Mount Rowan is a suburb in Victoria, 120 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 25 minutes by car. Population is 295; the median age is 50 and the median household income is $79,456 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $400 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,975. Mount Rowan is characterised by high flood risk and high crime risk. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and 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 295. 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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Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Mount Rowan sits at $988,000, broadly flat year-on-year. That said, only three sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level.
$987,500
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025104 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3352.
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.
Is Mount Rowan safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Mount Rowan sits in the moderate band, with 14 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 30% on the prior year.
14 offences
30.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20258 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 suburb 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 serves Mount Rowan, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
Combined
Universities nearby
0.0% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Mount Rowan is very car-dependent on foot — at 23/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Mount Rowan.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 14.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 14.4 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 19.7 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 15.4 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Mount Rowan.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 128
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
Ballarat: 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
Mount Rowan is home to 295 residents, with a median age of 50 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $79,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
295
Median Age
50
Median Household Income
$79,456/yr
Census Median Rent
$400/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,975/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$36,920/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.6%
Total Dwellings
107
Owner-Occupier Rate
90.7%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
26.2%
Mortgage Stress
29.8%
Work From Home
15.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 93.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 96.6%
- Employment Rate
- 58%
- Completed Year 12
- 33.9%
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 $2,086 a year through Ballarat based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 55%
- Residential 34%
- Infrastructure and transport 7%
- Industrial 4%
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: Ballarat
In the year to August 2026, 1,451 new dwellings were approved across Ballarat. That mix is 1,134 houses and 317 units. Approvals are up 41.8% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 6,600 homes
- Land set aside, awaiting a precinct structure plan 6,600 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2009).
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 Ballarat Aerodrome, 4.6 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 511 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Annual rainfall
- 605 mm
- 97 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.7°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.5°C
- 17 frost days ≤ 0°C
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
10 facilities within 5 km- 2.2 kmOther Petroleum and Coal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 3.0 kmConfectionery ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.1 km
- 3.5 kmOther Food Product Manufacturing n.e.c.Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.6 kmOther Motor Vehicle Parts ManufacturingTop reported: Copper & compounds · Antimony & compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 3352, 81 of 19,154 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.5% (287 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3352, 3,568 rooftop-solar systems totalling 25.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,023 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 242 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.
12 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3352 in 2025-26, rank 77 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 131, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
4 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 3352.
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 $987,500 this is $237,500 above 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 Catherine King Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Catherine King | 60.7% | 39.3% | -2.3 |
| 2022 | Catherine King | 63.0% | 37.0% | -2.7 |
| 2019 | Catherine King | 61.0% | 39.0% | -3.6 |
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 Martha Haylett Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Martha Haylett ALP | 53.0% | 53.0% | 47.0% |
| 2018 | Louise Staley LP | 50.0% | 50.0% | 50.0% |
| 2014 | Louise Staley LP | 50.8% | 49.2% | 50.8% |
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 Mount Rowan?
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 295 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 Mount Rowan 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 Mount Rowan
Is Mount Rowan a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Mount Rowan is moderate (64/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Mount Rowan?
Mount Rowan has a low recorded bushfire history (31/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a high share of it (73/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Mount Rowan?
Mount Rowan, VIC had a population of 295 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Mount Rowan, VIC?
The postcode for Mount Rowan, VIC is 3352.
How far is Mount Rowan from Melbourne?
Mount Rowan is 120 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 85 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Mount Rowan?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Mount Rowan was $79,456 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 Mount Rowan?
There are too few current rental listings in Mount Rowan for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $400, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Mount Rowan?
The median age of residents in Mount Rowan was 50 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Mount Rowan at risk of bushfire?
Mount Rowan has a low recorded bushfire history (31/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb 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 Mount Rowan?
There is 1 school inside the Mount Rowan boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
Is Mount Rowan walkable?
Mount Rowan scores 23/100 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 Mount Rowan?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Mount Rowan, Ballarat Aerodrome (4.6 km away), summer days average 25.7°C, winter nights 3.5°C, 605 mm of rain a year over 97 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Mount Rowan?
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 Mount Rowan belong to?
Mount Rowan sits within the Ballarat local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Mount Rowan?
The average residential rates bill through Ballarat is $2,086 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Mount Rowan?
Across Ballarat, 1,451 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 41.8% 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 Mount Rowan in?
Mount Rowan sits within the federal Division of Ballarat, currently held by Catherine King (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- 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.