Pastoria VIC 3444
Pastoria is a rural locality in Victoria, 99 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 15 minutes by car. Population is 75; the median age is 50 and the median household income is $97,500 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 56.2% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $346 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $4,000. The area shows high bushfire 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 75. 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 Pastoria?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
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Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 202588 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 34% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3444.
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 Pastoria safe? Crime statistics
2021Crime in Pastoria sits in the low band, with 1 incidents recorded in 2021 — down roughly 75% on the prior year.
1 offences
75.0% since 2019Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20253 crashes
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
Pastoria is very car-dependent on foot — at 10/100, 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 Pastoria.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 28
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
Macedon Ranges: 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
Pastoria is home to 75 residents, with a median age of 50 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $98,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
75
Median Age
50
Median Household Income
$97,500/yr
Census Median Rent
$346/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$4,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.1
Median Personal Income
$67,184/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
21.4%
Total Dwellings
28
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
18.5%
Mortgage Stress
49.2%
Work From Home
51.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 65.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 76.0%
- Employment Rate
- 56.3%
- Completed Year 12
- 46.7%
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 $2,065 a year through Macedon Ranges based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 61%
- Environmental 28%
- Parks and recreation 10%
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: Macedon Ranges
In the year to August 2026, 331 new dwellings were approved across Macedon Ranges. That mix is 281 houses and 50 units. Approvals are up 79.5% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Taungurung Land and Waters Council 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 Macedon Forestry, 22.4 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 479 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 778 mm
- 74 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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 3444, 95 of 9,638 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.9% (283 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3444, 2,155 rooftop-solar systems totalling 14.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 4,392 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 128 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.
1 first-home grant was paid in postcode 3444 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 68, in 2009-10.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Lisa Chesters Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lisa Chesters | 51.4% | 48.6% | +51.4 |
| 2022 | Lisa Chesters | 62.1% | 37.9% | -3.3 |
| 2019 | Lisa Chesters | 59.0% | 41.0% | -5.2 |
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 Mary-Anne Thomas Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 59.5% | 59.5% | 40.5% |
| 2018 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 50.6% | 63.2% | 36.8% |
| 2014 | Mary-Anne Thomas ALP | 53.8% | 53.8% | 46.2% |
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 Pastoria?
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 75 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 Pastoria 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 Pastoria
Is Pastoria a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Pastoria is low (20/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Pastoria?
Pastoria has a moderate recorded bushfire history (61/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (16/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Pastoria?
Pastoria, VIC had a population of 75 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Pastoria, VIC?
The postcode for Pastoria, VIC is 3444.
How far is Pastoria from Melbourne?
Pastoria is 99 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 75 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Pastoria?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Pastoria 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 Pastoria?
There are too few current rental listings in Pastoria for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $346, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Pastoria?
The median age of residents in Pastoria was 50 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Pastoria at risk of bushfire?
Pastoria has a moderate recorded bushfire history (61/100). 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.
Is Pastoria walkable?
Pastoria scores 10/100 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 Pastoria?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Pastoria, Macedon Forestry (22.4 km away), 778 mm of rain a year over 74 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Pastoria?
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 Pastoria belong to?
Pastoria sits within the Macedon Ranges local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Pastoria?
The average residential rates bill through Macedon Ranges is $2,065 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Pastoria?
Across Macedon Ranges, 331 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 79.5% 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 Pastoria in?
Pastoria sits within the federal Division of Bendigo, currently held by Lisa Chesters (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2021
- 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.
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