State Electorate · Area profile
Bellarine (Western Victoria)
368 km²
Far fewer people are born overseas in Bellarine than in the rest of Victoria, with only 13.4% born abroad. This is an older community where the typical resident is 48 and more than a quarter of the population are seniors. The area has grown quickly, adding about 12,117 people since 2016. It is a place of spacious, detached homes and a high proportion of residents who own their houses outright.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
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The population is far older than the national figure, with the typical resident aged 48 and 27.4% of people aged 65 and over. This senior presence is much higher than most similar areas and rose by 3.5 percentage points since 2016.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born (81.7%) and has far fewer overseas-born residents than the state average. English is the most common ancestry at 43.8%, and the proportion of people born abroad has barely changed since 2016.
Language diversity is much lower than most areas, with 90.4% of people speaking only English at home. This is far below the Victorian average, and very few residents—just 0.4%—speak little or no English.
A large portion of the community identifies as having no religion at 46.1%, which is well above the national figure. This sentiment has grown significantly, rising 9.9 percentage points since 2016.
About 23.9% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the state average. However, more people have completed Year 12 than in 2016, and the area has a higher school advantage score than most similar places.
Typical weekly household income is $1,535, which is a little below the national figure. Incomes have risen since 2016, with the share of households earning $3,000 or more per week growing by 9.4 percentage points.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.1% of residents. This is well above the national figure, with arthritis and mental health being the most reported conditions.
Volunteering is much higher than in most areas at 17.2%, though this fell 6.9 percentage points since 2016. The area also has a higher rate of unpaid carers and people doing housework than the state average.
Homes here are slightly smaller than average with 2.4 people per dwelling. About 52.5% of households are couples with children, while a quarter of all residents live alone.
The area is dominated by separate houses (92.9%) and large homes, with 86% having three or more bedrooms. Home ownership is very strong, as 44% of homes are owned outright—far above the national figure.
Cars are essential here, as only 0.7% of people commute by public transport and only 2.5% of homes have no vehicle. Working from home has become more common, rising 16 percentage points since 2016.
The area has seen significant movement, with 42.2% of people moving in the last five years. This is slightly higher than the national figure, though recent arrivals from overseas remain very low at 5.2%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 55.7%. While the unemployment rate is a low 3.6%, full-time employment is well below the state average.
Walking to amenities is difficult for many, as only 45.7% of homes have a 15-minute-city walkshed. This is far below the state average, with many residents lacking easy walk access to health services and groceries.