Newmerella vs Orbost

Newmerella is the younger of the two, with a median age of 49 against 53 in Orbost. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Orbost, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Newmerella: a median of $498,000, against $362,000 in Orbost, though rent is higher in Orbost. On these figures, Orbost tends to suit people living alone and 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

Newmerella

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 85/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (53% vs 39%)
  • But Orbost has more schools inside the suburb (5 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Orbost

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($362,500 vs $497,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Newmerella

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $190/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Newmerella

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (272 min vs 309 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (369.8 km vs 390.8 km)
  • But Orbost is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Orbost

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But Newmerella carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 85/100)

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

Investors

Newmerella

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.7% vs 1.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Newmerella Orbost
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.

Newmerella Orbost
Walkability 0 / 10
Newmerella — Walkability: 0/100 Orbost — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 48 / 15
Newmerella — Safety: 48/100 Orbost — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 53 / 8
Newmerella — Low fire risk: 53/100 Orbost — Low fire risk: 8/100
Low flood risk 28 / 29
Newmerella — Low flood risk: 28/100 Orbost — Low flood risk: 29/100

Demographics

Orbost has more residents (2,264 vs 415); Newmerella has higher household incomes ($58,864 vs $40,820).

Newmerella Orbost
Population 415 2,264
+446% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +1.7%
Median age 49 53
Median household income $58,864/yr
+31% vs other
 $40,820/yr
Median weekly rent $150/wk $190/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Newmerella Orbost
0-4 3.4% / 4.5%
Newmerella — 0-4: 3.4% Orbost — 0-4: 4.5%
5-14 13.0% / 11.3%
Newmerella — 5-14: 13.0% Orbost — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 6.7% / 4.4%
Newmerella — 15-19: 6.7% Orbost — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 5.1% / 3.5%
Newmerella — 20-24: 5.1% Orbost — 20-24: 3.5%
25-34 6.7% / 8.5%
Newmerella — 25-34: 6.7% Orbost — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 9.2% / 8.0%
Newmerella — 35-44: 9.2% Orbost — 35-44: 8.0%
45-54 14.5% / 11.3%
Newmerella — 45-54: 14.5% Orbost — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 14.2% / 16.5%
Newmerella — 55-64: 14.2% Orbost — 55-64: 16.5%
65-74 18.6% / 16.2%
Newmerella — 65-74: 18.6% Orbost — 65-74: 16.2%
75-84 7.0% / 11.4%
Newmerella — 75-84: 7.0% Orbost — 75-84: 11.4%
85+ 1.7% / 4.2%
Newmerella — 85+: 1.7% Orbost — 85+: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Newmerella 43.2% lone person
Newmerella — Lone Person: 43.2% Newmerella — Couple Families: 39.8% Newmerella — One Parent Families: 13.6% Newmerella — Group Household: 3.4% Newmerella — Other Families: 0.0%
Orbost 56.0% lone person
Orbost — Lone Person: 56.0% Orbost — Couple Families: 24.1% Orbost — One Parent Families: 14.7% Orbost — Group Household: 3.4% Orbost — Other Families: 1.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Newmerella 13.1% renting
Newmerella — Owned Outright: 57.2% Newmerella — Mortgage: 29.7% Newmerella — Renting: 13.1%
Orbost 22.6% renting
Orbost — Owned Outright: 55.3% Orbost — Mortgage: 22.1% Orbost — Renting: 22.6%
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.

Newmerella Orbost
England 1.0% / 2.7%
Newmerella — England: 1.0% Orbost — England: 2.7%
Germany 1.7% / 0.5%
Newmerella — Germany: 1.7% Orbost — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines 1.4% / 0.7%
Newmerella — Philippines: 1.4% Orbost — Philippines: 0.7%
Italy 0.7% / 0.4%
Newmerella — Italy: 0.7% Orbost — Italy: 0.4%
New Zealand — / 0.6%
Newmerella — New Zealand: not among its largest Orbost — New Zealand: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.7%).

Qualifications

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

Newmerella Orbost
Certificate III & IV 19.8% / 15.0%
Newmerella — Certificate III & IV: 19.8% Orbost — Certificate III & IV: 15.0%
Bachelor Degree 6.3% / 5.5%
Newmerella — Bachelor Degree: 6.3% Orbost — Bachelor Degree: 5.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.3% / 5.6%
Newmerella — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.3% Orbost — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.1%
Newmerella — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Orbost — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%
Postgraduate Degree 0.7% / 1.0%
Newmerella — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7% Orbost — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Newmerella 99.3% houses
Newmerella — Houses: 99.3% Newmerella — Townhouses: 2.0% Newmerella — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Orbost 93.6% houses
Orbost — Houses: 93.6% Orbost — Townhouses: 3.8% Orbost — Flats / Apartments: 2.6%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Newmerella Orbost
Median house price $497,500 $362,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $115,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 75 days
from 46 sales

Zoning mix

Newmerella has more rural and farming land (67% vs 29%).

Newmerella Orbost
Parks and recreation 26% 68%
Rural and farming 67% 29%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 1%
Residential 1%
same for both
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

Newmerella Orbost
New dwellings approved 386
across East Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
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.

Newmerella Orbost
Houses — 5.3%
$430/wk on $420K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Newmerella Orbost
House price — Higher than 10% of VIC
Income Higher than 19% of VIC Higher than 4% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 29% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 57% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 34% of VIC
EV adoption — Higher than 21% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 69% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 99% of VIC

Liveability

Orbost is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Newmerella Orbost
Grade — D
Score — 9/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Orbost carries more bushfire risk (92 vs 47); Orbost carries more crime risk (85 vs 52).

Newmerella Orbost
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 High
92/100
Crime Moderate
52/100
 High
85/100
Flood High
72/100
 High
71/100
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

Newmerella Orbost
Inside the suburb 1 5
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Newmerella

  • Newmerella Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Orbost

  • Orbost Community College Government · Combined below peers
  • St Joseph's School Catholic · Primary below peers
  • Orbost North Primary School Government · Primary
  • Orbost Primary School Government · Primary
  • Orbost Secondary College Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Newmerella Orbost
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 8
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 3
Pharmacies 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 1 11

Mobility

Orbost sits further from the CBD (390.8 km vs 369.8 km).

Newmerella Orbost
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 369.8 km 390.8 km
+6% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 272 min 309 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 3886
 0.3%
postcode 3888
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 3886
 42
postcode 3888

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.

Newmerella Orbost
Car (driver) 70.2% / 72.1%
Newmerella — Car (driver): 70.2% Orbost — Car (driver): 72.1%
Worked from Home 21.4% / 12.4%
Newmerella — Worked from Home: 21.4% Orbost — Worked from Home: 12.4%
Car (passenger) 4.6% / 7.4%
Newmerella — Car (passenger): 4.6% Orbost — Car (passenger): 7.4%
Walked Only 3.8% / 8.2%
Newmerella — Walked Only: 3.8% Orbost — Walked Only: 8.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.1%).

Setting

Newmerella Orbost
Elevation 55 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 116 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.5 km 16.4 km

NBN connectivity

Newmerella Orbost
Connectivity score 30/100 47/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
213 premises
 16%
1,422 premises

Council rates

Newmerella Orbost
Average residential rate $1,807/yr
same for both
Council East Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Newmerella Orbost
Division Gippsland
same for both
Member Darren Chester
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Newmerella Orbost
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Newmerella

Retirees Rural

Orbost

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Newmerella

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Other comparisons with Orbost

Orbost vs Marlo Orbost vs Jarrahmond
Full data on Newmerella Full data on Orbost
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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