VIC · Baw Baw Council
Rawson, 3825
Current weather
9.1°CRain showers
90% humidity · 16.7 km/h wind · 12.1° / 7.6° today · 13 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Rawson is a quieter smaller community in Baw Baw, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. The landscape itself is part of the lifestyle: open paddocks, big skies and room to breathe.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with a strong presence of young families throughout. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker growth momentum and community and employment relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 296
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $840
- Dwelling vacancy
- 20.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 36 of 172
- Median monthly mortgage
- $867
- Employment rate
- 37.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 13 / 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)
- 34
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 114.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 79.1th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +142.9%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A212 Non-Fv Serious Assault2
- A231 Fv Common Assault2
- A711 Fv Stalking3
- B21 Criminal Damage3
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order13
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
- 926
- Rawson 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).
5 planning-related records
2021· 2 proposals
August 2021
- Use and development for group accommodation5 STANDER DRIVE RAWSON 3825NOD issued by a delegate
July 2021
- Building and works to construct a dwelling and alter access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1KNOTTS SIDING ROAD RAWSON 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 3 proposals
November 2020
- Resubdivide the land into two (2) lots and create access to a road in a Transport Zone 250 KNOTTS SIDING ROAD RAWSON 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- Use and development of land for camping and caravan park11 DEPOT ROAD RAWSON 3825Refusal issued by the Resp. Authority
March 2020
- The use of land for Motor Racing Tracks (4 Day Enduro - Motorcycle Club Event) and create access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1175 Knotts Siding 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
12 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Rawson General StoreConvenience store
- Firepit
- Phoenix Paint BallHunting Stand
- Playground (3)
- Police
- Rawson StockyardPub
- Public toilets
- Rawson Swimming PoolSports centre
- Dunstan OvalSports field
- Sports field
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
- Croxford ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- RAIL BRIDGE WALHALLANH1443
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)
- 5
- 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
- 19.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6607th in Australia
- State rank
- 1224th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #386 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #703 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
- Dunstan Ovalamenitiespitch
- Firepitamenitiesfirepit
- Phoenix Paint Ballamenitieshunting_stand
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Policeamenitiespolice
- Public toiletsamenitiestoilets
- Rawson General Storeamenitiesconvenience
- Rawson Stockyardamenitiespub
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Baw Baw Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.