VIC · Baw Baw Council

Willow Grove, 3825

Current weather

11.9°CThunderstorm

87% humidity · 21.7 km/h wind · 14.7° / 10° today · 9.1 mm rain

Desirability score

46.9/100

2117th in Australia

77% data confidence

How this score is calculated

Last updated 2 July 2026 at 6:16 pm AEST

Suburb snapshot

Willow Grove is a small locality in the Baw Baw area, home to around 654 residents (2021 Census). Available data shows 19 offences in 2026 with falling year-on-year trends (-50%), roughly 29.1 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: 654
Median age: 42
Median household income / week: $1,801
Dwelling vacancy: 6.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings: 15 of 243
Median monthly mortgage: $1,600
Employment rate: 59.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats): 16 / 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 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Total offences (2026): 19
Against the person: 5
Against property: 10
Rate per 1,000 residents: 29.1
Person-crime prevalence: About 1 in 131 residents
State safety percentile: 23.2th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate): -50%

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Reported offences by period

Most common offence types

A231 Fv Common Assault2
A232 Non-Fv Common Assault1
B21 Criminal Damage3
B49 Other Theft4
E21 Breach Family Violence Order4

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 2 July 2026 at 12:14 pm AEST · Year ending March release

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools: 1
Median school ICSEA: 1,002

Willow Grove 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 1 July 2026 at 5:19 pm AEST · Annual ACARA release
School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:19 pm AEST · 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).

17 planning-related records

2021· 6 proposals

June 2021
Use and Development of the land for three dwellings28 Jun 2021
1889 WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building12 May 2021
786 ARALUEN ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2021
Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding09 Mar 2021
1275 WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Building and works to construct an agricultural building04 Mar 2021
2795 Old Sale RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and and works to construct an agricultural building01 Mar 2021
786 Araluen RoadWithdrawn
February 2021
Buildings and works to extend a dwelling03 Feb 2021
1740 Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

2020· 11 proposals

October 2020
Subdivide land into 30 lots and associated works, remove native vegetation, create, remove and vary easements and create access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 1.19 Oct 2020
WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825NOD issued by a delegate
September 2020
Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building01 Sep 2020
Moe-Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2020
Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding associated with an existing dwelling13 Aug 2020
1072 Moe-Willow Grove RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2020
Buildings and works to construct a single dwelling10 Jul 2020
10 Glenbrook PlacePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and alter access to a road in Road Zone, Category 1.08 May 2020
102 Daveys RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2020
Use and development of a poultry farm (free range egg production) associated with primary produce sales, construct and display business identification signs and alter access to a road in a Road Zone, Category 123 Apr 2020
1106 MOE-WILLOW GROVE ROAD WILLOW GROVE 3825NOD issued by a delegate
Amending what the permit allows by replacing the word "Tavern" with the word "Hotel" and add the words "use of the land for the sale and consumption of liquor" Amending condition 21 by replacing the words "All weather sealed surface" with "gravel" Amending the endorsed plans by way of 2 additional signs.15 Apr 2020
14 Moe-Willow Grove RoadNOD issued by a delegate
Construction of a Shed02 Apr 2020
1612 Willow Grove RoadWithdrawn
March 2020
Amendment to approved garage location13 Mar 2020
17 Glenbrook PlacePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct an extension to an existing dwelling12 Mar 2020
190 Hunts RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling and associated outbuilding03 Mar 2020
Daveys 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 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · 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 1 July 2026 at 5:15 pm AEST · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

3 parks and public open space in this suburb

Blue Rock Lake West picnic areaPark
Neerim East G79 Bushland ReserveNature reserve
Willow Grove Bushland ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:32 pm AEST

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021): 7/10
IRSD decile (2021): 8/10

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 1 July 2026 at 5:05 pm AEST · 2021 SEIFA release

Childcare

1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap

Willow Grove Kindergartenkindergarten

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

Childcare centre count

Data sources & freshness

Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST

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 1 July 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM): 18
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 1 July 2026 at 5:16 pm AEST · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score: 46.9/100
National rank: 2117th in Australia
State rank: 450th in VIC
Peer rank: #66 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank: #120 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence: 77%

Data sources & freshness

Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site 2 July 2026 at 6:10 pm AEST · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

A231 Fv Common Assaultcrime2
A232 Non-Fv Common Assaultcrime1
B21 Criminal Damagecrime3
B49 Other Theftcrime4
E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime4
Willow Grove Kindergartenchildcarekindergarten
Blue Rock Lake West picnic areagovernmentpark
Neerim East G79 Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
Willow Grove Bushland Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
Amending what the permit allows by replacing the word "Tavern" with the word "Hotel" and add the words "use of the land for the sale and consumption of liquor" Amending condition 21 by replacing the words "All weather sealed surface" with "gravel" Amending the endorsed plans by way of 2 additional signs.planning14 Moe-Willow Grove RoadLodged 15 Apr 2020 · NOD issued by a delegate

Data sources & freshness

Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 6:14 pm AEST
Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site 2 July 2026 at 12:13 pm AEST · Year ending March release
Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:32 pm AEST
PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Updated on site 1 July 2026 at 5:31 pm AEST · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access

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