VIC · South Gippsland Council
Tarwin Lower, 3956
Current weather
10.3°CLight drizzle
95% humidity · 30.4 km/h wind · 11.9° / 8.8° today · 20.5 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
Tarwin Lower is a small locality in the South Gippsland area, home to around 462 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 32 offences in 2026 with rising year-on-year trends (+88%), roughly 69.3 offences per 1,000 residents, 1 school and preschool site in the area, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 462
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,262
- Dwelling vacancy
- 32.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 92 of 286
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,548
- Employment rate
- 55.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 12 / 5 / 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)
- 32
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 21
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 69.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 462 residents
- State safety percentile
- 61.5th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +88.2%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary3
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary12
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft2
- B53 Obtain Benefit By Deception2
- E13 Resist Or Hinder Officer3
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
- 990
- Tarwin Lower 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).
13 planning-related records
2021· 5 proposals
September 2021
- Building and works associated with developing the land with a dwelling10 CUMBERLAND COURT TARWIN LOWER 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of land for an agricultural shed255 CAPE LIPTRAP ROAD TARWIN LOWER 3956Withdrawn
- Use and development of land with a Dwelling and Group Accommodation The application is for the proposed addition of a shed to the existing permit. The shed will provide safe rodent proof storage for vehicles, tools and machinery away from the elements and corrosive sea air of cape liptrap. The proposed toilet and basin will provide myself and workers/Helpers a place to clean up and toilet when carrying out messy jobs, such as weeding and maintaining the bush area.323 CAPE LIPTRAP ROAD TARWIN LOWER 3956Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Subdivision of land and certification (ref: S172921P)3 River DriveNo permit required
February 2021
- Develop land with a dwelling455 Walkerville RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 8 proposals
December 2020
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling21-23 School RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
November 2020
- Develop land with a domestic outbuilding11 Cumberland CourtPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling45 Arbuthnots RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Develop land with an extension to an existing dwelling1720 Buffalo-Waratah RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
October 2020
- Develop land with an agricultural outbuilding1220 Buffalo-Waratah RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2020
- Development of land for a domestic shed20 Arbuthnots RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Development of land for an agricultural shed255 Cape Liptrap RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2020
- Develop land with a domestic outbuilding14 Burrows WayPermit 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
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
6 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Cape Liptrap Lighthouse ReserveNature reserve
- Kings Flat Flora ReserveNature reserve
- School Road ReserveNature reserve
- Tarwin Lower Flora ReserveNature reserve
- Tarwin Lower Recreation ReservePark
- Tarwin South Bushland ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
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
- BELL POINT LIME KILNNH2068
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 6
- 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
- 25.1/100
- National rank
- 5936th in Australia
- State rank
- 1142nd in VIC
- Peer rank
- #72 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #119 among Coastal & beach 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
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime3
- B322 Non-Residential Non-Aggravated Burglarycrime12
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime2
- B53 Obtain Benefit By Deceptioncrime2
- E13 Resist Or Hinder Officercrime3
- BELL POINT LIME KILNheritageNH2068
- Cape Liptrap Lighthouse Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Kings Flat Flora Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- School Road Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Tarwin Lower Flora Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
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
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.