VIC · Mildura Council
Merbein South, 3505
Current weather
12.3°CModerate drizzle
90% humidity · 20.5 km/h wind · 16.7° / 10.3° today · 2.4 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Merbein South is a small locality in the Mildura area, home to around 407 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 28 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+17%), roughly 68.8 offences per 1,000 residents, 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
- 407
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $1,571
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 17 of 155
- Median monthly mortgage
- $997
- Employment rate
- 61.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 10 / 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)
- 28
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 19
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 68.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 136 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +16.7%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage4
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft2
- B49 Other Theft6
- E22 Breach Intervention Order3
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
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
2021· 1 proposal
February 2021
- Section 71 Amendment 2 Lot Subdivision (boundary realignment)96 McCarthys RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 1 proposal
September 2020
- Use of the Land for Rural Industry and Solid Fuel Depot Use and development of the land for rural industry (agricultural equipment repairs) and fuel store (firewood) and alteration of access to a Road in a Road Zone, Category 11061 Sturt HighwayPermit 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
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Post Box
- Merbein South LPOPost office
1202 Sturt Highway
- Shelter
- 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
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Merbein South Flora ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Heritage
2 state heritage places
- FORMER HORTICULTURE RESEARCH STATIONNH2316
- FORMER HORTICULTURE RESEARCH STATIONNH2316
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
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 27.4/100
- National rank
- 5600th in Australia
- State rank
- 1088th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #268 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #590 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
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime4
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime3
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime2
- B49 Other Theftcrime6
- E22 Breach Intervention Ordercrime3
- FORMER HORTICULTURE RESEARCH STATIONheritageNH2316
- FORMER HORTICULTURE RESEARCH STATIONheritageNH2316
- Merbein South Flora Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Section 71 Amendment 2 Lot Subdivision (boundary realignment)planning96 McCarthys RoadLodged 15 Feb 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use of the Land for Rural Industry and Solid Fuel Depot Use and development of the land for rural industry (agricultural equipment repairs) and fuel store (firewood) and alteration of access to a Road in a Road Zone, Category 1planning1061 Sturt HighwayLodged 10 Sep 2020 · 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
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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.