VIC · Buloke Council
Watchem, 3482
Current weather
10.4°CLight drizzle
89% humidity · 20.9 km/h wind · 12.9° / 8.6° today · 7.4 mm rain
Updated
- National parks
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Watchem is a welcoming smaller community in Buloke, with a settled community character. Set in the wider countryside, it offers distance from the capital and a strong sense of place. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. The market sits in a sensible middle ground: not cheap, but fair value for the area.
Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
Population
- Population
- 124
- Median age
- 56
- Median household income / week
- $1,031
- Dwelling vacancy
- 36.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 25 of 69
- Median monthly mortgage
- $477
- Employment rate
- 26.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 9 / 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)
- 9
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 3
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 72.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 124 residents
- State safety percentile
- 63.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -35.7%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary1
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft1
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle1
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order5
- Other Crimes Against The Person1
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
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Hotel/Sunraysia Hwy
- Hotel/Sunraysia Hwy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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
2020· 1 proposal
August 2020
- Construction of carport75 Camp 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
13 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Watchem Public HallCommunity centre
- Watchem StoreGeneral
- Picnic Table (2)
- Australia PostPost Box
- Watchem LPOPost office
- Watchem HotelPub
- Watchem Comfort StationPublic toilets
- Shelter
- Watchem Swimming PoolSports centre
- 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
- Corack I135 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- 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
- 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)
- 5
- 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
Recent changes
- Australia Postamenitiespost_box
- Picnic Tableamenitiespicnic_table
- Picnic Tableamenitiespicnic_table
- Shelteramenitiesshelter
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Watchem Comfort Stationamenitiestoilets
- Watchem Hotelamenitiespub
- Watchem LPOamenitiespost_office
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Buloke Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.