VIC · Greater Bendigo Council
West Bendigo, 3550
Current weather
9.2°CLight drizzle
96% humidity · 22.9 km/h wind · 10.4° / 7.5° today · 9.8 mm rain
Desirability score
Suburb snapshot
West Bendigo is a small locality in the Greater Bendigo area, home to around 378 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 56 offences in 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-23%), roughly 148.1 offences per 1,000 residents, 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.
Population
- Population
- 378
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $1,343
- Dwelling vacancy
- 11.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 20 of 178
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,257
- Employment rate
- 57.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 10 / 6 / 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)
- 56
- Against the person
- 15
- Against property
- 24
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 148.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 25 residents
- State safety percentile
- 85.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -23.3%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- A231 Fv Common Assault4
- B21 Criminal Damage6
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle7
- B49 Other Theft6
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order6
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
3 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bendigo Stadium/Marong Rd
- Maple St/Marong Rd
- Victoria Hill Historic Mining Site/Marong Rd
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).
14 planning-related records
2021· 8 proposals
June 2021
- Demolition of outbuildings, construction of a carport and front fence, and external alterations to an existing dwelling8 Union StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2021
- Construction of an Outbuilding15 Lazarus StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
- Construction of a dwelling4 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
- Construction of a dwelling18 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwelling22 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwelling20 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Display of signage91 INGLIS STREET WEST BENDIGO 3550In progress
January 2021
- Construction of an outbuilding (shed)12 Norris RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 6 proposals
November 2020
- Construction of a dwelling17 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
October 2020
- Construction of a dwelling and outbuilding72 Sparrowhawk RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Construction of a dwelling19 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwelling21 Moonta StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2020
- 2 Lot subdivision12A Inglis StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
- Construction of an outbuilding89 Empire 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
- Bbq
- Bendigo StadiumBus stop
- Maple StreetBus stop
- Victoria Hill Historic Mining SiteBus stop
- Drinking water
- Picnic Table (2)
- Australia PostPost Box
- Arena Bar & BistroRestaurant
- TelstraTelephone
- Waste Basket (2)
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
- West Bendigo Recreation ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
- 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)
- 3
- 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
- 26.4/100
- National rank
- 5764th in Australia
- State rank
- 1118th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #275 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #614 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
- A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime4
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime6
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime7
- B49 Other Theftcrime6
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime6
- West Bendigo Recreation Reservegovernmentpark
- 2 Lot subdivisionplanning12A Inglis StreetLodged 16 Jul 2020 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwellingplanning4 Moonta StreetLodged 04 Mar 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwellingplanning18 Moonta StreetLodged 25 Feb 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Construction of a dwellingplanning22 Moonta StreetLodged 11 Feb 2021 · Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
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
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a similar population, SEIFA decile and location.