Meerlieu VIC 3862
Meerlieu is a rural locality in Victoria, 255 km from Melbourne CBD, around 3 hours 10 minutes by car. Population is 90; the median age is 54 and the median household income is $82,316 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality grew 18.4% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $166 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $934. Meerlieu is characterised by high flood risk and high crime risk. 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 90. 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 Meerlieu?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
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Is Meerlieu safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Meerlieu sits in the high band, with 16 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 60% on the prior year.
16 offences
60.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20251 crash
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
Walkability
Meerlieu 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 Meerlieu.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 19
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
Wellington: 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
Meerlieu is home to 90 residents, with a median age of 54 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $82,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
90
Median Age
54
Median Household Income
$82,316/yr
Census Median Rent
$166/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$934/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$34,424/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
0.0%
Total Dwellings
24
Owner-Occupier Rate
76.0%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
10.5%
Mortgage Stress
13.6%
Work From Home
43.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 73.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 80.0%
- Employment Rate
- 53.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 30.0%
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 $1,960 a year through Wellington based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 83%
- Parks and recreation 17%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- Public Use Zone → Farming Zone · C130well, Mar 2026 0.7 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: Wellington
In the year to August 2026, 209 new dwellings were approved across Wellington. That mix is 180 houses and 29 units. Approvals are up 16.7% 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 Bairnsdale Airport, 21.3 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 4 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 15.9 km
- Annual rainfall
- 620 mm
- 82 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.5°C
- 8 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 4.5°C
- 7 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 3862, 7 of 3,722 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.0% (37 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3862, 863 rooftop-solar systems totalling 5.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,505 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 56 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.
3 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3862 in 2025-26, rank 155 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 42, in 2020-21.
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 Meerlieu?
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 90 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 Meerlieu 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 Meerlieu
Is Meerlieu a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Meerlieu is high (92/100, 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 Meerlieu?
Meerlieu has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (92/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Meerlieu?
Meerlieu, VIC had a population of 90 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Meerlieu, VIC?
The postcode for Meerlieu, VIC is 3862.
How far is Meerlieu from Melbourne?
Meerlieu is 255 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 188 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Meerlieu?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Meerlieu was $82,316 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 Meerlieu?
There are too few current rental listings in Meerlieu for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $166, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Meerlieu?
The median age of residents in Meerlieu was 54 at the 2021 ABS Census.
What is the weather like in Meerlieu?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Meerlieu, Bairnsdale Airport (21.3 km away), summer days average 25.5°C, winter nights 4.5°C, 620 mm of rain a year over 82 rainy days, and 8 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Meerlieu?
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 Meerlieu belong to?
Meerlieu sits within the Wellington local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Meerlieu?
The average residential rates bill through Wellington is $1,960 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Meerlieu?
Across Wellington, 209 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 16.7% 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 Meerlieu in?
Meerlieu 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
- 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.
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