Pioneer Bay vs The Gurdies

Pioneer Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 57 in The Gurdies. 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 The Gurdies: a median of $845,000, against $500,000 in Pioneer Bay, though rent is higher in Pioneer Bay. On these figures, Pioneer Bay tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while The Gurdies suits 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Pioneer Bay

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($500,000 vs $845,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (28% vs 34%)

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

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

The Gurdies

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 22%)

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

Investors

The Gurdies

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.2% vs 3.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
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.

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Walkability 13 / 10
Pioneer Bay — Walkability: 13/100 The Gurdies — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 49 / 51
Pioneer Bay — Safety: 49/100 The Gurdies — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 100 / 84
Pioneer Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 The Gurdies — Low fire risk: 84/100
Low flood risk 22 / 58
Pioneer Bay — Low flood risk: 22/100 The Gurdies — Low flood risk: 58/100

Demographics

Pioneer Bay has more residents (365 vs 243); The Gurdies skews older (57 vs 41).

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Population 365
+33% vs other
 243
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% +27.2%
Median age 41 57
Median household income $49,972/yr $53,924/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk
+7% vs other
 $260/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
0-4 7.4% / 3.7%
Pioneer Bay — 0-4: 7.4% The Gurdies — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 10.4% / 4.9%
Pioneer Bay — 5-14: 10.4% The Gurdies — 5-14: 4.9%
15-19 2.7% / 3.3%
Pioneer Bay — 15-19: 2.7% The Gurdies — 15-19: 3.3%
20-24 4.4% / 5.3%
Pioneer Bay — 20-24: 4.4% The Gurdies — 20-24: 5.3%
25-34 13.2% / 9.5%
Pioneer Bay — 25-34: 13.2% The Gurdies — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 13.4% / 7.0%
Pioneer Bay — 35-44: 13.4% The Gurdies — 35-44: 7.0%
45-54 10.4% / 12.3%
Pioneer Bay — 45-54: 10.4% The Gurdies — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 13.7% / 21.8%
Pioneer Bay — 55-64: 13.7% The Gurdies — 55-64: 21.8%
65-74 11.8% / 22.2%
Pioneer Bay — 65-74: 11.8% The Gurdies — 65-74: 22.2%
75-84 7.4% / 9.9%
Pioneer Bay — 75-84: 7.4% The Gurdies — 75-84: 9.9%
85+ 2.5% / 2.1%
Pioneer Bay — 85+: 2.5% The Gurdies — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Pioneer Bay 52.5% lone person
Pioneer Bay — Lone Person: 52.5% Pioneer Bay — Couple Families: 23.0% Pioneer Bay — One Parent Families: 17.3% Pioneer Bay — Group Household: 3.6% Pioneer Bay — Other Families: 3.6%
The Gurdies 53.7% lone person
The Gurdies — Lone Person: 53.7% The Gurdies — Couple Families: 26.8% The Gurdies — One Parent Families: 7.3% The Gurdies — Group Household: 7.3% The Gurdies — Other Families: 4.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pioneer Bay 20.7% renting
Pioneer Bay — Owned Outright: 30.5% Pioneer Bay — Mortgage: 48.8% Pioneer Bay — Renting: 20.7%
The Gurdies 11.6% renting
The Gurdies — Owned Outright: 50.9% The Gurdies — Mortgage: 37.5% The Gurdies — Renting: 11.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Certificate III & IV 18.6% / 20.2%
Pioneer Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.6% The Gurdies — Certificate III & IV: 20.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 10.3%
Pioneer Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% The Gurdies — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Bachelor Degree 4.1% / 6.2%
Pioneer Bay — Bachelor Degree: 4.1% The Gurdies — Bachelor Degree: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / —
Pioneer Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% The Gurdies — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.1%
Pioneer Bay — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest The Gurdies — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

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.

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
England 7.1% / 11.5%
Pioneer Bay — England: 7.1% The Gurdies — England: 11.5%
New Zealand 1.9% / 3.3%
Pioneer Bay — New Zealand: 1.9% The Gurdies — New Zealand: 3.3%
Germany 2.5% / —
Pioneer Bay — Germany: 2.5% The Gurdies — Germany: not among its largest
India — / 1.6%
Pioneer Bay — India: not among its largest The Gurdies — India: 1.6%
Italy 0.8% / —
Pioneer Bay — Italy: 0.8% The Gurdies — Italy: not among its largest
Scotland 0.8% / —
Pioneer Bay — Scotland: 0.8% The Gurdies — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pioneer Bay 100.0% houses
Pioneer Bay — Houses: 100.0% Pioneer Bay — Townhouses: 0.0%
The Gurdies 92.9% houses
The Gurdies — Houses: 92.9% The Gurdies — Townhouses: 10.6%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Median house price $500,000 $845,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $520,000 —

Zoning mix

The Gurdies has more rural and farming land (75% vs 1%).

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Residential 83% 0%
Rural and farming 1% 75%
Parks and recreation 8% 20%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 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

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
New dwellings approved 393
across Bass Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year +0%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
House price Higher than 18% of VIC —
Income Higher than 9% of VIC —
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of VIC Higher than 69% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 35% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 66% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC

Liveability

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

The Gurdies carries more bushfire risk (16 vs 0); Pioneer Bay carries more flood risk (78 vs 42).

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
16/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
49/100
Flood High
78/100
 Moderate
42/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
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

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Parks & reserves 0 2
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Walkability score 13/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 99 km
same for both
Drive time (normal traffic) 78 min 80 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3984
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 49
postcode 3984
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.

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Car (driver) 89.1% / 80.4%
Pioneer Bay — Car (driver): 89.1% The Gurdies — Car (driver): 80.4%
Worked from Home 10.9% / 19.6%
Pioneer Bay — Worked from Home: 10.9% The Gurdies — Worked from Home: 19.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (89.1%).

Setting

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Elevation 13 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 72 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 477 m 2.1 km

NBN connectivity

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Connectivity score 72/100 31/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
229 premises
 1%
137 premises

Climate

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Annual rainfall 704 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Average residential rate $1,727/yr
same for both
Council Bass Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Pioneer Bay The Gurdies
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Pioneer Bay

Affordable Coastal Large Blocks

The Gurdies

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pioneer Bay

Pioneer Bay vs Grantville

Other comparisons with The Gurdies

The Gurdies vs Lang Lang The Gurdies vs Grantville The Gurdies vs Woodleigh The Gurdies vs Jam Jerrup
Full data on Pioneer Bay Full data on The Gurdies
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or