Smythes Creek vs Bonshaw

Bonshaw is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 38 in Smythes Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Smythes Creek, most households are couple families. In Bonshaw, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Smythes Creek tends to suit couples, while Bonshaw suits young adults.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Smythes Creek is already more of a family suburb (79% vs 67%)
  • Bonshaw has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bonshaw

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (30% vs 10%)

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

Commuting to the city

Bonshaw

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 6/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (121.7 km vs 125.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Smythes Creek has more residents already 65 and over (15% vs 5%)
  • Bonshaw is more walkable (21/100 vs 6/100)

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

Investors

Bonshaw

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.8% vs 3.1%)

Weighs house yield.

Where they sit

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

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
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.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Walkability 6 / 21
Smythes Creek — Walkability: 6/100 Bonshaw — Walkability: 21/100
Safety 7 / 8
Smythes Creek — Safety: 7/100 Bonshaw — Safety: 8/100
Low fire risk 46 / 100
Smythes Creek — Low fire risk: 46/100 Bonshaw — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 76 / 100
Smythes Creek — Low flood risk: 76/100 Bonshaw — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Smythes Creek has more residents (1,762 vs 949); Smythes Creek skews older (38 vs 28).

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Population 1,762
+46% vs other
 949
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +351.9%
Median age 38 28
Median household income $110,864/yr
+13% vs other
 $96,408/yr
Median weekly rent $395/wk $398/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
0-4 6.2% / 8.4%
Smythes Creek — 0-4: 6.2% Bonshaw — 0-4: 8.4%
5-14 13.6% / 15.1%
Smythes Creek — 5-14: 13.6% Bonshaw — 5-14: 15.1%
15-19 9.7% / 3.8%
Smythes Creek — 15-19: 9.7% Bonshaw — 15-19: 3.8%
20-24 6.6% / 10.5%
Smythes Creek — 20-24: 6.6% Bonshaw — 20-24: 10.5%
25-34 10.2% / 25.4%
Smythes Creek — 25-34: 10.2% Bonshaw — 25-34: 25.4%
35-44 11.1% / 13.0%
Smythes Creek — 35-44: 11.1% Bonshaw — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 14.0% / 9.2%
Smythes Creek — 45-54: 14.0% Bonshaw — 45-54: 9.2%
55-64 13.2% / 8.5%
Smythes Creek — 55-64: 13.2% Bonshaw — 55-64: 8.5%
65-74 10.2% / 3.1%
Smythes Creek — 65-74: 10.2% Bonshaw — 65-74: 3.1%
75-84 4.1% / 1.8%
Smythes Creek — 75-84: 4.1% Bonshaw — 75-84: 1.8%
85+ 0.6% / 0.4%
Smythes Creek — 85+: 0.6% Bonshaw — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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%
Bonshaw 45.4% couple families
Bonshaw — Couple Families: 45.4% Bonshaw — Lone Person: 23.9% Bonshaw — One Parent Families: 21.5% Bonshaw — Group Household: 6.8% Bonshaw — Other Families: 2.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Smythes Creek 9.6% renting
Smythes Creek — Owned Outright: 36.8% Smythes Creek — Mortgage: 53.6% Smythes Creek — Renting: 9.6%
Bonshaw 29.7% renting
Bonshaw — Owned Outright: 16.9% Bonshaw — Mortgage: 53.4% Bonshaw — Renting: 29.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Certificate III & IV 19.8% / 17.3%
Smythes Creek — Certificate III & IV: 19.8% Bonshaw — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 10.1% / 13.9%
Smythes Creek — Bachelor Degree: 10.1% Bonshaw — Bachelor Degree: 13.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.3%
Smythes Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Bonshaw — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.5% / 4.5%
Smythes Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.5% Bonshaw — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 1.3%
Smythes Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Bonshaw — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

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

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.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
India 1.1% / 9.4%
Smythes Creek — India: 1.1% Bonshaw — India: 9.4%
England 2.0% / 1.1%
Smythes Creek — England: 2.0% Bonshaw — England: 1.1%
Nepal — / 1.8%
Smythes Creek — Nepal: not among its largest Bonshaw — Nepal: 1.8%
Scotland 0.9% / 0.5%
Smythes Creek — Scotland: 0.9% Bonshaw — Scotland: 0.5%
Philippines 0.2% / 1.2%
Smythes Creek — Philippines: 0.2% Bonshaw — Philippines: 1.2%
New Zealand 0.6% / 0.7%
Smythes Creek — New Zealand: 0.6% Bonshaw — New Zealand: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.6% / —
Smythes Creek — Netherlands: 0.6% Bonshaw — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Smythes Creek 99.1% houses
Smythes Creek — Houses: 99.1% Smythes Creek — Townhouses: 0.0% Smythes Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Bonshaw 93.6% houses
Bonshaw — Houses: 93.6% Bonshaw — Townhouses: 5.2% Bonshaw — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Median house price $600,000 $562,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $290,000 $265,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 64 sales
 36 days
from 47 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
3 bed $560K / $550K
Smythes Creek — 3 bed: $560K (33 sales) Bonshaw — 3 bed: $550K (17 sales)

33 vs 17 sales

4 bed $610K / $586K
Smythes Creek — 4 bed: $610K (94 sales) Bonshaw — 4 bed: $586K (122 sales)

94 vs 122 sales

5 bed $748K / $235K
Smythes Creek — 5 bed: $748K (8 sales) Bonshaw — 5 bed: $235K (7 sales)

8 vs 7 sales

Zoning mix

Smythes Creek has more rural and farming land (91% vs 1%).

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Residential 8% 99%
Rural and farming 91% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 0%
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

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
New dwellings approved 186
across Golden Plains
 1,451
across Ballarat
Approvals change year on year +10% +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.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Houses 3.1%
$518/wk on $859K
 3.8%
$480/wk on $655K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
House price Higher than 21% of VIC Higher than 23% of VIC
Income Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 39% of VIC Higher than 38% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC

Liveability

Bonshaw is more walkable (21 vs 6); Bonshaw scores higher overall (54 vs 34).

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Grade C B
Score 34/100 54/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Smythes Creek carries more bushfire risk (54 vs 0); Smythes Creek carries more flood risk (24 vs 0).

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Bushfire Moderate
54/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
93/100
 High
92/100
Flood Low
24/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
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
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Ballarat, 8.7 km
 1
Federation University Ballarat, 5.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 2.1%

Amenities in the suburb

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 0
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 1 4

Mobility

Smythes Creek sits further from the CBD (125.7 km vs 121.7 km).

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Walkability score 6/100 21/100
Distance to Melbourne 125.7 km
+3% vs other
 121.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 99 min 96 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 3351
 0.4%
postcode 3352
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 52
postcode 3351
 51
postcode 3352

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.

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Car (driver) 75.6% / 79.7%
Smythes Creek — Car (driver): 75.6% Bonshaw — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 15.8% / 14.4%
Smythes Creek — Worked from Home: 15.8% Bonshaw — Worked from Home: 14.4%
Car (passenger) 7.5% / 4.8%
Smythes Creek — Car (passenger): 7.5% Bonshaw — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Walked Only 0.8% / 1.1%
Smythes Creek — Walked Only: 0.8% Bonshaw — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 0.4% / —
Smythes Creek — Bus: 0.4% Bonshaw — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.7%).

Setting

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Elevation 408 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 411 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Connectivity score 68/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
1,067 premises
 94%
943 premises

Climate

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
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

Smythes Creek Bonshaw
Average residential rate $2,052/yr $2,086/yr
Council Golden Plains Ballarat

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Smythes Creek

Acreage

Bonshaw

Acreage Affordable Family River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Smythes Creek

Smythes Creek vs Delacombe Smythes Creek vs Winter Valley Smythes Creek vs Haddon Smythes Creek vs Ross Creek Smythes Creek vs Smythesdale Smythes Creek vs Bunkers Hill

Other comparisons with Bonshaw

Bonshaw vs Sebastopol Bonshaw vs Delacombe Bonshaw vs Ross Creek Bonshaw vs Cambrian Hill
Full data on Smythes Creek Full data on Bonshaw
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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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