Bolwarra sits 347 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 4 hours 20 minutes by car. Census data records 647 residents with a median age of 49 and a median household income of $72,488 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality grew 7.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $220 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,603. Bolwarra is characterised by high bushfire risk and no recorded flood exposure. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Bolwarra a good place to live?
Bolwarra scores a C (35/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 23/100 · 347.4 km · 259 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $725K
High bushfire risk
Fire 95/100 · Crime 34/100 · Flood 0/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 4/10 · median age 49 · 647 residents
Liveability Rating
35 / 100 · Ranked #645 in VICEach bar is Bolwarra'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 Bolwarra?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
35 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Bolwarra sits at $725,000, broadly flat year-on-year. That said, only five sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level.
$725,000
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025114 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 26% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3305.
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
3 active Airbnb listings: 3 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 1.1% of the locality'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 Bolwarra safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Bolwarra sits in the low band, with 22 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 29% on the prior year.
22 offences
29.4% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20256 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
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.
Coastal Erosion
Shoreline Change Summary
1988–2024Nearest Eroding Coastline
- Distance
- 2.4 km
- Rate
- -0.12 m/yr
- Net Movement
- 1.4 m
- Certainty
- good
Data Quality
Schools
One school serve Bolwarra, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 36 students in one school (avg 36)
Primary
Walkability
Bolwarra is very car-dependent on foot — at 23/100, 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 Bolwarra.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 8%
- Premises covered
- 281
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
Glenelg: 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
Bolwarra is home to 647 residents, with a median age of 49, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $72,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
647
Median Age
49
Median Household Income
$72,488/yr
Census Median Rent
$220/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,603/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$30,212/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
16.9%
Total Dwellings
242
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.5%
Houses
94.2%
Rental Stress
15.8%
Mortgage Stress
26.5%
Work From Home
9.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.4%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.0%
- Employment Rate
- 54%
- Completed Year 12
- 28.7%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (4 of 292).
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.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,852 a year through Glenelg based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 85%
- Parks and recreation 8%
- Infrastructure and transport 4%
- Environmental 3%
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: Glenelg
In the year to August 2026, 60 new dwellings were approved across Glenelg. That mix is 35 houses and 25 units. Approvals are down 65.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2007).
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.
Climate & Setting
from Portland, 7.5 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 42 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 2.2 km
- Annual rainfall
- 661 mm
- 73 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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
1 facility within 5 km- 2.4 km
EV adoption
In postcode 3305, 19 of 12,613 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.1% (144 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3305, 2,008 rooftop-solar systems totalling 12.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 6,137 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 71 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.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3305 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 120, 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 $725,000 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 Dan Tehan Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Dan Tehan | 39.1% | 60.9% | -2.3 |
| 2022 | Dan Tehan | 40.9% | 59.1% | -1.1 |
| 2019 | Dan Tehan | 39.6% | 60.4% | +1.2 |
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 Roma Britnell Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Roma Britnell LP | 58.0% | 42.0% | 58.0% |
| 2018 | Roma Britnell LP | 52.3% | 47.7% | 52.3% |
| 2014 | Denis Napthine LP | 57.0% | 39.0% | 61.0% |
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 Bolwarra?
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 647 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 Bolwarra 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 Bolwarra
Is Bolwarra a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Bolwarra is low (34/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Bolwarra?
Bolwarra has a high recorded bushfire history (95/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). No mapped flood overlay applies. These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Bolwarra a good place to live?
Bolwarra has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (35/100), 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 Bolwarra?
Bolwarra, VIC had a population of 647 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Bolwarra, VIC?
The postcode for Bolwarra, VIC is 3305.
How far is Bolwarra from Melbourne?
Bolwarra is 347 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 259 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Bolwarra?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Bolwarra was $72,488 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 Bolwarra?
There are too few current rental listings in Bolwarra for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $220, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Bolwarra?
The median age of residents in Bolwarra was 49 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Bolwarra at risk of bushfire?
Bolwarra has a high recorded bushfire history (95/100). 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 Bolwarra?
There is 1 school inside the Bolwarra boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Bolwarra walkable?
Bolwarra scores 23/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Bolwarra?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Bolwarra, Portland (7.5 km away), 661 mm of rain a year over 73 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Bolwarra?
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 Bolwarra belong to?
Bolwarra sits within the Glenelg local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Bolwarra?
The average residential rates bill through Glenelg is $1,852 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Bolwarra?
Across Glenelg, 60 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 65.0% 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 Bolwarra in?
Bolwarra sits within the federal Division of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan (Liberal).
Search another suburb or address
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
- 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.