3639, VIC

Seniors aged 65 and over make up 29.0% of the population, which is far above the national figure. This trend is linked to a very small number of children, as those under 15 account for only 9.8% of residents. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent 6.7% of the community, well above the state average.

Most residents were born in Australia (82.5%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state average. However, this has changed recently, as the proportion of people born overseas rose 3.4 points since 2011 to 10.4%.

English is the primary language for 90.2% of the community. While the number of people using another language at home rose to 4.6% since 2011, this remains far below the national figure, and no one in the area reports speaking little or no English.

Religious affiliation is split almost evenly, with 45.5% identifying as Christian and 44.3% reporting no religion. The proportion of people with no religion has grown significantly, rising 18 points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 9.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 29.8% have completed Year 12, which is far below the Victorian average of 61.8%.

Typical weekly household income is $937, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. High earners are rare here, with only 2.9% of households earning $3,000 or more per week.

Long-term health issues are much more common than in other areas, affecting 37.4% of residents. This is reflected in the 7.9% of people who need help with daily activities, a figure a little above the state average.

Residents are very active in their community, with 21.8% volunteering, which is well above the national figure. Unpaid care is also common, as 19.0% of people provide unpaid care, among the highest rates for similar areas.

Living arrangements are often solitary, with 35.9% of people living alone, far above the national figure. This contributes to smaller households, with a typical size of 2.1 people per home.

Home ownership is very high, with 56.9% of homes owned outright, far above the state average. The area is almost entirely made up of separate houses (96.7%), and typical weekly rent is very low at $177.

The community is entirely dependent on cars, as 0.0% of residents commute by public transport and every single home has at least one motor vehicle. Working from home is relatively common at 23.8%.

The population is relatively stable, as only 24.6% of people moved in the last five years, far below the national average. Interestingly, recent arrivals from overseas rose sharply from 0.0% in 2011 to 18.0% in 2021.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing is the dominant industry for 35.9% of workers. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, which is a little above the national figure of 5.1%.

The area ranks lower than most similar places in terms of overall advantage, with a score of 939 compared to the national average of 1,000. It is specifically noted as having lower access to money and resources.

The area is completely car-dependent, with a very low walkability score of 1.3. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or schools.