Irrewarra vs Colac East

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Irrewarra, about half of households are couple families. In Colac East, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Irrewarra tends to suit couples, while Colac East suits young adults.

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

Irrewarra

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 86/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 34%)

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

Colac East

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (37% vs 7%)

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

Irrewarra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 86/100)

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

Investors

Irrewarra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (5.8% vs -22.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Irrewarra Colac East
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.

Irrewarra Colac East
Walkability 0 / 4
Irrewarra — Walkability: 0/100 Colac East — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 49 / 14
Irrewarra — Safety: 49/100 Colac East — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Irrewarra — Low fire risk: 100/100 Colac East — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 26 / 82
Irrewarra — Low flood risk: 26/100 Colac East — Low flood risk: 82/100

Demographics

Irrewarra has more residents (365 vs 168).

Irrewarra Colac East
Population 365
+54% vs other
 168
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.8% -22.6%
Median age 47 46
Median household income $82,316/yr
+3% vs other
 $80,132/yr
Median weekly rent $238/wk
+3% vs other
 $230/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Irrewarra Colac East
0-4 3.3% / 1.8%
Irrewarra — 0-4: 3.3% Colac East — 0-4: 1.8%
5-14 13.2% / 4.2%
Irrewarra — 5-14: 13.2% Colac East — 5-14: 4.2%
15-19 9.3% / —
Irrewarra — 15-19: 9.3% Colac East — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 3.6% / 4.8%
Irrewarra — 20-24: 3.6% Colac East — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 9.6% / 24.4%
Irrewarra — 25-34: 9.6% Colac East — 25-34: 24.4%
35-44 8.2% / 6.0%
Irrewarra — 35-44: 8.2% Colac East — 35-44: 6.0%
45-54 16.2% / 6.5%
Irrewarra — 45-54: 16.2% Colac East — 45-54: 6.5%
55-64 14.5% / 16.1%
Irrewarra — 55-64: 14.5% Colac East — 55-64: 16.1%
65-74 15.6% / 16.7%
Irrewarra — 65-74: 15.6% Colac East — 65-74: 16.7%
75-84 7.1% / 8.3%
Irrewarra — 75-84: 7.1% Colac East — 75-84: 8.3%
85+ 1.9% / 1.8%
Irrewarra — 85+: 1.9% Colac East — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Irrewarra 43.4% lone person
Irrewarra — Lone Person: 43.4% Irrewarra — Couple Families: 50.0% Irrewarra — One Parent Families: 6.6% Irrewarra — Other Families: 0.0% Irrewarra — Group Household: 0.0%
Colac East 46.9% lone person
Colac East — Lone Person: 46.9% Colac East — Couple Families: 25.0% Colac East — One Parent Families: 9.4% Colac East — Other Families: 9.4% Colac East — Group Household: 9.4%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Irrewarra 6.6% renting
Irrewarra — Owned Outright: 50.4% Irrewarra — Mortgage: 43.0% Irrewarra — Renting: 6.6%
Colac East 36.9% renting
Colac East — Owned Outright: 44.6% Colac East — Mortgage: 18.5% Colac East — Renting: 36.9%
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.

Irrewarra Colac East
Taiwan — / 9.5%
Irrewarra — Taiwan: not among its largest Colac East — Taiwan: 9.5%
China — / 3.6%
Irrewarra — China: not among its largest Colac East — China: 3.6%
England 3.0% / —
Irrewarra — England: 3.0% Colac East — England: not among its largest
Fiji 1.1% / —
Irrewarra — Fiji: 1.1% Colac East — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.5%).

Qualifications

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

Irrewarra Colac East
Certificate III & IV 17.5% / 13.7%
Irrewarra — Certificate III & IV: 17.5% Colac East — Certificate III & IV: 13.7%
Bachelor Degree 6.3% / 10.7%
Irrewarra — Bachelor Degree: 6.3% Colac East — Bachelor Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 9.5%
Irrewarra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Colac East — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.8%
Irrewarra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Colac East — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / —
Irrewarra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Colac East — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Irrewarra 100.0% houses
Irrewarra — Houses: 100.0% Irrewarra — Townhouses: 0.0% Irrewarra — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Colac East 72.7% houses
Colac East — Houses: 72.7% Colac East — Townhouses: 21.2% Colac East — Flats / Apartments: 6.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Irrewarra has more rural and farming land (92% vs 41%); Colac East has more industrially zoned land (30% vs 0%).

Irrewarra Colac East
Rural and farming 92% 41%
Industrial 0% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 22%
Parks and recreation 6% 0%
Other and special use 0% 4%
Commercial 0% 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

Irrewarra Colac East
New dwellings approved 226
across Colac Otway
same for both
Approvals change year on year +64%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Irrewarra Colac East
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 50% of VIC Higher than 47% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 4% of VIC Higher than 28% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 55% of VIC Higher than 79% of VIC

Liveability

Irrewarra Colac East
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Irrewarra carries more flood risk (74 vs 18); Colac East carries more crime risk (86 vs 51).

Irrewarra Colac East
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
86/100
Flood High
74/100
 Low
18/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Irrewarra Colac East
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

Irrewarra Colac East
Parks & reserves 4 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 3 0

Mobility

Irrewarra Colac East
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 150.9 km 150 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 111 min 108 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 3249
 0.3%
postcode 3250
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3249
 29
postcode 3250

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.

Irrewarra Colac East
Car (driver) 68.2% / 62.5%
Irrewarra — Car (driver): 68.2% Colac East — Car (driver): 62.5%
Worked from Home 19.5% / 12.5%
Irrewarra — Worked from Home: 19.5% Colac East — Worked from Home: 12.5%
Walked Only 4.5% / 15.0%
Irrewarra — Walked Only: 4.5% Colac East — Walked Only: 15.0%
Car (passenger) 7.8% / 10.0%
Irrewarra — Car (passenger): 7.8% Colac East — Car (passenger): 10.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.2%).

Setting

Irrewarra Colac East
Elevation 117 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 155 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 38.5 km
same for both

NBN connectivity

Irrewarra Colac East
Connectivity score 30/100 69/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 1%
185 premises
 46%
194 premises

Climate

Irrewarra Colac East
Annual rainfall 607 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Irrewarra Colac East
Average residential rate $2,023/yr
same for both
Council Colac Otway
same for both

Federal electorate

Irrewarra Colac East
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Irrewarra Colac East
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Irrewarra

Rural

Colac East

Quiet Retirees Rural Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Irrewarra

Irrewarra vs Colac Irrewarra vs Beeac Irrewarra vs Warncoort Irrewarra vs Yeo Irrewarra vs Ondit Irrewarra vs Ombersley

Other comparisons with Colac East

Colac East vs Colac Colac East vs Elliminyt Colac East vs Yeo
Full data on Irrewarra Full data on Colac East
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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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