Victoria council

Surf Coast

40,265 residents (ABS estimated resident population, 30 June 2025) across 1,553 km², 29 suburbs. Council website: surfcoast.vic.gov.au.

Council series run to July 2026.

Population

40,265

ABS estimated resident population, 30 June 2025 · +1.1% in a year

Density

26/km²

1,553 km² · ERP 2025 over the ABS 2024 boundary

Council-wide house median

$1.3M

Established-house transfers across the whole council, FY 2023-24 (ABS)

Federal grants per resident

$147

Financial Assistance Grant 2025-26 over ERP 2025

Dwelling approvals

7.7 per 1,000

Residents, 12 months to July 2026 (ABS Building Approvals)

Advantage decile

10 of 10

SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, national (10 = most advantaged)

Suburbs

29

Where it holds most residents (ABS mesh-block allocation)

Council-level series. Each chart names its source and period.

PopulationABS estimated resident population at 30 June, 2001–2025
Council-wide median sale pricesABS Data by Region: median transfer price across the whole council by financial year, 2018-19–2023-24. Not any one suburb's price.
Dwelling approvalsABS Building Approvals, monthly, 2021-07–2026-07
Federal Financial Assistance GrantsTotal grant by financial year, 2017-18–2025-26 (Dept of Infrastructure)

People and housing

Council-wide figures from the ABS Census of 2021 and SEIFA 2021 (national deciles, 10 = most advantaged).

Median age
42
Median household income
$2,088/week
Median rent
$461/week
Median mortgage repayment
$2,145/month
Households renting
18.1%
Average household
2.6 people
Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD)
decile 10 of 10
Disadvantage (IRSD)
decile 10 of 10

Council finances

From Local Government Victoria's Performance Reporting Framework (LGPRF), 2024-25.

Average rates per property
$2,314
2024-25
Operating result
-5.0%
adjusted underlying result; negative = deficit
Asset renewal
94%
renewal and upgrade spend vs depreciation

Suburbs

29 suburbs where Surf Coast holds most residents, plus 3 it shares with a neighbouring council (share of residents shown). Population is Census 2021 for the whole suburb. A median here is the suburb’s own Valuer-General median — suburbs without one are blank, never filled with the council figure.

SuburbPopulationIn this councilMedian house (VG)Flood / bushfireIRSAD
Torquay (Vic.)18,534All$1.2MDec 20255% / 77%10
Mount Duneed6,1827%$710kDec 20254% / 84%9
Jan Juc4,151All$1.3MDec 20251% / 80%10
Anglesea3,208All$1.4MDec 20259% / 100%9
Winchelsea2,456All$633kDec 202513% / 95%4
Bellbrae1,346All<1% / 100%10
Lorne (Vic.)1,327All$1.9MDec 2025<1% / 100%8
Aireys Inlet979All$1.3MDec 20251% / 100%9
Connewarre95323%$1.9MDec 202545% / 64%10
Moriac852All9% / 97%10
Freshwater Creek454All6% / 100%9
Gherang391All4% / 100%9
Fairhaven390All$1.7MDec 202520% / 100%10
Deans Marsh368All4% / 100%9
Gnarwarre297All3% / 100%9
Modewarre277All17% / 95%9
Mount Moriac251All3% / 100%9
Barrabool247All7% / 100%10
Buckley228All11% / 95%9
Winchelsea South171All<1% / 100%9
Paraparap167All7% / 100%10
Bells Beach151All0% / 100%10
Wurdiboluc147All8% / 83%9
Moggs Creek120All0% / 98%10
Bambra115All<1% / 100%9
Pennyroyal110All2% / 100%9
Wensleydale95All1% / 100%9
Ombersley9316%8% / 96%8
Eastern View47All0% / 100%9
Big Hill (Surf Coast - Vic.)38All0% / 99%9
Boonah (Vic.)18All0% / 100%9
Benwerrin9All0% / 100%9

Hazards

Share of each member suburb's land inside the mapped layer, averaged across the council weighted by the residents each suburb contributes. Only suburbs a source covers count; the rest are left out, not counted as zero.

Flood planning land

6%

Over 32 of 32 member suburbs

Show the layer on the map →

Bushfire-prone land

85%

Over 32 of 32 member suburbs

Show the layer on the map →

Observed surface water (1986–present)

3%

Over 32 of 32 member suburbs

Show the layer on the map →

Suburb prices

Across the 7 member suburbs with their own Valuer-General median (unweighted; each suburb's latest figure, periods ending Dec 2025).

Lowest suburb median
$633k
Median of suburb medians
$1.3M
Highest suburb median
$1.9M

Representation

Federal electorates and state districts covering the council, by share of the residents its suburbs contribute (each suburb counts once, for the seat containing a representative interior point).

Federal electorates

  • Corangamite · Libby COKER (ALP)66%
  • Wannon · Dan TEHAN (LP)34%

State districts

  • Polwarth · Richard Riordan (LIB)93%
  • South Barwon · Darren Cheeseman (IND)7%

Neighbouring councils

Councils in the same state whose suburbs share a boundary with this one's, and councils it splits a suburb with.

Compare it with every Victoria council on the council map or the Victoria council list.

Boundaries: ABS ASGS Edition 3, LGA 2024 boundaries; suburbs allocated by 2021 mesh block, weighted by Census 2021 residents. Population: ABS estimated resident population 2025. Census 2021 and SEIFA 2021: ABS. Council-wide medians: ABS Data by Region. Approvals: ABS Building Approvals. Grants: Financial Assistance Grants, Dept of Infrastructure. Financials: Local Government Victoria (LGPRF), 2024-25. Suburb prices: state Valuer-General. Flood and bushfire: state planning layers. Observed water: Geoscience Australia DEA Water Observations. Website and identity: Wikidata (CC0). ABS, Dept of Infrastructure, Local Government Victoria and state government data CC BY 4.0. Council facts loaded 2026-09-24.