suburb.guide

VIC · East Gippsland Council

Orbost, 3888

Current weather

13.9°CMainly clear

54% humidity · 3.3 km/h wind · 17.2° / 10.7° today · 1.8 mm rain

Desirability score

29.7/100

5234th in Australia

89% data confidence

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Orbost is a smaller suburban community in the East Gippsland area, home to around 2,264 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 403 offences in 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-13%), roughly 178.0 offences per 1,000 residents, 2 school and preschool sites in the area, limited but present public transport access, fewer mapped amenities than nearby suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.

Population

Population
2,264
Median age
53
Median household income / week
$785
Dwelling vacancy
13.6%
Unoccupied private dwellings
152 of 1,118
Median monthly mortgage
$867
Employment rate
38%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
73 / 37 / 22

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)
403
Against the person
90
Against property
122
Rate per 1,000 residents
178
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 25 residents
State safety percentile
89.2th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-13.1%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage38
  • B49 Other Theft24
  • C32 Drug Possession14
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order94
  • E23 Breach Bail Conditions17

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
937
  • Orbost Community CollegeCombined
  • St Joseph's SchoolPrimary

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

1 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Nicholson St/Wolseley St

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

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).

14 planning-related records

2021· 8 proposals

  • August 2021

  • Development of an open sided machinery shed
    190 FOREST ROAD ORBOST 3888In progress
  • Lopping and removal of native vegetation
    2-6 LOCHIEL STREET ORBOST 3888No permit required

  • July 2021

  • Two lot residential subdivision
    47 EVANS STREET ORBOST 3888Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Two lot subdivision
    72 REED STREET ORBOST 3888Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2021

  • Buildings and works of an agricultural outbuilding
    169 COULSONS ROAD ORBOST 3888Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2021

  • Native vegetation removal
    16 YOUNGS CREEK ROAD ORBOST 3888Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • Two lot subdivision (realignment of existing boundaries)
    98 Stanley StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Buildings and works for an outbuilding to a section 2 dwelling within road and boundary setbacks
    174 Duggans RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals

  • October 2020

  • Buildings and works for two dwellings
    43 Reed StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works for two dwellings
    8 Ralston CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works (alterations and additions to a a school)
    4-8 Raymond StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2020

  • Develop and use land into 13 Rural Living lots and remove an easement
    66 Jarrahmond RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Extension to a fire station
    31-35 Gladstone StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Building and works (carport and shed)
    19 McLeod StreetPermit 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

1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • 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

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Forest ParkPark
  • Koala Court ReservePark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
5
Emergency department
On site
  • Gippsland Healthdoctor
  • Gippsland Healthlinksdoctor
  • Orbost Pharmacypharmacy
  • Orbost Regional Healthyes
  • Orbost Regional HealthBoundary Roadhospital

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
1/10
IRSD decile (2021)
1/10

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

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

  • Orbost Kindergartenkindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

Childcare centre count

Data sources & freshness

  • Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site

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)
11
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
29.7/100
National rank
5234th in Australia
State rank
1033rd in VIC
Peer rank
#268 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#546 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
89%

Data sources & freshness

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

Recent changes

  • B21 Criminal Damagecrime38
  • B49 Other Theftcrime24
  • C32 Drug Possessioncrime14
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime94
  • E23 Breach Bail Conditionscrime17
  • Orbost Kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
  • Gippsland Healthhealthdoctor
  • Gippsland Healthlinkshealthdoctor
  • Orbost Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
  • Orbost Regional Healthhealthyes

Data sources & freshness

Similar suburbs

Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.