# Fish Creek

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: Victoria › Rest of Vic. › South Gippsland › 3959, VIC

Area: 158 km²

Separate houses make up 100% of the dwellings in Fish Creek, creating a landscape of spacious homes. This is a far older community than the national average, with nearly 30% of residents aged 65 or over. Many people here enjoy a high level of independence, with over half of the homes owned outright. It is a place where a strong connection to the land meets a high rate of volunteering and professional qualifications.

## Demographics & Identity

The typical resident is 51, making the area far older than the state and national average. Seniors aged 65 and over make up 29.4% of the population, which is much higher than most similar areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 858 | +8.5% since 2011 |
| Median age | 51 yrs | +6.3% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 1.3% | — |
| People aged 65 and over | 29.4% | +53.9% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 16.8% | -14.4% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 13.8% | +26.9% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Seniors (65+) 29.4%, Older adults (45–64) 29.1%, Children (0–14) 16.8%, Young adults (25–44) 16.4%, Youth (15–24) 9.9%

**Marital status** — Married 52.2%, Never married 30.4%, Divorced 7.7%, Widowed 6.0%, Separated 5.0%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia, and the remaining 12.1% were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries reported.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 12.1% | +19.8% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 79.1%, England 3.0%, New Zealand 1.2%, Italy 0.8%, South Africa 0.7%, Philippines 0.5%

**Ancestry** — English 43.8%, Australian 37.4%, Irish 16.9%, Scottish 12.5%, Dutch 6.3%, Italian 5.2%, German 4.3%, Filipino 0.5%, Chinese 0.3%

## Language

English is the primary language here, with only 3.8% of people using another language at home. This is far below the Victorian and Australian averages.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 3.8% | +21.7% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.0% | — |

**Language used at home** — English only 88.6%, Italian 0.7%

## Religion

More than half of the community (50.3%) report no religion, a figure that is far above the national average. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 37.6%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 50.3% | +49.7% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 50.3%, Christianity 37.6%, Not stated 10.4%, Buddhism 0.8%, Other religions 0.5%

## Education & Qualifications

While 23% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is much higher than most similar areas, this is still well below the state and national averages. Half of the population completed Year 12.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 50.0% | +29.7% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 23.0% | +63.3% since 2011 |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 6.94 | — |
| Schools within 3 km | 1 | — |
| Average school size | 114 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 1,024 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 50.0%, Year 11 18.8%, Year 10 12.9%, Year 9 or below 10.1%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 29.1%, Bachelor degree 20.6%, Advanced diploma / diploma 15.3%, Postgraduate degree 9.8%, Graduate diploma / certificate 5.5%, Certificate I / II 2.2%

**Field of qualification** — Education 14.0%, Agriculture & environment 11.4%, Engineering & related 11.2%, Society & culture 10.3%, Health 9.2%, Management & commerce 7.0%, Architecture & building 5.3%, Food, hospitality & personal services 5.3%, Creative arts 3.9%, Natural & physical sciences 2.2%, Information technology 0.9%

## Income

Typical household income is $1,281 a week, which is well below the national figure. Personal and family incomes are also lower than the state and national averages.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $687 | +41.9% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,281 | +45.9% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,760 | +83.0% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 7.9% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 15.8% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 33.0%, $1,500–$2,999 26.4%, Under $650 19.1%, $3,000–$3,999 9.1%, $4,000 or more 6.7%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 44.3%, $650–$1,499 29.9%, $1,500–$2,999 13.3%, $3,000 or more 3.4%

## Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.2% of residents. Arthritis and mental health are the most frequently reported conditions.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 31.2% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 8.4% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 4.8% | +18.1% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 10.6%, Mental health 8.4%, Asthma 8.3%, Other condition 6.8%, Heart disease 6.2%, Cancer 4.5%, Diabetes 4.5%, Lung condition 2.6%, Stroke 1.3%, Dementia 0.7%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 57.8%, One condition 21.8%, Two conditions 5.4%, Three or more 4.1%

## Community Participation

Volunteering is very common, with 28.8% of people participating, far above the national figure. Unpaid care and housework are also much more frequent here than in most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 28.8% | -17.0% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 15.4% | +29.9% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 26.4% | -15.8% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 2.5% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 31.4% | -11.6% since 2011 |

## First Nations

The First Nations community is notably younger than the national average, with a typical age of 17. Personal and household incomes for this group are far below the state and national figures.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 11 | — |
| First Nations median age | 17 yrs | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $374 | — |
| First Nations household income | $725 | — |

## Family & Households

Family life is dominated by couples, with over 53% having children and another 37.4% without. About 26.7% of people live alone, which is slightly higher than the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.4 | +0.0% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 7.8% | -15.0% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 26.7% | +15.0% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 53.3%, Couples without children 37.4%, One-parent families 7.8%, Other families 0.6%

**Household size** — 2 people 41.8%, 1 person 26.7%, 3 people 13.6%, 4 people 8.8%, 5 people 5.2%, 6 or more 3.6%

## Housing & Dwellings

Home ownership is very high, with 55.8% of houses owned outright. These homes are typically large, as 84.2% have three or more bedrooms, and rent is well below the national average at $235 a week.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $235 | +360.8% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,400 | +24.2% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 11.2% | -24.5% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 55.8% | +12.6% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 100.0% | +2.0% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 84.2% | +5.0% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 55.8%, Owned with a mortgage 25.2%, Rented 11.2%, Other tenure 5.2%, Not stated 3.9%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 100.3%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 59.4%, 4 bedrooms 20.0%, 2 bedrooms 11.5%, 5 or more 4.8%, 1 bedroom 0.9%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 43.2%, Under $200 18.9%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 34.9%, Under $1,000 27.7%, $1,800–$2,999 15.7%, $3,000 or more 12.0%

## Transport & Vehicles

Cars are essential here, as every single home has at least one motor vehicle. Working from home is much more common than in most areas, with 27.7% of the workforce doing so.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 27.7% | +11.1% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 1.0% | +28.0% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 2 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 2.33 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 54.8 | — |
| Public transport routes | 1 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 49 | — |
| Drive time to the city (min) | 114 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 47.9%, Worked at home 27.7%, Walked 5.5%, Car (passenger) 1.3%, Train 1.0%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 2 vehicles 43.0%, 1 vehicle 29.1%, 3 vehicles 17.3%, 4 or more 10.2%

## Migration & Movement

The population is relatively stable, with only 26.9% of people moving in the last five years. This is far below the national and state figures.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 26.9% | -1.6% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 5.8% | +51.9% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing are the main industries, employing 27.7% of the workforce. Full-time employment is far lower than the national average, though the unemployment rate is also lower.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | -41.2% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 56.8% | -8.6% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 47.6% | -10.9% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Agriculture, forestry & fishing 27.7%, Health care & social assistance 10.8%, Retail trade 8.3%, Construction 8.1%, Professional & technical 6.0%, Education & training 6.0%, Accommodation & food 5.0%, Transport & warehousing 3.8%, Arts & recreation 3.3%, Manufacturing 2.3%, Administrative & support 2.0%, Public administration & safety 2.0%, Other services 2.0%, Wholesale trade 1.8%, Media & telecommunications 1.3%, Electricity, gas & water 1.0%, Finance & insurance 1.0%, Rental & real estate 0.8%

**Occupations people work in** — Managers 28.2%, Professionals 18.1%, Technicians & trades 11.6%, Labourers 11.3%, Clerical & administrative 9.3%, Community & personal service 8.6%, Sales workers 7.8%, Machinery operators & drivers 3.0%

## Walkability

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

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 1.3 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 1.6 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 26.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 0.0% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 20.4% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 26.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 28.9% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 0.0% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 23.3 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 1 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 6.9% | — |

## Schools serving Fish Creek

1 school, 114 students, average ICSEA 1,024.

By sector: Government 1

By type: Primary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fish Creek and District Primary School | Government | Primary | 3.8 km | 114 |

## Nearby areas

[Waratah Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22688/waratah-bay) · [Buffalo](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20375/buffalo) · [Sandy Point](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22236/sandy-point) · [Walkerville](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22653/walkerville) · [Foster](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20940/foster) · [Stony Creek](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22364/stony-creek) · [Walkerville North](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22654/walkerville-north) · [Yanakie](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL22900/yanakie)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL20921/fish-creek