Bona Vista vs Warragul South
Warragul South is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 47 in Bona Vista. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bona Vista, about half of households are people living alone. In Warragul South, most households are couple families. On these figures, Bona Vista tends to suit people living alone, while Warragul South suits couples.
Warragul South is the larger and more affluent of the two, with a population of 280 compared to Bona Vista's 107, and a median household income of $111,436 versus $96,200. Bona Vista has a notably lower crime risk score of 26 against Warragul South's 39, though Bona Vista carries higher flood risk at 49 compared to 32. Both are similarly distant from Melbourne's CBD, around 110–112 kilometres away, and neither faces bushfire risk. Warragul South may suit those prioritising higher incomes and socio-economic standing, while Bona Vista appeals to buyers seeking a quieter, safer community in a smaller setting.
Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.
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
- Bona Vista carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 54/100)
- Warragul South is already more of a family suburb (81% vs 53%)
Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.
First-home buyers
Too close to call
Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.
Weighs mortgage stress.
Renters
Too close to call
Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.
Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.
Commuting to the city
Too close to call
Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
Bona Vista
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 54/100)
Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.
Investors
Warragul South
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- is growing faster (10.7% vs -1.8%)
Weighs population growth.
Where they sit
Bona Vista and Warragul South drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Warragul South has more residents (280 vs 107); Warragul South has higher household incomes ($111,436 vs $96,200).
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 107 | 280 +162% vs other |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | -1.8% | +10.7% |
| Median age | 47 | 42 |
| Median household income | $96,200/yr | $111,436/yr +16% vs other |
| Median weekly rent | $285/wk | $300/wk +5% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).
Who lives together
Household composition, 2021 Census.
Who owns and who rents
Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.
What people live in
Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).
Zoning mix
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Rural and farming | 96% same for both | |
| Parks and recreation | 4% | 0% |
| Residential | 0% | 3% |
| 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
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 619 across Baw Baw same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | +49% same for both | |
Ranking within VIC
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | Higher than 66% of VIC | Higher than 84% of VIC |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 78% of VIC | Higher than 77% of VIC |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | Higher than 66% of VIC | Higher than 57% of VIC |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 48% of VIC | Higher than 66% of VIC |
Liveability
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | advantaged area decile 8/10 | very advantaged area decile 9/10 |
Risk profile
Warragul South carries more crime risk (54 vs 27); Bona Vista carries more flood risk (48 vs 32).
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Crime | Low 27/100 | Moderate 54/100 |
| Flood | Moderate 48/100 | Low 32/100 |
| Coastal erosion | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Aircraft noise | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Industrial facilities nearby | 4 within 5 km | 0 within 5 km |
Schools
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside the suburb | 1 | 0 |
| Rated above peers | 0 same for both | |
| Rated at peers | 0 same for both | |
| Rated below peers | 1 | 0 |
Schools in Bona Vista
- Bona Vista Primary School Government · Primary below peers
Schools in Warragul South
No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.
Amenities in the suburb
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Parks & reserves | 0 | 1 |
| Waterways | 6 | 0 |
Mobility
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 17/100 | 15/100 |
| Distance to Melbourne | 112.1 km +2% vs other | 110.4 km |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 87 min | 83 min |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.7% postcode 3820 | 0.6% postcode 3821 |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 45 postcode 3820 | 55 postcode 3821 |
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (64.5%).
Setting
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 149 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 113 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
| Distance to the ocean | 39.5 km | 34.8 km |
NBN connectivity
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 30/100 same for both | |
| Most common technology | Fixed wireless same for both | |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 44 premises | 0% 105 premises |
Climate
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rainfall | 1,090 mm same for both | |
| Summer max (Jan) | 25.1°C same for both | |
| Winter min (Jul) | 3.7°C same for both | |
Council rates
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $2,138/yr same for both | |
| Council | Baw Baw same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Monash same for both | |
| Member | Mary Aldred same for both | |
| Party | Liberal same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Bona Vista | Warragul South | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $10,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | $750,000 same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Bona Vista
Other comparisons with Warragul South
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.