Ross Creek vs Smythes Creek

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Ross Creek: a median of $772,000, against $600,000 in Smythes Creek, though rent is higher in Smythes Creek. On these figures, Smythes Creek tends to suit 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

Ross Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 93/100)

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

First-home buyers

Smythes Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($600,000 vs $772,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Ross Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $395/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Smythes Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (125.7 km vs 129.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ross Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 93/100)

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

Where they sit

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

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
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.

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Walkability 0 / 6
Ross Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Smythes Creek — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 73 / 7
Ross Creek — Safety: 73/100 Smythes Creek — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 26 / 46
Ross Creek — Low fire risk: 26/100 Smythes Creek — Low fire risk: 46/100
Low flood risk 78 / 76
Ross Creek — Low flood risk: 78/100 Smythes Creek — Low flood risk: 76/100

Demographics

Smythes Creek has more residents (1,762 vs 1,221); Smythes Creek rents higher ($395/wk vs $310/wk).

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Population 1,221 1,762
+44% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.9% —
Median age 40 38
Median household income $107,380/yr $110,864/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $310/wk $395/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
0-4 5.1% / 6.2%
Ross Creek — 0-4: 5.1% Smythes Creek — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 18.1% / 13.6%
Ross Creek — 5-14: 18.1% Smythes Creek — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 7.5% / 9.7%
Ross Creek — 15-19: 7.5% Smythes Creek — 15-19: 9.7%
20-24 4.9% / 6.6%
Ross Creek — 20-24: 4.9% Smythes Creek — 20-24: 6.6%
25-34 6.5% / 10.2%
Ross Creek — 25-34: 6.5% Smythes Creek — 25-34: 10.2%
35-44 14.0% / 11.1%
Ross Creek — 35-44: 14.0% Smythes Creek — 35-44: 11.1%
45-54 17.9% / 14.0%
Ross Creek — 45-54: 17.9% Smythes Creek — 45-54: 14.0%
55-64 15.6% / 13.2%
Ross Creek — 55-64: 15.6% Smythes Creek — 55-64: 13.2%
65-74 9.4% / 10.2%
Ross Creek — 65-74: 9.4% Smythes Creek — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 2.0% / 4.1%
Ross Creek — 75-84: 2.0% Smythes Creek — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 0.4% / 0.6%
Ross Creek — 85+: 0.4% Smythes Creek — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ross Creek 67.3% couple families
Ross Creek — Couple Families: 67.3% Ross Creek — Lone Person: 19.6% Ross Creek — One Parent Families: 10.0% Ross Creek — Group Household: 2.1% Ross Creek — Other Families: 1.1%
Smythes Creek 66.1% couple families
Smythes Creek — Couple Families: 66.1% Smythes Creek — Lone Person: 16.5% Smythes Creek — One Parent Families: 12.9% Smythes Creek — Group Household: 3.4% Smythes Creek — Other Families: 1.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ross Creek 4.0% renting
Ross Creek — Owned Outright: 39.4% Ross Creek — Mortgage: 56.6% Ross Creek — Renting: 4.0%
Smythes Creek 9.6% renting
Smythes Creek — Owned Outright: 36.8% Smythes Creek — Mortgage: 53.6% Smythes Creek — Renting: 9.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Certificate III & IV 19.9% / 19.8%
Ross Creek — Certificate III & IV: 19.9% Smythes Creek — Certificate III & IV: 19.8%
Bachelor Degree 8.8% / 10.1%
Ross Creek — Bachelor Degree: 8.8% Smythes Creek — Bachelor Degree: 10.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.8%
Ross Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Smythes Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.3%
Ross Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Smythes Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 2.5%
Ross Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Smythes Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

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.

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
England 1.7% / 2.0%
Ross Creek — England: 1.7% Smythes Creek — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 0.8% / 0.6%
Ross Creek — New Zealand: 0.8% Smythes Creek — New Zealand: 0.6%
India — / 1.1%
Ross Creek — India: not among its largest Smythes Creek — India: 1.1%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Ross Creek — Scotland: not among its largest Smythes Creek — Scotland: 0.9%
Singapore 0.8% / —
Ross Creek — Singapore: 0.8% Smythes Creek — Singapore: not among its largest
Thailand 0.7% / —
Ross Creek — Thailand: 0.7% Smythes Creek — Thailand: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Ross Creek — Netherlands: not among its largest Smythes Creek — Netherlands: 0.6%
Germany 0.4% / —
Ross Creek — Germany: 0.4% Smythes Creek — Germany: 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.

Ross Creek 98.5% houses
Ross Creek — Houses: 98.5% Ross Creek — Flats / Apartments: 1.5%
Smythes Creek 99.1% houses
Smythes Creek — Houses: 99.1% Smythes Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Median house price $772,500 $600,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $290,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 64 sales

Zoning mix

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Rural and farming 100% 91%
Residential 0% 8%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 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

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
New dwellings approved 186
across Golden Plains
same for both
Approvals change year on year +10%
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.

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Houses — 3.1%
$518/wk on $859K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
House price — Higher than 21% of VIC
Income Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 84% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 29% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 97% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 39% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 42% of VIC Higher than 78% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 18% of VIC

Liveability

Ross Creek scores higher overall (43 vs 34).

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Grade C
same for both
Score 43/100 34/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Smythes Creek carries more crime risk (93 vs 27); Ross Creek carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 54).

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Bushfire High
74/100
 Moderate
54/100
Crime Low
27/100
 High
93/100
Flood Low
22/100
 Low
24/100
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

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km None 1
Federation University Ballarat, 8.7 km

Schools in Ross Creek

  • Woady Yaloak Primary School-Ross Creek Campus Government · Primary

Schools in Smythes Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 1 0
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Ross Creek sits further from the CBD (129.8 km vs 125.7 km).

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Walkability score 0/100 6/100
Distance to Melbourne 129.8 km
+3% vs other
 125.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 103 min 99 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3351
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 3351
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.

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Car (driver) 82.9% / 75.6%
Ross Creek — Car (driver): 82.9% Smythes Creek — Car (driver): 75.6%
Worked from Home 11.8% / 15.8%
Ross Creek — Worked from Home: 11.8% Smythes Creek — Worked from Home: 15.8%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 7.5%
Ross Creek — Car (passenger): 3.6% Smythes Creek — Car (passenger): 7.5%
Walked Only 1.6% / 0.8%
Ross Creek — Walked Only: 1.6% Smythes Creek — Walked Only: 0.8%
Bus — / 0.4%
Ross Creek — Bus: not among its largest Smythes Creek — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.9%).

Setting

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Elevation 436 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 408 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Connectivity score 29/100 68/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
438 premises
 54%
1,067 premises

Climate

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
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

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Average residential rate $2,052/yr
same for both
Council Golden Plains
same for both

Federal electorate

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Division Ballarat
same for both
Member Catherine King
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ross Creek Smythes Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ross Creek

Acreage Family

Smythes Creek

Acreage

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Smythes Creek

Smythes Creek vs Delacombe Smythes Creek vs Winter Valley Smythes Creek vs Haddon Smythes Creek vs Smythesdale Smythes Creek vs Bonshaw Smythes Creek vs Bunkers Hill
Full data on Ross Creek Full data on Smythes Creek
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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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