suburb.guide

VIC · Colac Otway Council

Irrewarra, 3249

Current weather

9.2°CMainly clear

86% humidity · 32.7 km/h wind · 11.6° / 8.1° today · 4.4 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

35/100
Below average

805th in VIC

52% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Rural
  • Established
  • Residential
  • Amenities
  • Open space
What Irrewarra is known for: Rural, Established, Residential, Amenities, Open space

Suburb profile

Irrewarra offers a slower smaller community life in Colac Otway, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.

The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience.

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

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
365
Median age
47
Median household income / week
$1,583
Dwelling vacancy
6.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
9 of 142
Median monthly mortgage
$1,517
Employment rate
58.3%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
3 / 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)
30
Against the person
4
Against property
14
Rate per 1,000 residents
82.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 91 residents
State safety percentile
68.2th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+7.1%

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goods4
  • B49 Other Theft9
  • C32 Drug Possession2
  • E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order3

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

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).

2 planning-related records

2020· 2 proposals

  • November 2020

  • Building and Works Comprising Construction of an Outbuilding and Relocation of Two (2) Water Tanks
    105 Drapers RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • Use and Development of a Dwelling and Outbuilding and Alteration of Ac cess to a Road in a Road Zone Category 1
    530 COLAC BALLARAT ROAD IRREWARRA 3249Permit 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

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Lake Thurrumbong Wildlife Reserve (hunting)Nature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
7/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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

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

Desirability Index

Desirability score
35.0/100 — Below average
National rank
4257th in Australia
State rank
805th in VIC
Peer rank
#154 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#360 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
52%

Data sources & freshness

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

Recent changes

  • B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goodscrime4
  • B49 Other Theftcrime9
  • C32 Drug Possessioncrime2
  • E13 Resist Or Hinder Officercrime2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime3
  • Lake Thurrumbong Wildlife Reserve (hunting)governmentnature_reserve
  • Building and Works Comprising Construction of an Outbuilding and Relocation of Two (2) Water Tanksplanning105 Drapers RoadLodged 06 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and Development of a Dwelling and Outbuilding and Alteration of Ac cess to a Road in a Road Zone Category 1planning530 COLAC BALLARAT ROAD IRREWARRA 3249Lodged 17 Sep 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Data sources & freshness

More in Colac Otway Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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