VIC · South Gippsland Council
Koonwarra, 3954
Current weather
10.6°CRain showers
92% humidity · 34.8 km/h wind · 12.4° / 9.4° today · 24.7 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Koonwarra is a small locality in the South Gippsland area, home to around 366 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 25 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+257%), roughly 68.3 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. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 366
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,825
- Dwelling vacancy
- 12.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 160
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,517
- Employment rate
- 65.3%
- 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)
- 25
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 68.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 366 residents
- State safety percentile
- 60.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +257.1%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary2
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary11
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle5
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order2
- 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
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,092
- Koonwarra Village 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
1 public transport stops in this suburb
- Koala Dr/Swan 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).
7 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
June 2021
- Develop land with an outbuilding70 Whittingham WayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling335 OLD KOONWARRA-MEENIYAN ROAD KOONWARRA 3954Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 5 proposals
October 2020
- Two lot subdivision225 Caithness RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2020
- Develop land with a dwelling and domestic outbuilding1 Kangaroo RisePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of land for an extension to an existing domestic outbuilding3 Bacon AvenuePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling285 Sewells RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a replacement dwelling160 Minns RoadPermit 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
9 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (4)
- Bicycle Parking
- Koonwarra Store & EmporiumCafe
- Australia PostPost Box
- Public toilets
- Telephone
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
- Koonwarra Flora ReserveNature reserve
- Koonwarra Memorial ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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
- 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)
- 45
- Parks (OSM)
- 3
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
- 32.9/100
- National rank
- 4598th in Australia
- State rank
- 898th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #198 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #435 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
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime2
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime11
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime5
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime2
- Other Crimes Against The Personcrime1
- Koonwarra Flora Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Koonwarra Memorial Parkgovernmentpark
- Develop land with a dwelling and domestic outbuildingplanning1 Kangaroo RiseLodged 31 Mar 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with a replacement dwellingplanning160 Minns RoadLodged 05 Feb 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwellingplanning335 OLD KOONWARRA-MEENIYAN ROAD KOONWARRA 3954Lodged 17 May 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
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.