3414, VIC

The population is far older than the state and national averages, with 30.1% of residents aged 65 or over. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 13.8% of the community, a figure that has fallen since 2011.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 88.4% born here and only 6.5% born overseas, which is far below the national figure.

English is the primary language for nearly everyone, with only 1.9% of people using another language at home—far lower than across Victoria.

A large proportion of residents report no religion (44.9%), a figure that has risen by 23 percentage points since 2011 and remains well above the national average.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 34.1% of residents having completed Year 12, far below the national figure of 58.8%.

Incomes are well below national levels, with the typical family earning $1,441 a week and only 9.1% of households earning $3,000 or more weekly.

Health challenges are common here; 40.8% of people have a long-term health condition, and 9.3% need help with daily activities, both of which are among the highest rates for similar areas.

Volunteering is very common at 24%, far above the national figure, and 6.3% of residents have served in the Defence Force.

The area has many small households, with 36.9% of people living alone—far above the national average of 25.6%.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (95.6%), and over half of all homes (51.5%) are owned outright, meaning rents and mortgages are much lower than the state average.

Most people rely on cars for work, and no one uses public transport to commute. This is consistent with the fact that the area is very sparsely populated.

The population is very stable, with only 26.5% of people moving in the last five years, far below the national figure of 40.7%.

While 46.5% of adults are working or looking for work, those who are employed are often in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

The area ranks low for overall advantage, scoring a 2 out of 10, which reflects the lower levels of typical income and educational qualifications.

Recorded offences are lower than in most similar areas, with 58 offences per 100,000 people.

While the area is somewhat walkable, most homes are far from essential services, with only 53.8% within a 15-minute walk of health services.