Boolarra VIC 3870
Boolarra sits 171 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 2 hours 5 minutes by car. Census data records 1,023 residents with a median age of 50 and a median household income of $62,400 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 5.1% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $218 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,083. The area shows high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Boolarra a good town?
Boolarra scores a C (32/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices.
Mixed results
1 school
Some car dependence
Walkability 33/100 · 171.3 km · 125 min drive to Melbourne
More affordable than most
Median $444K · Cheaper than 87% of VIC
Moderate bushfire risk
Fire 63/100 · Crime 34/100 · Flood 50/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 50 · 1,023 residents
Liveability Rating
32 / 100 · Ranked #693 in VICEach bar is Boolarra'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 Boolarra?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
32 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataBoolarra's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $444,000, about 2% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$443,500
Based on 26 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 76 days — median across 10 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 19 sales $430K
Land
$745,000
Based on only 9 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Boolarra are currently listed at around $705,000 on average. Based on 9 houses listed in the past six months.
$705K
9 houses listed in the last 6 months.
9 of the suburb's 402 dwellings (2.2%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Boolarra rent for around $540 a week on average, based on 3 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$540/wk
3 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$540/week ($28,000 a year) on a $705,000 median
Based on a small sample (3 listings) — indicative only.
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.
Is Boolarra safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Boolarra sits in the low band, with 22 incidents recorded in 2026 — up about 5% on the prior year.
22 offences
4.8% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20253 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town 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 Boolarra, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 28 students in one school (avg 28)
Primary
Walkability
Boolarra is car-dependent on foot — at 33/100, most errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Boolarra.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 1.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 11 min
- Span of service
- 10.2 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 Boolarra.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 478
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
Latrobe (Vic.): council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Boolarra is home to about 1,000 residents, with a median age of 50 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $62,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,023
Median Age
50
Median Household Income
$62,400/yr
Census Median Rent
$218/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$31,148/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
14.2%
Total Dwellings
402
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.6%
Houses
98.8%
Rental Stress
18.2%
Mortgage Stress
20.8%
Work From Home
19.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
10 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 0 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 41 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 77.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.1%
- Employment Rate
- 49.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 35.0%
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.
10 residents (1.0%) 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.
10.1% of residents (100) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (96).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 992 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
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,746 a year through Latrobe (Vic.) based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 86%
- Parks and recreation 11%
- Residential 3%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Latrobe (Vic.)
In the year to August 2026, 529 new dwellings were approved across Latrobe (Vic.). That mix is 509 houses and 20 units. Approvals are up 65.5% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
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 Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport), 26.1 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 109 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 33.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 700 mm
- 102 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 4.1°C
- 15 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town 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 3870, 5 of 1,376 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.9% (13 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3870, 330 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 590 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 13 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 3870 in 2025-26. The most was 13, in 2007-08.
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 $443,500 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 Darren Chester The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Darren Chester | 30.6% | 69.4% | +1.2 |
| 2022 | Darren Chester | 29.4% | 70.6% | +3.9 |
| 2019 | Darren Chester | 33.3% | 66.7% | -1.5 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Danny O'Brien The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Danny O'Brien NP | 53.3% | 34.8% | 65.2% |
| 2018 | Danny O'Brien NP | 61.9% | 34.7% | 65.3% |
| 2014 | Peter Ryan NP | 57.3% | 34.3% | 65.7% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Boolarra?
Every figure above is a town 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 1,023 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 Boolarra 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 Boolarra
Is Boolarra a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Boolarra is low (34/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Boolarra?
Boolarra has a moderate recorded bushfire history (63/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (50/100). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Boolarra a good place to live?
Boolarra has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (32/100), 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 Boolarra?
Boolarra, VIC had a population of 1,023 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Boolarra, VIC?
The postcode for Boolarra, VIC is 3870.
How far is Boolarra from Melbourne?
Boolarra is 171 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 125 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Boolarra?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Boolarra was $62,400 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 Boolarra?
The median advertised rent in Boolarra is $540 a week for houses (3 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Boolarra?
The median age of residents in Boolarra was 50 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Boolarra at risk of bushfire?
Boolarra has a moderate recorded bushfire history (63/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town 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 Boolarra?
There is 1 school inside the Boolarra boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Boolarra walkable?
Boolarra scores 33/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it 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 Boolarra?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Boolarra, Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) (26.1 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 4.1°C, 700 mm of rain a year over 102 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Boolarra?
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 Boolarra belong to?
Boolarra sits within the Latrobe (Vic.) local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Boolarra?
The average residential rates bill through Latrobe (Vic.) is $1,746 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Boolarra?
Across Latrobe (Vic.), 529 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 65.5% 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 Boolarra in?
Boolarra sits within the federal Division of Gippsland, currently held by Darren Chester (The Nationals).
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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
- 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.