Freshwater Creek vs Mount Moriac

Mount Moriac is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 45 in Freshwater Creek. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families.

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

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 87/100)

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

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

Mount Moriac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Freshwater Creek carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 87/100)
  • Mount Moriac is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.7% vs 4.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Freshwater Creek and Mount Moriac 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 Mount Moriac
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 Mount Moriac
Walkability 0 / 10
Freshwater Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Mount Moriac — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 43 / 13
Freshwater Creek — Safety: 43/100 Mount Moriac — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Freshwater Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mount Moriac — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 47 / 61
Freshwater Creek — Low flood risk: 47/100 Mount Moriac — Low flood risk: 61/100

Demographics

Freshwater Creek has more residents (454 vs 251); Mount Moriac has higher household incomes ($128,076 vs $108,524).

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Population 454
+45% vs other
 251
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +4.6%
Median age 45 42
Median household income $108,524/yr $128,076/yr
+18% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
0-4 3.7% / 8.4%
Freshwater Creek — 0-4: 3.7% Mount Moriac — 0-4: 8.4%
5-14 14.3% / 11.6%
Freshwater Creek — 5-14: 14.3% Mount Moriac — 5-14: 11.6%
15-19 8.6% / 6.4%
Freshwater Creek — 15-19: 8.6% Mount Moriac — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 3.7% / 7.6%
Freshwater Creek — 20-24: 3.7% Mount Moriac — 20-24: 7.6%
25-34 6.6% / 8.4%
Freshwater Creek — 25-34: 6.6% Mount Moriac — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 12.1% / 11.6%
Freshwater Creek — 35-44: 12.1% Mount Moriac — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 16.5% / 13.9%
Freshwater Creek — 45-54: 16.5% Mount Moriac — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 13.0% / 11.2%
Freshwater Creek — 55-64: 13.0% Mount Moriac — 55-64: 11.2%
65-74 14.5% / 9.6%
Freshwater Creek — 65-74: 14.5% Mount Moriac — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 6.2% / 7.2%
Freshwater Creek — 75-84: 6.2% Mount Moriac — 75-84: 7.2%
85+ 2.0% / 1.2%
Freshwater Creek — 85+: 2.0% Mount Moriac — 85+: 1.2%

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%
Mount Moriac 63.8% couple families
Mount Moriac — Couple Families: 63.8% Mount Moriac — Lone Person: 22.4% Mount Moriac — One Parent Families: 13.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent 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%
Mount Moriac 11.4% renting
Mount Moriac — Owned Outright: 41.8% Mount Moriac — Mortgage: 46.8% Mount Moriac — Renting: 11.4%
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.

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
England 3.3% / 4.4%
Freshwater Creek — England: 3.3% Mount Moriac — England: 4.4%
New Zealand 1.3% / —
Freshwater Creek — New Zealand: 1.3% Mount Moriac — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Freshwater Creek — Scotland: 0.7% Mount Moriac — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.4%).

Qualifications

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

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Bachelor Degree 16.3% / 12.0%
Freshwater Creek — Bachelor Degree: 16.3% Mount Moriac — Bachelor Degree: 12.0%
Certificate III & IV 13.2% / 15.1%
Freshwater Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.2% Mount Moriac — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.8%
Freshwater Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Mount Moriac — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.8%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / —
Freshwater Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Mount Moriac — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.2%
Freshwater Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Mount Moriac — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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%
Mount Moriac 100.0% houses
Mount Moriac — Houses: 100.0% Mount Moriac — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Rural and farming 99% 97%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 2%
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 Mount Moriac
New dwellings approved 300
across Surf Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +57%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 36% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 90% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of VIC Higher than 71% of VIC

Liveability

Mount Moriac is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mount Moriac carries more crime risk (87 vs 57); Freshwater Creek carries more flood risk (53 vs 39).

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
57/100
 High
87/100
Flood Moderate
53/100
 Low
39/100
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 Mount Moriac
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 Freshwater Creek

  • Freshwater Creek Steiner School Independent · Primary below peers

Schools in Mount Moriac

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

Amenities in the suburb

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Parks & reserves 0 1
Waterways 27 7

Mobility

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 96.1 km 97.1 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 75 min 72 min
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 3217
 1.6%
postcode 3240
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 3217
 62
postcode 3240

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 Mount Moriac
Car (driver) 58.3% / 67.8%
Freshwater Creek — Car (driver): 58.3% Mount Moriac — Car (driver): 67.8%
Worked from Home 33.3% / 26.1%
Freshwater Creek — Worked from Home: 33.3% Mount Moriac — Worked from Home: 26.1%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 3.5%
Freshwater Creek — Car (passenger): 3.4% Mount Moriac — Car (passenger): 3.5%
Walked Only 3.4% / 2.6%
Freshwater Creek — Walked Only: 3.4% Mount Moriac — Walked Only: 2.6%
Bicycle 1.5% / —
Freshwater Creek — Bicycle: 1.5% Mount Moriac — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.8%).

Setting

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Elevation 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 138 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.3 km 16.6 km

NBN connectivity

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
183 premises
 0%
109 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

Freshwater Creek Mount Moriac
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Freshwater Creek

Rural

Mount Moriac

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Freshwater Creek

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

Other comparisons with Mount Moriac

Mount Moriac vs Mount Duneed Mount Moriac vs Waurn Ponds Mount Moriac vs Moriac Mount Moriac vs Gnarwarre Mount Moriac vs Modewarre Mount Moriac vs Barrabool
Full data on Freshwater Creek Full data on Mount Moriac
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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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