Dunkeld VIC 3294
Dunkeld sits 282 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 3 hours 15 minutes by car. Census data records 688 residents with a median age of 48 and a median household income of $68,068 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The locality grew 1.5% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $220 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,083. 2 schools sit within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Dunkeld a good place to live?
Dunkeld scores a C (46/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit.
Mixed results
2 schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 282.3 km · 193 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $429K · Cheaper than 78% of VIC
Moderate bushfire risk
Fire 50/100 · Crime 26/100 · Flood 17/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 48 · 688 residents
Liveability Rating
46 / 100 · Ranked #488 in VICEach bar is Dunkeld'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 Dunkeld?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
46 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataDunkeld's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $429,000, roughly 36% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$428,750
Based on 20 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 84 days — median across 11 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 9 sales $418K
- 4 bed 5 sales $730K
Land
$212,500
Based on only 6 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 83 days — median across 3 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Dunkeld are currently listed at around $650,000 on average. Based on 11 houses listed in the past six months.
$650K
11 houses listed in the last 6 months.
11 of the suburb's 294 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Short-Stay Rentals
24 active Airbnb listings: 24 whole homes and 0 rooms. Whole homes are about 6.9% 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 Dunkeld safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Dunkeld sits in the low band, with 11 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 27% on the prior year.
11 offences
26.7% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20254 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 locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Two schools serve Dunkeld, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 77 students in one school (avg 77)
- • Largest: Dunkeld Consolidated School (77 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Dunkeld 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 Dunkeld.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 378
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
Southern Grampians: 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
The ABS scores 4 small areas inside this locality and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the locality closely.
Dunkeld is home to 688 residents, with a median age of 48, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $68,000 a year, with unemployment at 1.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
688
Median Age
48
Median Household Income
$68,068/yr
Census Median Rent
$220/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$38,584/yr
Unemployment Rate
1.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
19.7%
Total Dwellings
294
Owner-Occupier Rate
75.0%
Houses
95.2%
Rental Stress
16.8%
Mortgage Stress
19.1%
Work From Home
19.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 85.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.6%
- Employment Rate
- 62.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 44.9%
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.
7 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.
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 $1,892 a year through Southern Grampians based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 96%
- Parks and recreation 1%
- Infrastructure and transport 1%
- Zones under 1% 2%
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: Southern Grampians
In the year to August 2026, 43 new dwellings were approved across Southern Grampians. That mix is 31 houses and 12 units. Approvals are up 200.0% 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 Hamilton Airport, 26.2 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 260 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 604 mm
- 103 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.5°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 4.7°C
- 5 frost days ≤ 0°C
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 3294, 3 of 1,085 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.9% (10 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3294, 163 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.2 MW have been installed since 2001, against 468 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 7 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 3294 in 2025-26. The most was 8, in 2004-05.
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 $428,750 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 Emma Kealy The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Emma Kealy NP | 58.9% | 28.4% | 71.6% |
| 2018 | Emma Kealy NP | 66.9% | 26.5% | 73.5% |
| 2014 | Emma Kealy NP | 54.1% | 28.7% | 71.3% |
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 Dunkeld?
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 688 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 Dunkeld 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 Dunkeld
Is Dunkeld a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Dunkeld is low (26/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Dunkeld?
Dunkeld has a moderate recorded bushfire history (50/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (17/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Dunkeld a good place to live?
Dunkeld has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (46/100), 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 Dunkeld?
Dunkeld, VIC had a population of 688 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Dunkeld, VIC?
The postcode for Dunkeld, VIC is 3294.
How far is Dunkeld from Melbourne?
Dunkeld is 282 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 193 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Dunkeld?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Dunkeld was $68,068 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 Dunkeld?
There are too few current rental listings in Dunkeld 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 Dunkeld?
The median age of residents in Dunkeld was 48 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Dunkeld at risk of bushfire?
Dunkeld has a moderate recorded bushfire history (50/100). 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 Dunkeld?
There are 2 schools inside the Dunkeld boundary: 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the weather like in Dunkeld?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Dunkeld, Hamilton Airport (26.2 km away), summer days average 26.5°C, winter nights 4.7°C, 604 mm of rain a year over 103 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Dunkeld?
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 Dunkeld belong to?
Dunkeld sits within the Southern Grampians local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Dunkeld?
The average residential rates bill through Southern Grampians is $1,892 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Dunkeld?
Across Southern Grampians, 43 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 200.0% 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 Dunkeld in?
Dunkeld sits within the federal Division of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan (Liberal).
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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
- 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.