Navigators vs Buninyong

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Navigators, most households are couple families. In Buninyong, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Navigators tends to suit couples, while Buninyong suits people living alone.

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

Buninyong

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • But Navigators is already more of a family suburb (82% vs 65%)

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

Buninyong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($305/wk vs $350/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

  • Navigators sits closer to the CBD (113.9 km vs 116.8 km)
  • Buninyong is more walkable (40/100 vs 10/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Buninyong

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (40/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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

Investors

Navigators

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.1% vs 2.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Navigators Buninyong
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.

Navigators Buninyong
Walkability 10 / 40
Navigators — Walkability: 10/100 Buninyong — Walkability: 40/100
Safety 49 / 55
Navigators — Safety: 49/100 Buninyong — Safety: 55/100
Low fire risk 42 / 20
Navigators — Low fire risk: 42/100 Buninyong — Low fire risk: 20/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Navigators — Low flood risk: 100/100 Buninyong — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Buninyong has more residents (3,797 vs 276); Navigators rents higher ($350/wk vs $305/wk).

Navigators Buninyong
Population 276 3,797
+1276% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.1% +2.2%
Median age 44 45
Median household income $94,224/yr
+4% vs other
 $90,740/yr
Median weekly rent $350/wk
+13% vs other
 $305/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Navigators Buninyong
0-4 5.4% / 4.5%
Navigators — 0-4: 5.4% Buninyong — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 14.5% / 17.0%
Navigators — 5-14: 14.5% Buninyong — 5-14: 17.0%
15-19 9.1% / 6.2%
Navigators — 15-19: 9.1% Buninyong — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 2.2% / 3.2%
Navigators — 20-24: 2.2% Buninyong — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 8.0% / 6.0%
Navigators — 25-34: 8.0% Buninyong — 25-34: 6.0%
35-44 11.2% / 12.1%
Navigators — 35-44: 11.2% Buninyong — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 13.0% / 15.3%
Navigators — 45-54: 13.0% Buninyong — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 12.3% / 14.0%
Navigators — 55-64: 12.3% Buninyong — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 17.0% / 14.1%
Navigators — 65-74: 17.0% Buninyong — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 3.3% / 5.5%
Navigators — 75-84: 3.3% Buninyong — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 1.4% / 1.5%
Navigators — 85+: 1.4% Buninyong — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Navigators 66.7% couple families
Navigators — Couple Families: 66.7% Navigators — Lone Person: 18.3% Navigators — One Parent Families: 15.0% Navigators — Group Household: 0.0% Navigators — Other Families: 0.0%
Buninyong 51.0% couple families
Buninyong — Couple Families: 51.0% Buninyong — Lone Person: 32.2% Buninyong — One Parent Families: 13.6% Buninyong — Group Household: 2.4% Buninyong — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Navigators 6.6% renting
Navigators — Owned Outright: 50.5% Navigators — Mortgage: 42.9% Navigators — Renting: 6.6%
Buninyong 13.4% renting
Buninyong — Owned Outright: 47.8% Buninyong — Mortgage: 38.8% Buninyong — Renting: 13.4%
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.

Navigators Buninyong
England 2.2% / 4.5%
Navigators — England: 2.2% Buninyong — England: 4.5%
New Zealand 2.5% / 0.8%
Navigators — New Zealand: 2.5% Buninyong — New Zealand: 0.8%
Scotland 1.8% / 0.5%
Navigators — Scotland: 1.8% Buninyong — Scotland: 0.5%
Germany — / 0.4%
Navigators — Germany: not among its largest Buninyong — Germany: 0.4%
Netherlands — / 0.3%
Navigators — Netherlands: not among its largest Buninyong — Netherlands: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

Qualifications

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

Navigators Buninyong
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 13.0%
Navigators — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Buninyong — Certificate III & IV: 13.0%
Bachelor Degree 9.8% / 16.1%
Navigators — Bachelor Degree: 9.8% Buninyong — Bachelor Degree: 16.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.6% / 8.7%
Navigators — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.6% Buninyong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.3% / 4.4%
Navigators — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3% Buninyong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 5.3%
Navigators — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Buninyong — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Navigators 100.0% houses
Navigators — Houses: 100.0% Navigators — Townhouses: 0.0% Navigators — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Buninyong 96.6% houses
Buninyong — Houses: 96.6% Buninyong — Townhouses: 2.0% Buninyong — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Navigators Buninyong
Median house price — $750,000
Median unit price — $410,000
Median land price — $400,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 44 days
from 58 sales

Zoning mix

Navigators has more rural and farming land (93% vs 68%).

Navigators Buninyong
Rural and farming 93% 68%
Residential 0% 10%
Environmental 0% 10%
Parks and recreation 0% 8%
Other and special use 4% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 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

Navigators Buninyong
New dwellings approved 338
across Moorabool
 1,451
across Ballarat
Approvals change year on year +4% +42%

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.

Navigators Buninyong
Houses — 2.8%
$460/wk on $862K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Navigators Buninyong
House price — Higher than 38% of VIC
Income Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 71% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 76% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 37% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 58% of VIC Higher than 96% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 7% of VIC

Liveability

Buninyong is more walkable (40 vs 10).

Navigators Buninyong
Grade — B
Score — 55/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Buninyong carries more bushfire risk (80 vs 58).

Navigators Buninyong
Bushfire Moderate
58/100
 High
80/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
45/100
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Navigators Buninyong
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Ballarat, 9.3 km
 None

Schools in Navigators

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

Schools in Buninyong

  • Buninyong Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Navigators Buninyong
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 16
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 14 27

Mobility

Buninyong sits further from the CBD (116.8 km vs 113.9 km).

Navigators Buninyong
Walkability score 10/100 40/100
Distance to Melbourne 113.9 km 116.8 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 85 min 88 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3352
 1.0%
postcode 3357
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 3352
 48
postcode 3357

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.

Navigators Buninyong
Car (driver) 69.6% / 69.0%
Navigators — Car (driver): 69.6% Buninyong — Car (driver): 69.0%
Worked from Home 19.6% / 24.1%
Navigators — Worked from Home: 19.6% Buninyong — Worked from Home: 24.1%
Car (passenger) 6.9% / 4.2%
Navigators — Car (passenger): 6.9% Buninyong — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Walked Only 3.9% / 1.3%
Navigators — Walked Only: 3.9% Buninyong — Walked Only: 1.3%
Bus — / 0.9%
Navigators — Bus: not among its largest Buninyong — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.6%).

Setting

Navigators Buninyong
Elevation 507 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 489 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Navigators Buninyong
Connectivity score 30/100 90/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
107 premises
 85%
1,658 premises

Climate

Navigators Buninyong
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

Navigators Buninyong
Average residential rate $1,979/yr $2,086/yr
Council Moorabool Ballarat

Federal electorate

Navigators Buninyong
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Navigators Buninyong
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Navigators

Rural

Buninyong

Acreage Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Navigators

Navigators vs Canadian Navigators vs Mount Clear Navigators vs Mount Helen Navigators vs Warrenheip Navigators vs Yendon Navigators vs Dunnstown

Other comparisons with Buninyong

Buninyong vs Mount Helen Buninyong vs Durham Lead Buninyong vs Magpie Buninyong vs Yendon Buninyong vs Scotsburn Buninyong vs Scotchmans Lead
Full data on Navigators Full data on Buninyong
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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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