3644 crosses VIC/NSW

The area is far older than the rest of Australia, with a typical resident aged 47 and a significant 27.6% of people aged 65 and over. While the population grew by 6.9% since 2011, the proportion of children under 15 has fallen to 16.5%.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with overseas birthplaces make up 14.0% of the population, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, followed by Irish and Scottish.

English is the main language for 83.1% of people, and the 9.9% who use another language at home is far below the New South Wales average. However, the proportion of people who speak little or no English rose to 2.4% by 2021.

Over half the community identifies as Christian, while 34.5% report no religion. This figure for no religion has risen by 18 points since 2011, though it remains well below the national average.

Education levels are much lower than in most other areas, with only 9.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 34.8% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the state and national figures.

Incomes are well below the national average, with the typical household earning $1,178 a week. Only 10.1% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, a figure that is much lower than most other areas.

Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.9% of people reporting a long-term health condition. Additionally, 7.7% of residents need help with daily activities, which is a little above the national average.

Community spirit is evident in the 16.3% of people who volunteer, which is well above the New South Wales average. However, the number of people doing unpaid housework and childcare has fallen since 2011.

Homes here tend to be smaller, with 2.3 people per household. A high 31.4% of people live alone, which is well above the national figure, while 14.4% of families are headed by one parent.

Housing is dominated by separate houses, making up 91.5% of all dwellings. Rent is far below the state average at $250 a week, and 41.9% of homes are owned outright, which is far above the national figure.

The community relies almost entirely on cars, as only 0.2% of people commute using public transport. Very few people work from home, at 8.0%, which is far below the national rate of 21.0%.

The area is quite mobile, with 37.6% of people having moved in the last five years. There has also been a steady stream of new arrivals from overseas, who make up 16.7% of the population.

Working or looking for work is much less common here than elsewhere, at 52.1%. Local industry is varied, with the largest groups working in agriculture, forestry, fishing and manufacturing.

Overall advantage is low, with the area ranking smaller than about 80% of other similar areas. This is consistent with the low levels of higher education and the lower-than-average household incomes found here.

The area is only somewhat walkable, with a score of 4.4, well below the state average. Many residents live far from amenities, with only about half of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries or health services.