suburb.guide

VIC · Glenelg Council

Portland West, 3305

Current weather

8.5°CLight drizzle

88% humidity · 38.6 km/h wind · 12.7° / 7.6° today · 16.7 mm rain

Updated

Desirability score

30.4/100
Below average

973rd in VIC

62% data confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Coastal
  • Established
  • Residential
  • Amenities
  • Open space
What Portland West is known for: Coastal, Established, Residential, Amenities, Open space

Suburb profile

Life in Portland West revolves around the coast, with the feel of a smaller community that never strays far from the water. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.

Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. The town centre holds its own, with enough local flavour to make staying close to home appealing. Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience.

The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.

The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space against similar coastal suburbs, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

Population

Population
619
Median age
49
Median household income / week
$1,931
Dwelling vacancy
9.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
23 of 248
Median monthly mortgage
$1,363
Employment rate
61.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
11 / 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)
23
Against the person
6
Against property
10
Rate per 1,000 residents
37.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 103 residents
State safety percentile
33.1th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-20.7%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

  • A211 Fv Serious Assault4
  • A231 Fv Common Assault2
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft3
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order3

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

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).

7 planning-related records

2021· 5 proposals

  • July 2021

  • Use and development of dwelling and outbuildings
    195 BRIDGEWATER ROAD PORTLAND WEST 3305NOD issued by a delegate

  • June 2021

  • Use and Development of the Land for a Dwelling Ancillary to Horticulture and Poultry Keeping, Development of Group Accommodation, and Development of Associated Infrastructure and Works
    CAPE NELSON ROAD PORTLAND WEST 3305NOD issued by a delegate

  • February 2021

  • Building and Works to Construct a Replacement Shed
    135 Heath RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Three Lot re-subdivision and removal of specified easements
    115 Heath RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2021

  • Building and Works to Construct a Shed
    310 Malings RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 2 proposals

  • October 2020

  • AMENDMENT: Building and Works to Construct a Single Dwelling
    64 Knights And Parkers RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2020

  • Use and Development for a Dwelling
    38 Peddie AvenueWithdrawn

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

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Portland H46 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Portland H47 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
  • Trewalla H48 Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
6/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

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

Heritage

2 state heritage places

  • BLAIR MONANH1897
  • CAPE NELSON LIGHTSTATIONNH1773

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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)
1
Parks (OSM)
0

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
30.4/100 — Below average
National rank
5153rd in Australia
State rank
973rd in VIC
Peer rank
#61 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#102 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
62%

Data sources & freshness

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

Recent changes

  • A211 Fv Serious Assaultcrime4
  • A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime2
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime3
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime2
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime3
  • BLAIR MONAheritageNH1897
  • CAPE NELSON LIGHTSTATIONheritageNH1773
  • Portland H46 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Portland H47 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
  • Trewalla H48 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve

Data sources & freshness

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.