VIC · Ballarat Council
Magpie, VIC, 3352
Current weather
9.5°CRain showers
96% humidity · 31.5 km/h wind · 12.9° / 7.7° today · 4.7 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Magpie is a small locality in the Ballarat area, home to around 368 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 29 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+222%), roughly 78.8 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, and some planning and development activity on record. See the sections below for population, safety, schools and local activity.
Population
- Population
- 368
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $2,097
- Dwelling vacancy
- 2.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 3 of 127
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,690
- Employment rate
- 60.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 12 / 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
- 3
- Against property
- 17
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 78.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 123 residents
- State safety percentile
- 66.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +222.2%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A81 Dangerous Driving1
- B11 Cause Damage By Fire6
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle2
- B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goods5
- C32 Drug Possession9
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
- 923
- Magpie 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
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
3 planning-related records
2020· 3 proposals
December 2020
- Development of a shed7713 Midland HighwayPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
November 2020
- Development of a habitable outbuilding, carport, outbuildings, dog run and fencing16 Magpie RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
- Development of a dwelling, two lot subdivision and removal of native vegetation85 Hiscock Gully 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
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)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
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)
- 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
- 20.6/100
- National rank
- 6416th in Australia
- State rank
- 1201st in VIC
- Peer rank
- #95 among Metro Melbourne · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #484 among Metro Melbourne suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- A81 Dangerous Drivingcrime1
- B11 Cause Damage By Firecrime6
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime2
- B45 Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goodscrime5
- C32 Drug Possessioncrime9
- Development of a dwelling, two lot subdivision and removal of native vegetationplanning85 Hiscock Gully RoadLodged 05 Jun 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of a habitable outbuilding, carport, outbuildings, dog run and fencingplanning16 Magpie RoadLodged 20 Nov 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of a shedplanning7713 Midland HighwayLodged 15 Dec 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Magpie Primary SchoolschoolsPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Updated on site · Annual ACARA 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.