cause Damage By Fire1
  • B21 Criminal Damage1
  • Other Crimes Against The Person1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
1
Median school ICSEA
1,046
  • Dunkeld Consolidated SchoolPrimary

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

2 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Information Centre/Glenelg Hwy
  • Information Centre/Glenelg Hwy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

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· 4 proposals

  • May 2021

  • buildings and works to construct a dwelling and removal of a River Red Gum
    18-20 Victoria Valley RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construct a building and construct and carry out works (dwelling and carport)
    44 Wills StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Two (2) Lot Subdivision
    PARKER STREET DUNKELD 3294Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2021

  • Use and development of a second dwelling (temporary)(amendment condition)
    697 Old Ararat RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 5 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Use and Development of the land for Group Accommodation and associated works
    135 FAIRBURN STREET DUNKELD 3294Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • October 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and outbuilding
    38 Taylor StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Removal of native vegetation.
    Victoria Valley RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • buildings and works to extend dwelling
    66-68 Taylor StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct a new emergency services facility (SES)
    67-69 Parker 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

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

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Back Creek Nature Conservation ReserveNature reserve
  • Dunkeld ArboretumPark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
1
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Dunkeld Pharmacypharmacy

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

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

Heritage

1 state heritage place

  • LOCK-UPNH1535

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)
5
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
34.6/100 — Below average
National rank
4347th in Australia
State rank
823rd in VIC
Peer rank
#166 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#376 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
82%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • A232 Non-Fv Common Assaultcrime1
  • A83 Throw Or Discharge Object Endangering Peoplecrime1
  • B11 Cause Damage By Firecrime1
  • B21 Criminal Damagecrime1
  • Other Crimes Against The Personcrime1
  • LOCK-UPheritageNH1535
  • Dunkeld Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
  • Back Creek Nature Conservation Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Dunkeld Arboretumgovernmentpark
  • Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and outbuildingplanning38 Taylor StreetLodged 08 Oct 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

More in Southern Grampians Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.