Barwon Heads VIC 3227
Located in Victoria, Barwon Heads sits 95 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 25 minutes by car. The suburb has 4,353 residents, a median age of 46, and a median household income of $115,752 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 12.3% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $450 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,184. The area shows high flood risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Barwon Heads a good suburb?
Barwon Heads scores a B (67/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and community, weaker on prices and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Very walkable
Walkability 69/100 · 95.3 km · 87 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $1.19M · Less affordable than 75% of VIC
High flood risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 41/100 · Flood 83/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 46 · 4,353 residents
Liveability Rating
67 / 100 · Ranked #186 in VICEach bar is Barwon Heads'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 Barwon Heads?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
67 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBarwon Heads's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.19 million, about 7% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,190,000
Based on 38 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 61 days — median across 17 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 5 sales $1.06M
- 3 bed 12 sales $1.1M
- 4 bed 19 sales $1.44M
Units
$782,500
Based on 10 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 3 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 8 sales $782K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Barwon Heads are currently listed at around $1.62 million on average. Based on 38 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$1.62M
38 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$915K
9 units listed in the last 6 months.
47 of the suburb's 1,553 dwellings (3.0%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Barwon Heads rent for around $950 a week on average, based on 13 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$950/wk
13 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
15 rentals advertised against an estimated 248 rented homes (6.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202575 Severely unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 40% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3227.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$950/week ($49,000 a year) on a $1.62 million median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
163 active Airbnb listings: 162 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 7.7% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Barwon Heads safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Barwon Heads sits in the moderate band, with 140 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 15% on the prior year.
140 offences
14.6% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202511 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2025Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 871 m
- Rate
- -0.09 m/yr
- Net Movement
- -19.7 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serve Barwon Heads, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 416 students in one school (avg 416)
Primary
Walkability
Barwon Heads is somewhat walkable on foot — at 69/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 6 parks and 5 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Barwon Heads.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 21.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 21.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 15.6 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 16.1 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Barwon Heads.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 44%
- Premises covered
- 2,500
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
Greater Geelong: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 9 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Barwon Heads is home to about 4,400 residents, with a median age of 46, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $116,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
4,353
Median Age
46
Median Household Income
$115,752/yr
Census Median Rent
$450/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,184/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$53,560/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
36.0%
Total Dwellings
1,553
Owner-Occupier Rate
84.0%
Houses
91.2%
Rental Stress
20.2%
Mortgage Stress
22.6%
Work From Home
36.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
21 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 4 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 241 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 83.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.7%
- Employment Rate
- 56.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 52.1%
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.
39 residents (0.9%) 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.
15.6% of residents (654) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (627).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 4,194 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
8% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (163 of 1,977).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 1,105 people work here; 1,977 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.6 jobs per working resident. At least 43% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,802 a year through Greater Geelong based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 33%
- Parks and recreation 31%
- Rural and farming 20%
- Other and special use 11%
- Environmental 3%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- Transport Zone 2 → Protected Settlement Boundary · VC245, Feb 2026 9.2 ha
Land in this suburb 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 suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Greater Geelong
In the year to August 2026, 3,468 new dwellings were approved across Greater Geelong. That mix is 2,749 houses and 719 units. Approvals are up 55.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 28 homes
- Land zoned for housing, not yet subdivided 28 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2009).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 5 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 20.5 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 3 · ozone 0.
From the Geelong South monitoring station, 15.3 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Point Wilson, 20.3 kmwarm summers — mild winters.
- Elevation
- 6 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 876 m
- 1.4 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- —
- Summer max (Jan)
- 22.8°C
- 3 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 7.8°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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.
EV adoption
In postcode 3227, 109 of 4,657 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.6% (122 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3227, 1,236 rooftop-solar systems totalling 7.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,632 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 80 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 3227 in 2025-26. The most was 51, in 2012-13.
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 $1,190,000 this is $440,000 above 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 Libby Coker Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Libby Coker | 58.0% | 42.0% | +0.2 |
| 2022 | Libby Coker | 57.6% | 42.4% | -6.5 |
| 2019 | Libby Coker | 51.1% | 48.9% | -1.0 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Alison Marchant Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Alison Marchant ALP | 58.5% | 58.5% | 41.5% |
| 2018 | Lisa Neville ALP | 50.2% | 61.5% | 38.5% |
| 2014 | Lisa Neville ALP | 54.8% | 54.8% | 45.2% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Barwon Heads?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 4,353 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.
Featured in
- #2 in Geelong suburbs with the highest EV adoption today
- #2 in Geelong suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #3 in Geelong suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #5 in Geelong suburbs with the most rooftop solar
- #6 in Geelong suburbs with the biggest house blocks
- #6 in Geelong suburbs with the fastest EV adoption growth
- #6 in Geelong suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #6 in Geelong's highest-income suburbs
- #6 in Geelong suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #6 in Geelong's most owner-occupied suburbs
- #7 in The best beachside suburbs in Geelong
- #7 in The most liveable suburbs in Geelong
- #8 in Geelong's most educated suburbs
- #8 in Geelong suburbs where seniors live
- #8 in Geelong suburbs where young families live
Nearby suburbs
Compare Barwon Heads to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Barwon Heads
Is Barwon Heads a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Barwon Heads is moderate (41/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Barwon Heads?
Barwon Heads has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (83/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Barwon Heads a good place to live?
Barwon Heads has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (67/100), 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 Barwon Heads?
Barwon Heads, VIC had a population of 4,353 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Barwon Heads, VIC?
The postcode for Barwon Heads, VIC is 3227.
How far is Barwon Heads from Melbourne?
Barwon Heads is 95 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 87 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Barwon Heads?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Barwon Heads was $115,752 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 Barwon Heads?
The median advertised rent in Barwon Heads is $950 a week for houses (13 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Barwon Heads?
The median age of residents in Barwon Heads was 46 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Barwon Heads?
There is 1 school inside the Barwon Heads boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Barwon Heads walkable?
Barwon Heads scores 69/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Barwon Heads?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Barwon Heads (Geelong South) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.0 µg/m³ and PM10 of 20.5 µg/m³. That puts Barwon Heads below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Barwon Heads?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Barwon Heads, Point Wilson (20.3 km away), summer days average 22.8°C, winter nights 7.8°C, and 3 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Barwon Heads?
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 Barwon Heads belong to?
Barwon Heads sits within the Greater Geelong local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Barwon Heads?
The average residential rates bill through Greater Geelong is $1,802 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Barwon Heads?
Across Greater Geelong, 3,468 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 55.5% 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 Barwon Heads in?
Barwon Heads sits within the federal Division of Corangamite, currently held by Libby Coker (Australian Labor Party).
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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
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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.