Colac West VIC 3250
Colac West sits 155 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 55 minutes by car. Census data records 89 residents with a median age of 30 and a median household income of $76,648 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The suburb grew 9.9% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $230 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,300. Colac West is characterised by high crime risk and high flood risk. Walkability is low.
This suburb is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 89. 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.
How do you rate the liveability in Colac West?
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Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025109 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 28% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3250.
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
No active Airbnb listings.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months.
Is Colac West safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Colac West sits in the high band, with 16 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 33% on the prior year.
16 offences
33.3% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20253 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 suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Walkability
Colac West is very car-dependent on foot — at 11/100, nearly all errands require a car.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Colac West.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 21%
- Premises covered
- 73
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
Colac Otway: 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
Colac West is home to 89 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 30 against the national 38. Median household income runs at $77,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
89
Median Age
30
Median Household Income
$76,648/yr
Census Median Rent
$230/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$44,564/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
0.0%
Total Dwellings
32
Owner-Occupier Rate
48.1%
Houses
78.1%
Rental Stress
15.6%
Mortgage Stress
20.4%
Work From Home
8.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 78.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 79.8%
- Employment Rate
- 70.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 25.8%
Occupations
Religion
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,023 a year through Colac Otway based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 86%
- Commercial 7%
- Industrial 4%
- Parks and recreation 2%
- Infrastructure and transport 1%
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: Colac Otway
In the year to August 2026, 226 new dwellings were approved across Colac Otway. That mix is 200 houses and 26 units. Approvals are up 64.5% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2013).
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 Colac (Shire Office), 3.8 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 134 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 44.0 km
- Annual rainfall
- 607 mm
- 82 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 3.4 kmIce Cream ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 3250, 36 of 11,274 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.0% (222 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3250, 1,605 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 5,590 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 130 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.
13 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3250 in 2025-26, rank 72 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 102, in 2008-09.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
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 suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Richard Riordan Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Richard Riordan LP | 51.8% | 48.2% | 51.8% |
| 2018 | Richard Riordan LP | 51.1% | 44.6% | 55.4% |
| 2014 | Terry Mulder LP | 55.4% | 39.4% | 60.6% |
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 Colac West?
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 89 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 Colac West 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 Colac West
Is Colac West a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Colac West is high (93/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Colac West?
Colac West has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (60/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Colac West?
Colac West, VIC had a population of 89 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Colac West, VIC?
The postcode for Colac West, VIC is 3250.
How far is Colac West from Melbourne?
Colac West is 155 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 115 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Colac West?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Colac West was $76,648 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 Colac West?
There are too few current rental listings in Colac West for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $230, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Colac West?
The median age of residents in Colac West was 30 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Colac West walkable?
Colac West scores 11/100 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 Colac West?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Colac West, Colac (Shire Office) (3.8 km away), 607 mm of rain a year over 82 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Colac West?
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 Colac West belong to?
Colac West sits within the Colac Otway local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Colac West?
The average residential rates bill through Colac Otway is $2,023 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Colac West?
Across Colac Otway, 226 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 64.5% 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 Colac West in?
Colac West sits within the federal Division of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan (Liberal).
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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
- 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.
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