Lake Bolac vs Willaura

Lake Bolac is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 53 in Willaura. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Lake Bolac: a median of $564,000, against $252,000 in Willaura. On these figures, Lake Bolac tends to suit families with children, while Willaura suits buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Lake Bolac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 59/100)

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

First-home buyers

Willaura

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($252,250 vs $563,500)

Weighs house prices and 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

Lake Bolac

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 4/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (232 km vs 243.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Lake Bolac

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 4/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (25/100 vs 59/100)
  • But Willaura has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 24%)

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

Investors

Lake Bolac

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.5% vs -17.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Lake Bolac Willaura
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.

Lake Bolac Willaura
Walkability 37 / 4
Lake Bolac — Walkability: 37/100 Willaura — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 75 / 41
Lake Bolac — Safety: 75/100 Willaura — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 100 / 25
Lake Bolac — Low fire risk: 100/100 Willaura — Low fire risk: 25/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Lake Bolac — Low flood risk: 100/100 Willaura — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Lake Bolac has higher household incomes ($63,960 vs $50,752); Willaura skews older (53 vs 48).

Lake Bolac Willaura
Population 368 439
+19% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.5% -17.2%
Median age 48 53
Median household income $63,960/yr
+21% vs other
 $50,752/yr
Median weekly rent $150/wk $155/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Lake Bolac Willaura
0-4 4.9% / 5.5%
Lake Bolac — 0-4: 4.9% Willaura — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 13.6% / 8.4%
Lake Bolac — 5-14: 13.6% Willaura — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 4.3% / 4.1%
Lake Bolac — 15-19: 4.3% Willaura — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 0.8% / 3.9%
Lake Bolac — 20-24: 0.8% Willaura — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 7.3% / 7.5%
Lake Bolac — 25-34: 7.3% Willaura — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 14.9% / 9.6%
Lake Bolac — 35-44: 14.9% Willaura — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 12.5% / 14.1%
Lake Bolac — 45-54: 12.5% Willaura — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 17.4% / 18.5%
Lake Bolac — 55-64: 17.4% Willaura — 55-64: 18.5%
65-74 12.8% / 16.2%
Lake Bolac — 65-74: 12.8% Willaura — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 8.4% / 10.3%
Lake Bolac — 75-84: 8.4% Willaura — 75-84: 10.3%
85+ 2.7% / 3.4%
Lake Bolac — 85+: 2.7% Willaura — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Lake Bolac 46.7% lone person
Lake Bolac — Lone Person: 46.7% Lake Bolac — Couple Families: 44.6% Lake Bolac — One Parent Families: 3.3% Lake Bolac — Group Household: 0.0% Lake Bolac — Other Families: 5.4%
Willaura 51.1% lone person
Willaura — Lone Person: 51.1% Willaura — Couple Families: 26.7% Willaura — One Parent Families: 16.0% Willaura — Group Household: 6.1% Willaura — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Lake Bolac 15.5% renting
Lake Bolac — Owned Outright: 58.1% Lake Bolac — Mortgage: 26.4% Lake Bolac — Renting: 15.5%
Willaura 14.6% renting
Willaura — Owned Outright: 62.7% Willaura — Mortgage: 22.8% Willaura — Renting: 14.6%
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.

Lake Bolac Willaura
New Zealand 3.0% / 3.0%
Lake Bolac — New Zealand: 3.0% Willaura — New Zealand: 3.0%
England 1.1% / 4.1%
Lake Bolac — England: 1.1% Willaura — England: 4.1%
Scotland 1.4% / 1.8%
Lake Bolac — Scotland: 1.4% Willaura — Scotland: 1.8%
Philippines 0.8% / 1.1%
Lake Bolac — Philippines: 0.8% Willaura — Philippines: 1.1%
Netherlands — / 1.4%
Lake Bolac — Netherlands: not among its largest Willaura — Netherlands: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

Qualifications

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

Lake Bolac Willaura
Certificate III & IV 13.6% / 15.7%
Lake Bolac — Certificate III & IV: 13.6% Willaura — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 10.3% / 9.3%
Lake Bolac — Bachelor Degree: 10.3% Willaura — Bachelor Degree: 9.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 9.6%
Lake Bolac — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Willaura — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 2.1%
Lake Bolac — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Willaura — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.7%
Lake Bolac — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Willaura — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Lake Bolac 97.2% houses
Lake Bolac — Houses: 97.2% Lake Bolac — Flats / Apartments: 2.8% Lake Bolac — Townhouses: 0.0%
Willaura 98.9% houses
Willaura — Houses: 98.9% Willaura — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Willaura — Townhouses: 2.2%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Lake Bolac Willaura
Median house price $563,500 $252,250
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 28 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Lake Bolac Willaura
Rural and farming 92% 99%
Parks and recreation 7% 1%
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

Lake Bolac Willaura
New dwellings approved 56
across Ararat
same for both
Approvals change year on year +80%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Lake Bolac Willaura
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 25% of VIC —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 65% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 39% of VIC —
NBN connectivity Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 41% of VIC

Liveability

Lake Bolac is more walkable (37 vs 4).

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

Risk profile

Willaura carries more bushfire risk (75 vs 0); Willaura carries more crime risk (59 vs 25).

Lake Bolac Willaura
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
75/100
Crime Low
25/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
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

Lake Bolac Willaura
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Lake Bolac

  • Lake Bolac College Government · Combined at peers

Schools in Willaura

  • Willaura Primary School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Lake Bolac Willaura
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 5 6
Childcare 1 2
GPs 1
same for both
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 2
same for both
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 11 57

Mobility

Willaura sits further from the CBD (243.2 km vs 232 km).

Lake Bolac Willaura
Walkability score 37/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 232 km 243.2 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 162 min 166 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3351
 0.0%
postcode 3379
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 3351
 33
postcode 3379

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.

Lake Bolac Willaura
Car (driver) 59.6% / 57.8%
Lake Bolac — Car (driver): 59.6% Willaura — Car (driver): 57.8%
Worked from Home 27.0% / 29.2%
Lake Bolac — Worked from Home: 27.0% Willaura — Worked from Home: 29.2%
Walked Only 7.8% / 11.0%
Lake Bolac — Walked Only: 7.8% Willaura — Walked Only: 11.0%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 1.9%
Lake Bolac — Car (passenger): 5.7% Willaura — Car (passenger): 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.6%).

Setting

Lake Bolac Willaura
Elevation 217 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 271 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Lake Bolac Willaura
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
188 premises
 0%
261 premises

Climate

Lake Bolac Willaura
Annual rainfall 594 mm 554 mm
Summer max (Jan) 26.1°C 27.5°C
Winter min (Jul) 4.7°C 4.0°C

Council rates

Lake Bolac Willaura
Average residential rate $2,002/yr
same for both
Council Ararat
same for both

Federal electorate

Lake Bolac Willaura
Division Wannon
same for both
Member Dan Tehan
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Lake Bolac Willaura
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Lake Bolac

Quiet Rural

Willaura

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Lake Bolac

Lake Bolac vs Woorndoo Lake Bolac vs Wickliffe Lake Bolac vs Westmere Lake Bolac vs Mininera

Other comparisons with Willaura

Willaura vs Wickliffe Willaura vs Maroona Willaura vs Mininera
Full data on Lake Bolac Full data on Willaura
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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