Lake Bolac

The community is far older than the state and national average, with 23.9% of people aged 65 and over. It is also more likely to have people in de facto relationships, at 17.2%, which is well above the national figure.

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with ancestral roots primarily identify as Australian, English, or Scottish. Only 9.8% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

English is the dominant language, spoken by 88% of the population. Very few people use another language at home (2.2%), and none of the residents speak little or no English.

Nearly half of the population (48.4%) report having no religion, a figure well above the national average of 38.9%. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 38.6%.

Education levels are lower than the state average, with only 38.3% of residents completing Year 12. Qualifications are often linked to the local landscape, with agriculture and environment being the most common fields of study.

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the typical household earning $1,230 a week. Only 14% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is around the middle for similar areas.

While 30.2% of people have a long-term health condition, those needing help with daily activities are fewer (2.7%) than in most areas. Mental health conditions are a little more common here than in the state average.

Participation is very high, with 34% of residents volunteering—far above the national figure of 14.1%. Unpaid care for children and housework is also more common here than in most other areas.

There are three First Nations people in the area. While their typical household income is far above the state average, their typical personal income is among the lowest for similar areas.

The area has a high proportion of people living alone (30.1%) and a very low rate of one-parent families (5.7%). Most households consist of couples, with 55.3% having children.

Housing is dominated by separate houses (97.2%), and over half (52.4%) are owned outright. This leads to much lower typical costs, with weekly rents at $150 and monthly mortgage payments at $980.

The community is entirely car-dependent, with every single home owning at least one motor vehicle. No one commutes to work using public transport, although there are more bus stops per person than in many similar areas.

Movement into the area is notable, with a very high proportion of recent overseas arrivals (33.3%). However, the overall percentage of people who moved in the last five years (32%) is lower than the state average.

Work is heavily tied to the land, with 36.5% of people employed in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. The percentage of adults working or looking for work (55.3%) is well below the national figure.

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.6, far below the state average. Many residents live more than 15 minutes away from health services, groceries, and parks.