Miners Rest vs Mount Rowan

Miners Rest is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 50 in Mount Rowan. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Miners Rest, most households are couple families. In Mount Rowan, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Mount Rowan: a median of $988,000, against $640,000 in Miners Rest, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Miners Rest tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Mount Rowan 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

Miners Rest

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 64/100)

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

First-home buyers

Miners Rest

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper houses ($640,000 vs $987,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Miners Rest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 26%)
  • has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Miners Rest is more walkable (50/100 vs 23/100)
  • Mount Rowan sits closer to the CBD (119.7 km vs 125.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Miners Rest

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (50/100 vs 23/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (33/100 vs 64/100)
  • But Mount Rowan has more residents already 65 and over (29% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Miners Rest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (23.7% vs 0.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
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.

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Walkability 50 / 23
Miners Rest — Walkability: 50/100 Mount Rowan — Walkability: 23/100
Safety 67 / 36
Miners Rest — Safety: 67/100 Mount Rowan — Safety: 36/100
Low fire risk 100 / 69
Miners Rest — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mount Rowan — Low fire risk: 69/100
Low flood risk 22 / 27
Miners Rest — Low flood risk: 22/100 Mount Rowan — Low flood risk: 27/100

Demographics

Miners Rest has more residents (3,829 vs 295); Mount Rowan skews older (50 vs 33).

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Population 3,829
+92% vs other
 295
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +23.7% +0.3%
Median age 33 50
Median household income $103,116/yr
+23% vs other
 $79,456/yr
Median weekly rent $360/wk $400/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
0-4 8.2% / 3.7%
Miners Rest — 0-4: 8.2% Mount Rowan — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 16.8% / 13.9%
Miners Rest — 5-14: 16.8% Mount Rowan — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.9% / 5.4%
Miners Rest — 15-19: 5.9% Mount Rowan — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 5.2% / 4.1%
Miners Rest — 20-24: 5.2% Mount Rowan — 20-24: 4.1%
25-34 16.1% / 2.7%
Miners Rest — 25-34: 16.1% Mount Rowan — 25-34: 2.7%
35-44 16.2% / 11.9%
Miners Rest — 35-44: 16.2% Mount Rowan — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 11.8% / 15.9%
Miners Rest — 45-54: 11.8% Mount Rowan — 45-54: 15.9%
55-64 10.3% / 12.2%
Miners Rest — 55-64: 10.3% Mount Rowan — 55-64: 12.2%
65-74 6.8% / 14.6%
Miners Rest — 65-74: 6.8% Mount Rowan — 65-74: 14.6%
75-84 2.5% / 10.2%
Miners Rest — 75-84: 2.5% Mount Rowan — 75-84: 10.2%
85+ 0.7% / 4.4%
Miners Rest — 85+: 0.7% Mount Rowan — 85+: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Miners Rest 55.9% couple families
Miners Rest — Couple Families: 55.9% Miners Rest — Lone Person: 22.3% Miners Rest — One Parent Families: 16.3% Miners Rest — Group Household: 4.1% Miners Rest — Other Families: 1.5%
Mount Rowan 48.6% couple families
Mount Rowan — Couple Families: 48.6% Mount Rowan — Lone Person: 34.3% Mount Rowan — One Parent Families: 17.1% Mount Rowan — Group Household: 0.0% Mount Rowan — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Miners Rest 16.9% renting
Miners Rest — Owned Outright: 23.8% Miners Rest — Mortgage: 59.3% Miners Rest — Renting: 16.9%
Mount Rowan 9.3% renting
Mount Rowan — Owned Outright: 65.7% Mount Rowan — Mortgage: 25.0% Mount Rowan — Renting: 9.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Certificate III & IV 19.5% / 17.3%
Miners Rest — Certificate III & IV: 19.5% Mount Rowan — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 9.8% / 9.5%
Miners Rest — Bachelor Degree: 9.8% Mount Rowan — Bachelor Degree: 9.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.4% / 7.1%
Miners Rest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4% Mount Rowan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.7%
Miners Rest — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Mount Rowan — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.4%
Miners Rest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Mount Rowan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

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.

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
England 2.0% / 1.7%
Miners Rest — England: 2.0% Mount Rowan — England: 1.7%
Netherlands — / 1.0%
Miners Rest — Netherlands: not among its largest Mount Rowan — Netherlands: 1.0%
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Miners Rest — New Zealand: 0.8% Mount Rowan — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 0.6% / —
Miners Rest — South Africa: 0.6% Mount Rowan — South Africa: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Miners Rest — India: 0.4% Mount Rowan — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.4% / —
Miners Rest — Philippines: 0.4% Mount Rowan — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Miners Rest 98.6% houses
Miners Rest — Houses: 98.6% Miners Rest — Flats / Apartments: 0.7% Miners Rest — Townhouses: 0.7%
Mount Rowan 100.0% houses
Mount Rowan — Houses: 100.0% Mount Rowan — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Mount Rowan — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Median house price $640,000 $987,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $302,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 56 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Rural and farming 61% 55%
Residential 18% 34%
Other and special use 15% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 7%
same for both
Industrial 0% 4%
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

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
New dwellings approved 1,451
across Ballarat
same for both
Approvals change year on year +42%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Houses 3.7%
$505/wk on $710K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
House price Higher than 25% of VIC —
Income Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 46% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 94% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 38% of VIC Higher than 37% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 53% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 46% of VIC —

Liveability

Miners Rest is more walkable (50 vs 23).

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
same for both

Risk profile

Mount Rowan carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0); Mount Rowan carries more crime risk (64 vs 33).

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
31/100
Crime Low
33/100
 Moderate
64/100
Flood High
78/100
 High
73/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 10
within 5 km

Schools

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
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
Universities within 10 km None 1
Federation University Ballarat, 6.9 km

Schools in Miners Rest

  • Miners Rest Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Mount Rowan

  • Ballarat Grammar - Mount Rowan Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 4 0
Childcare 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 3 7

Mobility

Miners Rest sits further from the CBD (125.2 km vs 119.7 km).

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Walkability score 50/100 23/100
Distance to Melbourne 125.2 km
+4% vs other
 119.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 89 min 85 min
Public transport score 61/100 59/100
Peak arrivals per hour 17.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 14.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3352
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 3352
same for both

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.

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Car (driver) 77.6% / 74.6%
Miners Rest — Car (driver): 77.6% Mount Rowan — Car (driver): 74.6%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 15.8%
Miners Rest — Worked from Home: 14.8% Mount Rowan — Worked from Home: 15.8%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 6.1%
Miners Rest — Car (passenger): 5.0% Mount Rowan — Car (passenger): 6.1%
Walked Only 1.4% / 3.5%
Miners Rest — Walked Only: 1.4% Mount Rowan — Walked Only: 3.5%
Train 0.5% / —
Miners Rest — Train: 0.5% Mount Rowan — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.6%).

Setting

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Elevation 424 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 511 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Connectivity score 70/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 40%
1,552 premises
 0%
128 premises

Climate

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Annual rainfall 605 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Average residential rate $2,086/yr
same for both
Council Ballarat
same for both

Federal electorate

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Miners Rest Mount Rowan
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Miners Rest

Acreage Family River

Mount Rowan

Acreage Retirees

More comparisons

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Miners Rest vs Wendouree Miners Rest vs Mitchell Park Miners Rest vs Learmonth Miners Rest vs Sulky Miners Rest vs Bald Hills Miners Rest vs Windermere

Other comparisons with Mount Rowan

Mount Rowan vs Wendouree Mount Rowan vs Invermay Park Mount Rowan vs Invermay Mount Rowan vs Sulky
Full data on Miners Rest Full data on Mount Rowan
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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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