Tarwin Lower vs Venus Bay

Tarwin Lower is the younger of the two, with a median age of 53 against 58 in Venus Bay. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Tarwin Lower, about half of households are people living alone. In Venus Bay, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Venus Bay: a median of $500,000, against $422,000 in Tarwin Lower, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Tarwin Lower tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Venus Bay 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

Tarwin Lower

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (48% vs 31%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Tarwin Lower has cheaper houses ($421,500 vs $500,000)
  • Venus Bay has cheaper land ($158,000 vs $1,075,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tarwin Lower

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 30%)
  • has cheaper rent ($210/wk vs $280/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Venus Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Venus Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 29%)

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

Investors

Tarwin Lower

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (29.1% vs -4.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
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.

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Walkability 0 / 14
Tarwin Lower — Walkability: 0/100 Venus Bay — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 38 / 30
Tarwin Lower — Safety: 38/100 Venus Bay — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 88 / 100
Tarwin Lower — Low fire risk: 88/100 Venus Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 27 / 14
Tarwin Lower — Low flood risk: 27/100 Venus Bay — Low flood risk: 14/100

Demographics

Venus Bay has more residents (904 vs 462); Tarwin Lower has higher household incomes ($65,624 vs $47,944).

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Population 462 904
+96% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +29.1% -4.2%
Median age 53 58
Median household income $65,624/yr
+27% vs other
 $47,944/yr
Median weekly rent $210/wk $280/wk
+33% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
0-4 3.0% / 3.0%
Tarwin Lower — 0-4: 3.0% Venus Bay — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 11.0% / 6.9%
Tarwin Lower — 5-14: 11.0% Venus Bay — 5-14: 6.9%
15-19 3.2% / 2.9%
Tarwin Lower — 15-19: 3.2% Venus Bay — 15-19: 2.9%
20-24 4.1% / 1.2%
Tarwin Lower — 20-24: 4.1% Venus Bay — 20-24: 1.2%
25-34 6.3% / 7.4%
Tarwin Lower — 25-34: 6.3% Venus Bay — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 12.3% / 8.5%
Tarwin Lower — 35-44: 12.3% Venus Bay — 35-44: 8.5%
45-54 11.9% / 12.9%
Tarwin Lower — 45-54: 11.9% Venus Bay — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 19.9% / 22.8%
Tarwin Lower — 55-64: 19.9% Venus Bay — 55-64: 22.8%
65-74 21.0% / 23.3%
Tarwin Lower — 65-74: 21.0% Venus Bay — 65-74: 23.3%
75-84 6.5% / 9.2%
Tarwin Lower — 75-84: 6.5% Venus Bay — 75-84: 9.2%
85+ 1.9% / 2.0%
Tarwin Lower — 85+: 1.9% Venus Bay — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tarwin Lower 49.0% lone person
Tarwin Lower — Lone Person: 49.0% Tarwin Lower — Couple Families: 40.2% Tarwin Lower — One Parent Families: 7.8% Tarwin Lower — Group Household: 2.9%
Venus Bay 66.4% lone person
Venus Bay — Lone Person: 66.4% Venus Bay — Couple Families: 20.4% Venus Bay — One Parent Families: 10.2% Venus Bay — Group Household: 3.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tarwin Lower 11.1% renting
Tarwin Lower — Owned Outright: 54.5% Tarwin Lower — Mortgage: 34.4% Tarwin Lower — Renting: 11.1%
Venus Bay 15.4% renting
Venus Bay — Owned Outright: 54.9% Venus Bay — Mortgage: 29.8% Venus Bay — Renting: 15.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Certificate III & IV 17.3% / 17.8%
Tarwin Lower — Certificate III & IV: 17.3% Venus Bay — Certificate III & IV: 17.8%
Bachelor Degree 12.3% / 14.0%
Tarwin Lower — Bachelor Degree: 12.3% Venus Bay — Bachelor Degree: 14.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 8.1%
Tarwin Lower — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Venus Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.5% / 4.3%
Tarwin Lower — Postgraduate Degree: 4.5% Venus Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 3.1%
Tarwin Lower — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Venus Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.8%).

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.

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
England 4.5% / 5.3%
Tarwin Lower — England: 4.5% Venus Bay — England: 5.3%
New Zealand 2.2% / 1.3%
Tarwin Lower — New Zealand: 2.2% Venus Bay — New Zealand: 1.3%
Netherlands 1.5% / 1.0%
Tarwin Lower — Netherlands: 1.5% Venus Bay — Netherlands: 1.0%
Germany 0.6% / 1.7%
Tarwin Lower — Germany: 0.6% Venus Bay — Germany: 1.7%
Philippines — / 0.9%
Tarwin Lower — Philippines: not among its largest Venus Bay — Philippines: 0.9%
Fiji 0.6% / —
Tarwin Lower — Fiji: 0.6% Venus Bay — Fiji: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tarwin Lower 97.4% houses
Tarwin Lower — Houses: 97.4% Tarwin Lower — Townhouses: 2.6% Tarwin Lower — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Venus Bay 99.1% houses
Venus Bay — Houses: 99.1% Venus Bay — Townhouses: 0.0% Venus Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Median house price $421,500 $500,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $1,075,000 $158,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 66 days
from 44 sales

Zoning mix

Tarwin Lower has more rural and farming land (82% vs 23%); Venus Bay has more land zoned for conservation (12% vs 0%).

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Rural and farming 82% 23%
Parks and recreation 10% 46%
Residential 0% 15%
Environmental 0% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Planning zones cover 92% of Tarwin Lower and 98% of Venus Bay. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
New dwellings approved 170
across South Gippsland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +21%
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.

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Houses — 3.3%
$410/wk on $638K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
House price — Higher than 19% of VIC
Income — Higher than 8% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 77% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 29% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 63% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 18% of VIC Higher than 73% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 29% of VIC

Liveability

Venus Bay is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Grade — D
Score — 28/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Tarwin Lower carries more bushfire risk (12 vs 0); Venus Bay carries more flood risk (86 vs 73).

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Bushfire Low
12/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
62/100
 High
70/100
Flood High
73/100
 High
86/100
Coastal erosion High
92/100
 High
97/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Tarwin Lower

  • Tarwin Lower Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Venus Bay

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

Amenities in the suburb

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 10 8
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Walkability score 0/100 14/100
Distance to Melbourne 175.9 km 175.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 138 min 142 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3956
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 36
postcode 3956
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.

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Car (driver) 61.3% / 59.2%
Tarwin Lower — Car (driver): 61.3% Venus Bay — Car (driver): 59.2%
Worked from Home 31.2% / 36.2%
Tarwin Lower — Worked from Home: 31.2% Venus Bay — Worked from Home: 36.2%
Walked Only 7.5% / 1.9%
Tarwin Lower — Walked Only: 7.5% Venus Bay — Walked Only: 1.9%
Car (passenger) — / 2.6%
Tarwin Lower — Car (passenger): not among its largest Venus Bay — Car (passenger): 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.3%).

Setting

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Elevation 37 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 16 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.6 km 773 m

NBN connectivity

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Connectivity score 20/100 45/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
121 premises
 0%
2,181 premises

Climate

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Annual rainfall 906 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.9°C
same for both

Council rates

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Average residential rate $2,282/yr
same for both
Council South Gippsland
same for both

Federal electorate

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Division Monash
same for both
Member Mary Aldred
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tarwin Lower Venus Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tarwin Lower

Retirees Rural

Venus Bay

Acreage Affordable Coastal Retirees
Full data on Tarwin Lower Full data on Venus Bay
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