Fernbank vs Walpa

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Fernbank, about half of households are couple families. In Walpa, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Fernbank tends to suit couples, while Walpa suits people living alone.

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

Fernbank

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (64% vs 40%)
  • But Walpa carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 71/100)

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

Walpa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (8% vs 13%)
  • has cheaper rent ($120/wk vs $200/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Fernbank

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (189 min vs 202 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (257.9 km vs 272.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Walpa

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 71/100)

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

Investors

Fernbank

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.6% vs 1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Fernbank Walpa
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.

Fernbank Walpa
Walkability 0 / 0
Fernbank — Walkability: 0/100 Walpa — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 29 / 79
Fernbank — Safety: 29/100 Walpa — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 10 / 5
Fernbank — Low fire risk: 10/100 Walpa — Low fire risk: 5/100
Low flood risk 100 / 16
Fernbank — Low flood risk: 100/100 Walpa — Low flood risk: 16/100

Demographics

Fernbank rents higher ($200/wk vs $120/wk).

Fernbank Walpa
Population 194
+19% vs other
 157
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +27.6% +1.9%
Median age 47 48
Median household income $79,612/yr $83,200/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $200/wk
+40% vs other
 $120/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fernbank Walpa
0-4 3.6% / 5.7%
Fernbank — 0-4: 3.6% Walpa — 0-4: 5.7%
5-14 10.8% / 11.5%
Fernbank — 5-14: 10.8% Walpa — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 6.2% / 6.4%
Fernbank — 15-19: 6.2% Walpa — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 4.6% / 2.5%
Fernbank — 20-24: 4.6% Walpa — 20-24: 2.5%
25-34 9.8% / 10.2%
Fernbank — 25-34: 9.8% Walpa — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 12.4% / 13.4%
Fernbank — 35-44: 12.4% Walpa — 35-44: 13.4%
45-54 13.9% / 14.6%
Fernbank — 45-54: 13.9% Walpa — 45-54: 14.6%
55-64 18.0% / 15.3%
Fernbank — 55-64: 18.0% Walpa — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 16.0% / 13.4%
Fernbank — 65-74: 16.0% Walpa — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 4.6% / 2.5%
Fernbank — 75-84: 4.6% Walpa — 75-84: 2.5%
85+ — / 5.7%
Fernbank — 85+: not among its largest Walpa — 85+: 5.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fernbank 35.7% lone person
Fernbank — Lone Person: 35.7% Fernbank — Couple Families: 50.0% Fernbank — One Parent Families: 14.3% Fernbank — Group Household: 0.0%
Walpa 51.4% lone person
Walpa — Lone Person: 51.4% Walpa — Couple Families: 31.4% Walpa — One Parent Families: 8.6% Walpa — Group Household: 8.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fernbank 9.9% renting
Fernbank — Owned Outright: 46.5% Fernbank — Mortgage: 43.7% Fernbank — Renting: 9.9%
Walpa 17.7% renting
Walpa — Owned Outright: 43.5% Walpa — Mortgage: 38.7% Walpa — Renting: 17.7%
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.

Fernbank Walpa
New Zealand 1.5% / 2.5%
Fernbank — New Zealand: 1.5% Walpa — New Zealand: 2.5%
England 3.6% / —
Fernbank — England: 3.6% Walpa — England: not among its largest
Philippines — / 2.5%
Fernbank — Philippines: not among its largest Walpa — Philippines: 2.5%

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

Qualifications

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

Fernbank Walpa
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 12.1%
Fernbank — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Walpa — Certificate III & IV: 12.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 5.7%
Fernbank — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Walpa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Bachelor Degree 2.6% / 7.6%
Fernbank — Bachelor Degree: 2.6% Walpa — Bachelor Degree: 7.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / —
Fernbank — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Walpa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree 1.5% / —
Fernbank — Postgraduate Degree: 1.5% Walpa — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fernbank 98.6% houses
Fernbank — Houses: 98.6% Fernbank — Flats / Apartments: 1.4%
Walpa 100.0% houses
Walpa — Houses: 100.0% Walpa — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Fernbank Walpa
Rural and farming 86% 95%
Parks and recreation 12% 3%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
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

Fernbank Walpa
New dwellings approved 386
across East Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Fernbank Walpa
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 46% of VIC Higher than 51% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 23% of VIC Higher than 54% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 48% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of VIC Higher than 68% of VIC

Liveability

Fernbank Walpa
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Walpa carries more flood risk (84 vs 0); Fernbank carries more crime risk (71 vs 21).

Fernbank Walpa
Bushfire High
90/100
 High
95/100
Crime High
71/100
 Low
21/100
Flood None
0/100
 High
84/100
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

Fernbank Walpa
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

Fernbank Walpa
Parks & reserves 5 0
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Walpa sits further from the CBD (272.2 km vs 257.9 km).

Fernbank Walpa
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 257.9 km 272.2 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 189 min 202 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3864
 0.5%
postcode 3875
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings — 47
postcode 3875

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.

Fernbank Walpa
Car (driver) 75.0% / 60.0%
Fernbank — Car (driver): 75.0% Walpa — Car (driver): 60.0%
Worked from Home 20.8% / 24.0%
Fernbank — Worked from Home: 20.8% Walpa — Worked from Home: 24.0%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 12.0%
Fernbank — Car (passenger): 4.2% Walpa — Car (passenger): 12.0%
Walked Only — / 4.0%
Fernbank — Walked Only: not among its largest Walpa — Walked Only: 4.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.0%).

Setting

Fernbank Walpa
Elevation 83 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 33.1 km 34.7 km

NBN connectivity

Fernbank Walpa
Connectivity score 19/100 30/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
49 premises
 0%
78 premises

Climate

Fernbank Walpa
Annual rainfall 620 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Fernbank Walpa
Average residential rate $1,807/yr
same for both
Council East Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Fernbank Walpa
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fernbank Walpa
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fernbank

Rural

Walpa

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Fernbank

Fernbank vs Lindenow South Fernbank vs Munro Fernbank vs Bengworden Fernbank vs Meerlieu Fernbank vs Perry Bridge

Other comparisons with Walpa

Walpa vs Lindenow Walpa vs Lindenow South Walpa vs Wuk Wuk Walpa vs Woodglen Walpa vs Iguana Creek
Full data on Fernbank Full data on Walpa
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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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