Apollo Bay vs Beech Forest

In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Apollo Bay: a median of $780,000, against $471,000 in Beech Forest, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Apollo Bay tends to suit older residents, while Beech Forest suits people living alone, families with children, and buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Apollo Bay has more parks and reserves (8 vs 3)
  • Beech Forest carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 67/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Beech Forest

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($215,000 vs $407,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($471,250 vs $780,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (26% vs 34%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Apollo Bay has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 16%)
  • Beech Forest has cheaper rent ($185/wk vs $300/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Beech Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (164 min vs 192 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (201.7 km vs 207.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Apollo Bay

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 14%)
  • But Beech Forest carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 67/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Beech Forest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (52.4% vs 12.0%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Apollo Bay and Beech Forest drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Walkability 4 / 0
Apollo Bay — Walkability: 4/100 Beech Forest — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 33 / 83
Apollo Bay — Safety: 33/100 Beech Forest — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 37 / 15
Apollo Bay — Low fire risk: 37/100 Beech Forest — Low fire risk: 15/100
Low flood risk 65 / 100
Apollo Bay — Low flood risk: 65/100 Beech Forest — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Apollo Bay has more residents (1,790 vs 125); Apollo Bay rents higher ($300/wk vs $185/wk).

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Population 1,790
+93% vs other
 125
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.0% +52.4%
Median age 52 50
Median household income $59,488/yr
+27% vs other
 $43,680/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+38% vs other
 $185/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
0-4 4.1% / 6.4%
Apollo Bay — 0-4: 4.1% Beech Forest — 0-4: 6.4%
5-14 9.4% / 12.8%
Apollo Bay — 5-14: 9.4% Beech Forest — 5-14: 12.8%
15-19 4.1% / 6.4%
Apollo Bay — 15-19: 4.1% Beech Forest — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 2.5% / 2.4%
Apollo Bay — 20-24: 2.5% Beech Forest — 20-24: 2.4%
25-34 9.9% / 7.2%
Apollo Bay — 25-34: 9.9% Beech Forest — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 10.1% / 14.4%
Apollo Bay — 35-44: 10.1% Beech Forest — 35-44: 14.4%
45-54 13.3% / 17.6%
Apollo Bay — 45-54: 13.3% Beech Forest — 45-54: 17.6%
55-64 17.3% / 26.4%
Apollo Bay — 55-64: 17.3% Beech Forest — 55-64: 26.4%
65-74 17.8% / 12.0%
Apollo Bay — 65-74: 17.8% Beech Forest — 65-74: 12.0%
75-84 8.0% / 2.4%
Apollo Bay — 75-84: 8.0% Beech Forest — 75-84: 2.4%
85+ 3.0% / —
Apollo Bay — 85+: 3.0% Beech Forest — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Apollo Bay 55.2% lone person
Apollo Bay — Lone Person: 55.2% Apollo Bay — Couple Families: 26.2% Apollo Bay — One Parent Families: 12.6% Apollo Bay — Group Household: 4.8% Apollo Bay — Other Families: 1.2%
Beech Forest 71.4% lone person
Beech Forest — Lone Person: 71.4% Beech Forest — Couple Families: 28.6% Beech Forest — One Parent Families: 0.0% Beech Forest — Group Household: 0.0% Beech Forest — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Apollo Bay 29.1% renting
Apollo Bay — Owned Outright: 47.4% Apollo Bay — Mortgage: 23.5% Apollo Bay — Renting: 29.1%
Beech Forest 15.9% renting
Beech Forest — Owned Outright: 40.9% Beech Forest — Mortgage: 43.2% Beech Forest — Renting: 15.9%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
England 3.6% / 2.4%
Apollo Bay — England: 3.6% Beech Forest — England: 2.4%
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Apollo Bay — New Zealand: 1.3% Beech Forest — New Zealand: not among its largest
Ireland 0.9% / —
Apollo Bay — Ireland: 0.9% Beech Forest — Ireland: not among its largest
India 0.8% / —
Apollo Bay — India: 0.8% Beech Forest — India: not among its largest
China 0.8% / —
Apollo Bay — China: 0.8% Beech Forest — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Certificate III & IV 14.5% / 18.4%
Apollo Bay — Certificate III & IV: 14.5% Beech Forest — Certificate III & IV: 18.4%
Bachelor Degree 11.1% / 13.6%
Apollo Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.1% Beech Forest — Bachelor Degree: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 4.0%
Apollo Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Beech Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.0%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 3.2%
Apollo Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Beech Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / —
Apollo Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Beech Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Apollo Bay 82.8% houses
Apollo Bay — Houses: 82.8% Apollo Bay — Townhouses: 10.0% Apollo Bay — Flats / Apartments: 7.2%
Beech Forest 100.0% houses
Beech Forest — Houses: 100.0% Beech Forest — Townhouses: 0.0% Beech Forest — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Median house price $780,000 $471,250
Median unit price $653,500 —
Median land price $407,500 $215,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 62 days
from 23 sales
 83 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Apollo Bay has more land zoned for conservation (58% vs 0%); Beech Forest has more rural and farming land (31% vs 3%).

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Parks and recreation 35% 69%
Environmental 58% 0%
Rural and farming 3% 31%
Residential 2% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
New dwellings approved 226
across Colac Otway
same for both
Approvals change year on year +64%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Houses 3.0%
$598/wk on $1.05M
 —
Units 3.6%
$550/wk on $795K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
House price Higher than 54% of VIC —
Income Higher than 20% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 66% of VIC Higher than 51% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 16% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 73% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 12% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 3% of VIC —

Liveability

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Grade D —
Score 24/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Apollo Bay carries more flood risk (35 vs 0); Apollo Bay carries more crime risk (67 vs 17).

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 High
85/100
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Low
17/100
Flood Low
35/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
66/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Apollo Bay

  • Apollo Bay P-12 College Government · Combined at peers

Schools in Beech Forest

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 15 2
Parks & reserves 8 3
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 27 32

Mobility

Apollo Bay sits further from the CBD (207.6 km vs 201.7 km).

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Walkability score 4/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 207.6 km
+3% vs other
 201.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 192 min 164 min
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 3233
 0.0%
postcode 3237
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 3233
 39
postcode 3237

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Car (driver) 55.1% / 53.3%
Apollo Bay — Car (driver): 55.1% Beech Forest — Car (driver): 53.3%
Worked from Home 20.4% / 31.1%
Apollo Bay — Worked from Home: 20.4% Beech Forest — Worked from Home: 31.1%
Walked Only 17.1% / 8.9%
Apollo Bay — Walked Only: 17.1% Beech Forest — Walked Only: 8.9%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 6.7%
Apollo Bay — Car (passenger): 4.5% Beech Forest — Car (passenger): 6.7%
Bicycle 2.3% / —
Apollo Bay — Bicycle: 2.3% Beech Forest — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.1%).

Setting

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Elevation 278 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 522 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.4 km 13.8 km

NBN connectivity

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Connectivity score 50/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 13%
2,189 premises
 0%
125 premises

Climate

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Annual rainfall 1,070 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Average residential rate $2,023/yr
same for both
Council Colac Otway
same for both

Federal electorate

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Apollo Bay Beech Forest
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Apollo Bay

Retirees River Rural

Beech Forest

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Apollo Bay

Apollo Bay vs Marengo Apollo Bay vs Skenes Creek

Other comparisons with Beech Forest

Beech Forest vs Gellibrand Beech Forest vs Carlisle River
Full data on Apollo Bay Full data on Beech Forest
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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