Barnawartha VIC 3688
Located in Victoria, Barnawartha sits 302 km from Melbourne CBD, around 3 hours 15 minutes by car. The locality has 987 residents, a median age of 40, and a median household income of $90,584 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 9.2% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $293 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,495. The area shows high bushfire risk and high flood risk. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Barnawartha a good place to live?
Barnawartha scores a D (22/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 302.4 km · 195 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $520K
High bushfire risk
Fire 76/100 · Crime 26/100 · Flood 66/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 5/10 · median age 40 · 987 residents
Liveability Rating
22 / 100 · Ranked #812 in VICEach bar is Barnawartha's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Barnawartha?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
22 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBarnawartha's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $520,000, about 10% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$519,750
Based on 28 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 48 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 14 sales $532K
- 4 bed 12 sales $412K
Land
$281,500
Based on only 8 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Barnawartha are currently listed at around $649,000 on average. Based on 5 houses listed in the past six months.
$649K
5 houses listed in the last 6 months.
5 of the suburb's 354 dwellings (1.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Is Barnawartha safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Barnawartha sits in the low band, with 18 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 55% on the prior year.
18 offences
55.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20254 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
One school serve Barnawartha, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 60 students in one school (avg 60)
Primary
Walkability
Barnawartha is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Barnawartha.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 376
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Indigo: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Barnawartha is home to 987 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $91,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
987
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$90,584/yr
Census Median Rent
$293/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,495/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$43,836/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.8%
Total Dwellings
354
Owner-Occupier Rate
92.0%
Houses
95.2%
Rental Stress
16.8%
Mortgage Stress
19.8%
Work From Home
12.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 86.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.8%
- Employment Rate
- 66.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 30.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
0 residents (0.0%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
4.3% of residents (39) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (35).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 912 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,828 a year through Indigo based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 86%
- Parks and recreation 6%
- Residential 3%
- Infrastructure and transport 3%
- Industrial 1%
Proposed rezonings
- Transport Zone 1 → Rural Living Zone · C79indi, exhibited Oct 2026 0.8 ha
and 1 smaller change
Land in this locality moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Indigo
In the year to August 2026, 120 new dwellings were approved across Indigo. That mix is 117 houses and 3 units. Approvals are up 15.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
No Registered Aboriginal Party is appointed for this area. About an eighth of Victoria, mostly in the north-east, has no appointment; that is a fact about the register rather than about the Country.
Climate & Setting
from Rutherglen Research, 15.0 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, frosty winters.
- Elevation
- 168 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 567 mm
- 68 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 31.7°C
- 25 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 2.1°C
- 53 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 1.2 km
- 4.9 kmMeat ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 5.0 kmOther Basic Chemical Product Manufacturing n.e.c.Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Sulfur dioxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3688, 11 of 1,589 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.3% (20 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3688, 429 rooftop-solar systems totalling 2.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 522 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 31 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
0 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3688 in 2025-26. The most was 11, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $519,750 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Helen Haines Independent
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Helen Haines | 43.3% | 56.7% | -1.4 |
| 2022 | Helen Haines | 44.7% | 55.3% | -7.5 |
| 2019 | Helen Haines | 37.3% | 62.7% | +7.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Bill Tilley Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Bill Tilley LP | 50.9% | 36.7% | 63.3% |
| 2018 | Bill Tilley LP | 52.5% | 41.1% | 58.9% |
| 2014 | Bill Tilley LP | 54.6% | 40.3% | 59.7% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Barnawartha?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 987 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Barnawartha to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Barnawartha
Is Barnawartha a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Barnawartha is low (26/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Barnawartha?
Barnawartha has a high recorded bushfire history (76/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (66/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Barnawartha a good place to live?
Barnawartha has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (22/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Barnawartha?
Barnawartha, VIC had a population of 987 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Barnawartha, VIC?
The postcode for Barnawartha, VIC is 3688.
How far is Barnawartha from Melbourne?
Barnawartha is 302 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 195 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Barnawartha?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Barnawartha was $90,584 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Barnawartha?
There are too few current rental listings in Barnawartha for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $293, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Barnawartha?
The median age of residents in Barnawartha was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Barnawartha at risk of bushfire?
Barnawartha has a high recorded bushfire history (76/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Barnawartha?
There is 1 school inside the Barnawartha boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the weather like in Barnawartha?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Barnawartha, Rutherglen Research (15 km away), summer days average 31.7°C, winter nights 2.1°C, 567 mm of rain a year over 68 rainy days, and 25 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Barnawartha?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Barnawartha belong to?
Barnawartha sits within the Indigo local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Barnawartha?
The average residential rates bill through Indigo is $1,828 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Barnawartha?
Across Indigo, 120 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 15.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Barnawartha in?
Barnawartha sits within the federal Division of Indi, currently held by Helen Haines (Independent).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.