VIC · Glenelg Council
Merino, 3310
Current weather
7.7°CPartly cloudy
87% humidity · 23.3 km/h wind · 11.8° / 6.1° today · 8.7 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Merino is a quieter smaller community in Glenelg, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Out in the wider region, it rewards those who value open country and a pace set by the land, not the clock. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play.
Homes are relatively affordable, which helps families and first-time residents put down roots. 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, with growth momentum and community and employment the main drags compared with similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 249
- Median age
- 58
- Median household income / week
- $769
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 21 of 144
- Median monthly mortgage
- $650
- Employment rate
- 42.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 12 / 6 / 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)
- 23
- Against the person
- 12
- Against property
- 8
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 92.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 73.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +76.9%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A211 Fv Serious Assault2
- A231 Fv Common Assault4
- B21 Criminal Damage3
- B49 Other Theft3
- Other Crimes Against The Person2
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
- 959
- Merino Consolidated 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).
1 planning-related records
2021· 1 proposal
May 2021
- Building an Works to Construct a Shed12 Lansdown 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
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Merino General StoreGeneral
- Playground
- Paddy's WaterholePub
- Public toilets
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
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Lions ParkPark
- Mocamboro H29 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
- Unnamed P0042 Private Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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)
- 9
- 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
- 24.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6168th in Australia
- State rank
- 1157th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #344 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #648 among Country & regional 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
- Merino General Storeamenitiesgeneral
- Paddy's Waterholeamenitiespub
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Public toiletsamenitiestoilets
- A211 Fv Serious Assaultcrime2
- A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime4
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime3
- B49 Other Theftcrime3
- Other Crimes Against The Personcrime2
- Lions Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
- 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
More in Glenelg Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.