Waurn Ponds vs Freshwater Creek

Waurn Ponds is the younger of the two, with a median age of 27 against 45 in Freshwater 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. On these figures, Waurn Ponds tends to suit young adults, while Freshwater Creek 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

Waurn Ponds

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Waurn Ponds

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 24%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $430/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Waurn Ponds

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (68 min vs 75 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (87.9 km vs 96.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Waurn Ponds

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • But Freshwater Creek has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 10%)

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

Investors

Freshwater Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.7% vs -1.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Waurn Ponds and Freshwater 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.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater 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.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Walkability 18 / 0
Waurn Ponds — Walkability: 18/100 Freshwater Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 42 / 43
Waurn Ponds — Safety: 42/100 Freshwater Creek — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 69 / 100
Waurn Ponds — Low fire risk: 69/100 Freshwater Creek — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 67 / 47
Waurn Ponds — Low flood risk: 67/100 Freshwater Creek — Low flood risk: 47/100

Demographics

Waurn Ponds has more residents (4,956 vs 454); Freshwater Creek skews older (45 vs 27).

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Population 4,956
+91% vs other
 454
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.8% +9.7%
Median age 27 45
Median household income $118,872/yr
+9% vs other
 $108,524/yr
Median weekly rent $430/wk
+30% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
0-4 3.9% / 3.7%
Waurn Ponds — 0-4: 3.9% Freshwater Creek — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 12.2% / 14.3%
Waurn Ponds — 5-14: 12.2% Freshwater Creek — 5-14: 14.3%
15-19 13.0% / 8.6%
Waurn Ponds — 15-19: 13.0% Freshwater Creek — 15-19: 8.6%
20-24 16.5% / 3.7%
Waurn Ponds — 20-24: 16.5% Freshwater Creek — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 12.1% / 6.6%
Waurn Ponds — 25-34: 12.1% Freshwater Creek — 25-34: 6.6%
35-44 10.5% / 12.1%
Waurn Ponds — 35-44: 10.5% Freshwater Creek — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 13.4% / 16.5%
Waurn Ponds — 45-54: 13.4% Freshwater Creek — 45-54: 16.5%
55-64 8.5% / 13.0%
Waurn Ponds — 55-64: 8.5% Freshwater Creek — 55-64: 13.0%
65-74 6.1% / 14.5%
Waurn Ponds — 65-74: 6.1% Freshwater Creek — 65-74: 14.5%
75-84 3.1% / 6.2%
Waurn Ponds — 75-84: 3.1% Freshwater Creek — 75-84: 6.2%
85+ 0.5% / 2.0%
Waurn Ponds — 85+: 0.5% Freshwater Creek — 85+: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Waurn Ponds 61.0% couple families
Waurn Ponds — Couple Families: 61.0% Waurn Ponds — Lone Person: 19.2% Waurn Ponds — One Parent Families: 12.6% Waurn Ponds — Group Household: 6.0% Waurn Ponds — Other Families: 1.1%
Freshwater Creek 61.4% couple families
Freshwater Creek — Couple Families: 61.4% Freshwater Creek — Lone Person: 25.7% Freshwater Creek — One Parent Families: 12.9% Freshwater Creek — Group Household: 0.0% Freshwater Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Waurn Ponds 21.3% renting
Waurn Ponds — Owned Outright: 34.7% Waurn Ponds — Mortgage: 44.0% Waurn Ponds — Renting: 21.3%
Freshwater Creek 14.8% renting
Freshwater Creek — Owned Outright: 51.7% Freshwater Creek — Mortgage: 33.6% Freshwater Creek — Renting: 14.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Bachelor Degree 13.9% / 16.3%
Waurn Ponds — Bachelor Degree: 13.9% Freshwater Creek — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 13.5% / 13.2%
Waurn Ponds — Certificate III & IV: 13.5% Freshwater Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 9.3%
Waurn Ponds — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Freshwater Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 5.6% / 4.8%
Waurn Ponds — Postgraduate Degree: 5.6% Freshwater Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 2.2%
Waurn Ponds — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Freshwater Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

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.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
England 2.9% / 3.3%
Waurn Ponds — England: 2.9% Freshwater Creek — England: 3.3%
India 4.0% / —
Waurn Ponds — India: 4.0% Freshwater Creek — India: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.3%
Waurn Ponds — New Zealand: 0.8% Freshwater Creek — New Zealand: 1.3%
China 1.4% / —
Waurn Ponds — China: 1.4% Freshwater Creek — China: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 1.4% / —
Waurn Ponds — Sri Lanka: 1.4% Freshwater Creek — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
Scotland 0.5% / 0.7%
Waurn Ponds — Scotland: 0.5% Freshwater Creek — Scotland: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Waurn Ponds 97.6% houses
Waurn Ponds — Houses: 97.6% Waurn Ponds — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Waurn Ponds — Townhouses: 2.4%
Freshwater Creek 94.2% houses
Freshwater Creek — Houses: 94.2% Freshwater Creek — Flats / Apartments: 5.8% Freshwater Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Median house price $790,000 —
Median unit price $510,000 —
Median land price $638,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 28 days
from 58 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Freshwater Creek has more rural and farming land (99% vs 75%).

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Rural and farming 75% 99%
Infrastructure and transport 14% 1%
Residential 8% 0%
Other and special use 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

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
New dwellings approved 3,468
across Greater Geelong
 300
across Surf Coast
Approvals change year on year +56% +57%

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.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Houses 3.7%
$610/wk on $855K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
House price Higher than 48% of VIC —
Income Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 36% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 89% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 47% of VIC —

Liveability

Waurn Ponds is more walkable (18 vs 0).

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Grade B —
Score 55/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Waurn Ponds carries more bushfire risk (31 vs 0); Freshwater Creek carries more flood risk (53 vs 33).

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Bushfire Low
31/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
57/100
Flood Low
33/100
 Moderate
53/100
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

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, 9.6 km
 None

Schools in Waurn Ponds

  • Christian College Geelong - Senior School – Waurn Ponds Independent · Combined

Schools in Freshwater Creek

  • Freshwater Creek Steiner School Independent · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 14 27

Mobility

Freshwater Creek sits further from the CBD (96.1 km vs 87.9 km).

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Walkability score 18/100 0/100
Distance to Melbourne 87.9 km 96.1 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 68 min 75 min
Electric vehicle share 1.0%
postcode 3216
 1.2%
postcode 3217
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3216
 53
postcode 3217

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.

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Car (driver) 70.2% / 58.3%
Waurn Ponds — Car (driver): 70.2% Freshwater Creek — Car (driver): 58.3%
Worked from Home 19.7% / 33.3%
Waurn Ponds — Worked from Home: 19.7% Freshwater Creek — Worked from Home: 33.3%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / 3.4%
Waurn Ponds — Car (passenger): 4.8% Freshwater Creek — Car (passenger): 3.4%
Walked Only 1.4% / 3.4%
Waurn Ponds — Walked Only: 1.4% Freshwater Creek — Walked Only: 3.4%
Bus 2.2% / —
Waurn Ponds — Bus: 2.2% Freshwater Creek — Bus: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.4% / 1.5%
Waurn Ponds — Bicycle: 0.4% Freshwater Creek — Bicycle: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.2%).

Setting

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Elevation 104 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 52 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.1 km 9.3 km

NBN connectivity

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Connectivity score 70/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 46%
1,552 premises
 0%
183 premises

Climate

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Annual rainfall — 599 mm
Summer max (Jan) 22.8°C 23.2°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.8°C 7.6°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
PM2.5 5.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Average residential rate $1,802/yr $2,314/yr
Council Greater Geelong Surf Coast

Federal electorate

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Division Corangamite Wannon
Member Libby Coker Dan Tehan
Party Australian Labor Party Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Waurn Ponds Freshwater Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Waurn Ponds

Acreage River Students

Freshwater Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Waurn Ponds

Waurn Ponds vs Highton Waurn Ponds vs Grovedale Waurn Ponds vs Mount Duneed Waurn Ponds vs Wandana Heights Waurn Ponds vs Ceres Waurn Ponds vs Mount Moriac

Other comparisons with Freshwater Creek

Freshwater Creek vs Torquay Freshwater Creek vs Mount Duneed Freshwater Creek vs Bellbrae Freshwater Creek vs Moriac Freshwater Creek vs Mount Moriac Freshwater Creek vs Paraparap
Full data on Waurn Ponds Full data on Freshwater 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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