Freshwater Creek vs Bellbrae

Freshwater Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 52 in Bellbrae. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Freshwater Creek, most households are couple families. In Bellbrae, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Freshwater Creek tends to suit couples, while Bellbrae suits people living alone and older residents.

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

  • Freshwater Creek is already more of a family suburb (74% vs 58%)
  • Bellbrae carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 57/100)

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

First-home buyers

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 34%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Freshwater Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $380/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Freshwater Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (75 min vs 85 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (96.1 km vs 102 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bellbrae

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (17/100 vs 57/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Bellbrae

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (55.6% vs 9.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
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.

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Walkability 0 / 0
Freshwater Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Bellbrae — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 83
Freshwater Creek — Safety: 43/100 Bellbrae — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 100 / 21
Freshwater Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100 Bellbrae — Low fire risk: 21/100
Low flood risk 47 / 77
Freshwater Creek — Low flood risk: 47/100 Bellbrae — Low flood risk: 77/100

Demographics

Bellbrae has more residents (1,346 vs 454); Freshwater Creek has higher household incomes ($108,524 vs $80,912).

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Population 454 1,346
+196% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +55.6%
Median age 45 52
Median household income $108,524/yr
+25% vs other
 $80,912/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $380/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
0-4 3.7% / 3.8%
Freshwater Creek — 0-4: 3.7% Bellbrae — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 14.3% / 13.7%
Freshwater Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Bellbrae — 5-14: 13.7%
15-19 8.6% / 5.3%
Freshwater Creek — 15-19: 8.6% Bellbrae — 15-19: 5.3%
20-24 3.7% / 2.0%
Freshwater Creek — 20-24: 3.7% Bellbrae — 20-24: 2.0%
25-34 6.6% / 5.0%
Freshwater Creek — 25-34: 6.6% Bellbrae — 25-34: 5.0%
35-44 12.1% / 12.1%
Freshwater Creek — 35-44: 12.1% Bellbrae — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 16.5% / 10.5%
Freshwater Creek — 45-54: 16.5% Bellbrae — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 13.0% / 12.5%
Freshwater Creek — 55-64: 13.0% Bellbrae — 55-64: 12.5%
65-74 14.5% / 13.5%
Freshwater Creek — 65-74: 14.5% Bellbrae — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 6.2% / 15.2%
Freshwater Creek — 75-84: 6.2% Bellbrae — 75-84: 15.2%
85+ 2.0% / 6.8%
Freshwater Creek — 85+: 2.0% Bellbrae — 85+: 6.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 61.4% couple families
Freshwater Creek — Couple Families: 61.4% Freshwater Creek — Lone Person: 25.7% Freshwater Creek — One Parent Families: 12.9% Freshwater Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Freshwater Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Bellbrae 50.5% couple families
Bellbrae — Couple Families: 50.5% Bellbrae — Lone Person: 38.2% Bellbrae — One Parent Families: 7.6% Bellbrae — Group Household: 2.7% Bellbrae — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 14.8% renting
Freshwater Creek — Owned Outright: 51.7% Freshwater Creek — Mortgage: 33.6% Freshwater Creek — Renting: 14.8%
Bellbrae 6.8% renting
Bellbrae — Owned Outright: 57.2% Bellbrae — Mortgage: 35.9% Bellbrae — Renting: 6.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Bachelor Degree 16.3% / 16.6%
Freshwater Creek — Bachelor Degree: 16.3% Bellbrae — Bachelor Degree: 16.6%
Certificate III & IV 13.2% / 10.0%
Freshwater Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.2% Bellbrae — Certificate III & IV: 10.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.3%
Freshwater Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Bellbrae — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / 5.0%
Freshwater Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Bellbrae — Postgraduate Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.9%
Freshwater Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Bellbrae — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

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.

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
England 3.3% / 5.6%
Freshwater Creek — England: 3.3% Bellbrae — England: 5.6%
New Zealand 1.3% / 0.4%
Freshwater Creek — New Zealand: 1.3% Bellbrae — New Zealand: 0.4%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.7%
Freshwater Creek — Scotland: 0.7% Bellbrae — Scotland: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.7%
Freshwater Creek — Germany: not among its largest Bellbrae — Germany: 0.7%
South Africa — / 0.7%
Freshwater Creek — South Africa: not among its largest Bellbrae — South Africa: 0.7%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Freshwater Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest Bellbrae — Netherlands: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek 94.2% houses
Freshwater Creek — Houses: 94.2% Freshwater Creek — Flats / Apartments: 5.8%
Bellbrae 98.2% houses
Bellbrae — Houses: 98.2% Bellbrae — Flats / Apartments: 1.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Median house price — $2,440,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,830,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 60 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Freshwater Creek has more rural and farming land (99% vs 82%); Bellbrae has more land zoned for conservation (11% vs 0%).

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Rural and farming 99% 82%
Environmental 0% 11%
Residential 0% 4%
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

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
New dwellings approved 300
across Surf Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 52% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC

Liveability

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Bellbrae carries more bushfire risk (79 vs 0); Freshwater Creek carries more crime risk (57 vs 17).

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
79/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Low
17/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 Low
23/100
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

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Freshwater Creek

  • Freshwater Creek Steiner School Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Bellbrae

  • Bellbrae Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 0 1
Waterways 27 3

Mobility

Bellbrae sits further from the CBD (102 km vs 96.1 km).

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 96.1 km 102 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 75 min 85 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3217
 1.7%
postcode 3228
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3217
 41
postcode 3228

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.

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Car (driver) 58.3% / 58.6%
Freshwater Creek — Car (driver): 58.3% Bellbrae — Car (driver): 58.6%
Worked from Home 33.3% / 34.9%
Freshwater Creek — Worked from Home: 33.3% Bellbrae — Worked from Home: 34.9%
Walked Only 3.4% / 3.6%
Freshwater Creek — Walked Only: 3.4% Bellbrae — Walked Only: 3.6%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 2.9%
Freshwater Creek — Car (passenger): 3.4% Bellbrae — Car (passenger): 2.9%
Bicycle 1.5% / —
Freshwater Creek — Bicycle: 1.5% Bellbrae — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.6%).

Setting

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 83 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.3 km 5.2 km

NBN connectivity

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Connectivity score 30/100 62/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
183 premises
 47%
578 premises

Climate

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Annual rainfall 599 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Average residential rate $2,314/yr
same for both
Council Surf Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Division Wannon Corangamite
Member Dan Tehan Libby Coker
Party Liberal Australian Labor Party

First Home Owner Grant

Freshwater Creek Bellbrae
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Freshwater Creek

Rural

Bellbrae

Acreage Luxury Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Freshwater Creek

Freshwater Creek vs Torquay Freshwater Creek vs Mount Duneed Freshwater Creek vs Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek vs Moriac Freshwater Creek vs Mount Moriac Freshwater Creek vs Paraparap

Other comparisons with Bellbrae

Bellbrae vs Torquay Bellbrae vs Jan Juc Bellbrae vs Anglesea Bellbrae vs Paraparap Bellbrae vs Bells Beach
Full data on Freshwater Creek Full data on Bellbrae
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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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