Buchan sits 367 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 4 hours 40 minutes by car. Census data records 201 residents with a median age of 54 and a median household income of $56,316 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality fell 14.8% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $158 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,000. Buchan is characterised by high bushfire risk and no recorded flood exposure. All 1 school within the locality boundary rank above the state average, and walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 201. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
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Is Buchan safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Buchan sits in the moderate band, with 21 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 950% on the prior year.
21 offences
950.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20254 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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 Buchan, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Buchan Primary School leads the pack.
- • 23 students in one school (avg 23)
Primary
Walkability
Buchan 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 Buchan.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 176
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
East Gippsland: 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
Buchan is home to 201 residents, with a median age of 54 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $56,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
201
Median Age
54
Median Household Income
$56,316/yr
Census Median Rent
$158/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.1
Median Personal Income
$30,212/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
40.5%
Total Dwellings
79
Owner-Occupier Rate
85.9%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
14.6%
Mortgage Stress
21.3%
Work From Home
22.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 75.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 85.1%
- Employment Rate
- 51.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 27.4%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, 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 $1,807 a year through East Gippsland based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Parks and recreation 70%
- Rural and farming 29%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- Township Zone → Public Park and Recreation Zone · C165egip, Aug 2026 5.0 ha
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: East Gippsland
In the year to August 2026, 386 new dwellings were approved across East Gippsland. That mix is 362 houses and 24 units. Approvals are up 50.0% 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.
Setting
- Elevation
- 260 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 45.6 km
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.
EV adoption
In postcode 3885, 11 of 2,063 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.6% (12 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3885, 500 rooftop-solar systems totalling 2.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 908 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 21 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 3885 in 2025-26. The most was 22, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
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 locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Tim Bull The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tim Bull NP | 63.3% | 26.1% | 73.9% |
| 2018 | Tim Bull NP | 56.7% | 32.4% | 67.6% |
| 2014 | Tim Bull NP | 60.4% | 32.1% | 67.9% |
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 Buchan?
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 201 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.
Compare Buchan 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 Buchan
Is Buchan a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Buchan is moderate (45/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Buchan?
Buchan has a high recorded bushfire history (90/100, 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.
What is the population of Buchan?
Buchan, VIC had a population of 201 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Buchan, VIC?
The postcode for Buchan, VIC is 3885.
How far is Buchan from Melbourne?
Buchan is 367 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 282 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Buchan?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Buchan was $56,316 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 Buchan?
There are too few current rental listings in Buchan for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $158, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Buchan?
The median age of residents in Buchan was 54 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Buchan at risk of bushfire?
Buchan has a high recorded bushfire history (90/100). 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 Buchan?
There is 1 school inside the Buchan boundary: 1 above similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Buchan?
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 Buchan belong to?
Buchan sits within the East Gippsland local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Buchan?
The average residential rates bill through East Gippsland is $1,807 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Buchan?
Across East Gippsland, 386 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 50.0% 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 Buchan in?
Buchan sits within the federal Division of Gippsland, currently held by Darren Chester (The Nationals).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- 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.