Broadwater vs Bessiebelle

Bessiebelle is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in Broadwater. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bessiebelle, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Bessiebelle tends to suit people living alone and families with children.

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

Broadwater

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 78/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (63% vs 52%)
  • But Bessiebelle has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Broadwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (9% vs 22%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Broadwater

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (39% vs 12%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 14%)
  • has cheaper rent ($115/wk vs $140/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Broadwater

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (218 min vs 230 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (293.2 km vs 307.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Broadwater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 78/100)

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

Investors

Bessiebelle

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (15.3% vs -18.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Broadwater Bessiebelle
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.

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Walkability 0 / 0
Broadwater — Walkability: 0/100 Bessiebelle — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 80 / 22
Broadwater — Safety: 80/100 Bessiebelle — Safety: 22/100
Low fire risk 10 / 15
Broadwater — Low fire risk: 10/100 Bessiebelle — Low fire risk: 15/100
Low flood risk 100 / 88
Broadwater — Low flood risk: 100/100 Bessiebelle — Low flood risk: 88/100

Demographics

Broadwater has higher household incomes ($82,836 vs $50,648); Bessiebelle has more residents (113 vs 75).

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Population 75 113
+51% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -18.5% +15.3%
Median age 45 42
Median household income $82,836/yr
+39% vs other
 $50,648/yr
Median weekly rent $115/wk $140/wk
+22% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Broadwater Bessiebelle
0-4 4.0% / 8.0%
Broadwater — 0-4: 4.0% Bessiebelle — 0-4: 8.0%
5-14 8.0% / 13.3%
Broadwater — 5-14: 8.0% Bessiebelle — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 5.3% / —
Broadwater — 15-19: 5.3% Bessiebelle — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 4.0% / 4.4%
Broadwater — 20-24: 4.0% Bessiebelle — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 18.7% / 10.6%
Broadwater — 25-34: 18.7% Bessiebelle — 25-34: 10.6%
35-44 12.0% / 10.6%
Broadwater — 35-44: 12.0% Bessiebelle — 35-44: 10.6%
45-54 21.3% / 9.7%
Broadwater — 45-54: 21.3% Bessiebelle — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 16.0% / 13.3%
Broadwater — 55-64: 16.0% Bessiebelle — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 17.3% / 22.1%
Broadwater — 65-74: 17.3% Bessiebelle — 65-74: 22.1%
75-84 4.0% / 2.7%
Broadwater — 75-84: 4.0% Bessiebelle — 75-84: 2.7%
85+ — / —
Broadwater — 85+: not among its largest Bessiebelle — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 44.4% couple families
Broadwater — Couple Families: 44.4% Broadwater — Lone Person: 37.0% Broadwater — One Parent Families: 18.5%
Bessiebelle 41.4% couple families
Bessiebelle — Couple Families: 41.4% Bessiebelle — Lone Person: 48.3% Bessiebelle — One Parent Families: 10.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 38.9% renting
Broadwater — Owned Outright: 61.1% Broadwater — Mortgage: 0.0% Broadwater — Renting: 38.9%
Bessiebelle 11.9% renting
Bessiebelle — Owned Outright: 57.1% Bessiebelle — Mortgage: 31.0% Bessiebelle — Renting: 11.9%
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.

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Philippines 8.0% / —
Broadwater — Philippines: 8.0% Bessiebelle — Philippines: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 6.2%
Broadwater — New Zealand: not among its largest Bessiebelle — New Zealand: 6.2%
England — / 2.7%
Broadwater — England: not among its largest Bessiebelle — England: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.0%).

Qualifications

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

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 16.8%
Broadwater — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Bessiebelle — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 12.0% / 7.1%
Broadwater — Bachelor Degree: 12.0% Bessiebelle — Bachelor Degree: 7.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 4.4%
Broadwater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Bessiebelle — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.7%
Broadwater — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Bessiebelle — Postgraduate Degree: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Broadwater 100.0% houses
Broadwater — Houses: 100.0%
Bessiebelle 100.0% houses
Bessiebelle — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Zoning mix

Broadwater has more rural and farming land (99% vs 85%).

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Rural and farming 99% 85%
Parks and recreation 0% 15%
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

Broadwater Bessiebelle
New dwellings approved 64
across Moyne
same for both
Approvals change year on year -15%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Broadwater Bessiebelle
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 51% of VIC Higher than 10% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 27% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 15% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 21% of VIC

Liveability

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Bessiebelle carries more flood risk (12 vs 0); Bessiebelle carries more crime risk (78 vs 20).

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
85/100
Crime Low
20/100
 High
78/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
12/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Parks & reserves 0 3
Waterways 5 2

Mobility

Bessiebelle sits further from the CBD (307.3 km vs 293.2 km).

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 293.2 km 307.3 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 218 min 230 min
Electric vehicle share 0.2%
postcode 3301
 0.0%
postcode 3304
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 32
postcode 3301
 38
postcode 3304

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.

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Car (driver) 57.6% / 54.5%
Broadwater — Car (driver): 57.6% Bessiebelle — Car (driver): 54.5%
Worked from Home 30.3% / 31.8%
Broadwater — Worked from Home: 30.3% Bessiebelle — Worked from Home: 31.8%
Walked Only 12.1% / 6.8%
Broadwater — Walked Only: 12.1% Bessiebelle — Walked Only: 6.8%
Car (passenger) — / 6.8%
Broadwater — Car (passenger): not among its largest Bessiebelle — Car (passenger): 6.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (57.6%).

Setting

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Elevation 110 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.5 km 12.6 km

NBN connectivity

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Connectivity score 24/100 22/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
35 premises
 0%
41 premises

Climate

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Annual rainfall 699 mm 661 mm
Summer max (Jan) 22.5°C —
Winter min (Jul) 7.2°C —

Council rates

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Average residential rate $1,613/yr
same for both
Council Moyne
same for both

Federal electorate

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Broadwater Bessiebelle
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Broadwater

Rural

Bessiebelle

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Broadwater

Broadwater vs Macarthur Broadwater vs Hawkesdale Broadwater vs Orford

Other comparisons with Bessiebelle

Bessiebelle vs Macarthur Bessiebelle vs Tyrendarra Bessiebelle vs Orford
Full data on Broadwater Full data on Bessiebelle
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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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