Kernot is a rural locality in Victoria, 114 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Population is 118; the median age is 44 and the median household income is $97,500 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The locality grew 18.0% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $140 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,167. Kernot is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. 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 118. 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 Kernot safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Kernot sits in the moderate band, with 3 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 25% on the prior year.
3 offences
25.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Kernot killed anyone or put anyone in hospital in 2021–2025.
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
Walkability
Kernot 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 Kernot.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 68
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
Bass Coast: 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
Kernot is home to 118 residents, with a median age of 44, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $98,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.8%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
118
Median Age
44
Median Household Income
$97,500/yr
Census Median Rent
$140/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$39,624/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Unoccupied Dwellings
37.8%
Total Dwellings
37
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
91.9%
Rental Stress
7.5%
Mortgage Stress
26.7%
Work From Home
32.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 71.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 79.7%
- Employment Rate
- 67%
- Completed Year 12
- 26.3%
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 $1,727 a year through Bass Coast based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 94%
- Environmental 3%
- Parks and recreation 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: Bass Coast
In the year to August 2026, 393 new dwellings were approved across Bass Coast. That mix is 369 houses and 24 units.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Bunurong Land Council 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 Wonthaggi, 18.8 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 126 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 8.2 km
- Annual rainfall
- 906 mm
- 119 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 24.6°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.9°C
- 0 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 3979, 3 of 396 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.8% (7 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.5%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3979, 99 rooftop-solar systems totalling 0.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 145 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 10 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 3979 in 2025-26. The most was 2, in 2000-01.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Mary Aldred Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mary Aldred | 45.9% | 54.1% | -1.2 |
| 2022 | Russell Broadbent | 47.1% | 52.9% | -4.0 |
| 2019 | Russell Broadbent | 42.6% | 57.4% | -0.1 |
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 Jordan Crugnale Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jordan Crugnale ALP | 50.2% | 50.2% | 49.8% |
| 2018 | Jordan Crugnale ALP | 52.4% | 52.4% | 47.6% |
| 2014 | Brian Paynter LP | 54.5% | 45.5% | 54.5% |
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 Kernot?
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 118 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 Kernot 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 Kernot
Is Kernot a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Kernot is moderate (41/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Kernot?
Kernot has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (45/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Kernot?
Kernot, VIC had a population of 118 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Kernot, VIC?
The postcode for Kernot, VIC is 3979.
How far is Kernot from Melbourne?
Kernot is 114 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 89 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Kernot?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Kernot was $97,500 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 Kernot?
There are too few current rental listings in Kernot for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $140, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Kernot?
The median age of residents in Kernot was 44 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Kernot?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Kernot, Wonthaggi (18.8 km away), summer days average 24.6°C, winter nights 6.9°C, 906 mm of rain a year over 119 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Kernot?
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 Kernot belong to?
Kernot sits within the Bass Coast local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Kernot?
The average residential rates bill through Bass Coast is $1,727 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Kernot?
Across Bass Coast, 393 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Kernot in?
Kernot sits within the federal Division of Monash, currently held by Mary Aldred (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
- 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.