Poowong VIC 3988
Poowong is a rural locality in Victoria, 115 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Population is 717; the median age is 42 and the median household income is $84,500 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The locality grew 11.5% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $250 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,700. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Poowong a good place to live?
Poowong scores a B (57/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Some car dependence
Walkability 35/100 · 114.7 km · 92 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $524K
Low all-round risk
Fire 16/100 · Crime 37/100 · Flood 31/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 42 · 717 residents
Liveability Rating
57 / 100 · Ranked #313 in VICEach bar is Poowong'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 Poowong?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
57 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median Land Price
Public listings dataPoowong's land market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $243,000, roughly 25% below where it sat a year earlier.
Land
$243,000
Based on 19 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 204 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
Houses
$523,500
11% below its 3 neighbours (median $585,000)
Based on 16 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 40 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 9 sales $527K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Poowong are currently listed at around $816,000 on average. Based on 12 houses listed in the past six months.
$816K
12 houses listed in the last 6 months.
12 of the suburb's 275 dwellings (4.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Is Poowong safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Poowong sits in the low band, with 19 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 36% on the prior year.
19 offences
35.7% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20257 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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
One school serve Poowong, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 101 students in one school (avg 101)
Primary
Walkability
Poowong is car-dependent on foot — at 35/100, most errands require a car.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Poowong.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 319
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
South Gippsland: 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
Poowong is home to 717 residents, with a median age of 42, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $84,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.9%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
717
Median Age
42
Median Household Income
$84,500/yr
Census Median Rent
$250/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,700/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$39,468/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Unoccupied Dwellings
8.4%
Total Dwellings
275
Owner-Occupier Rate
91.7%
Houses
97.1%
Rental Stress
15.4%
Mortgage Stress
24.1%
Work From Home
26.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 82.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 89.8%
- Employment Rate
- 62.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 33.1%
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.
13 residents (1.8%) 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.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
20.8% of residents (141) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (137).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 678 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (8 of 369).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,282 a year through South Gippsland based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 96%
- Infrastructure and transport 2%
- Residential 1%
- Zones under 1% 1%
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: South Gippsland
In the year to August 2026, 170 new dwellings were approved across South Gippsland. That mix is 154 houses and 16 units. Approvals are up 21.1% on the same period a year earlier.
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, 33.7 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 192 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 19.4 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 3988, 0 of 1,173 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.2% (14 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3988, 244 rooftop-solar systems totalling 1.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 460 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 12 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 3988 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 6, 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 $243,000 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 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 Danny O'Brien The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Danny O'Brien NP | 53.3% | 34.8% | 65.2% |
| 2018 | Danny O'Brien NP | 61.9% | 34.7% | 65.3% |
| 2014 | Peter Ryan NP | 57.3% | 34.3% | 65.7% |
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 Poowong?
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 717 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 Poowong 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 Poowong
Is Poowong a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Poowong is low (37/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Poowong?
Poowong has a low recorded bushfire history (16/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (31/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Poowong a good place to live?
Poowong has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (57/100), 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 Poowong?
Poowong, VIC had a population of 717 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Poowong, VIC?
The postcode for Poowong, VIC is 3988.
How far is Poowong from Melbourne?
Poowong is 115 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 92 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Poowong?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Poowong was $84,500 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 Poowong?
There are too few current rental listings in Poowong for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $250, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Poowong?
The median age of residents in Poowong was 42 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Poowong at risk of bushfire?
Poowong has a low recorded bushfire history (16/100). 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 Poowong?
There is 1 school inside the Poowong boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Poowong walkable?
Poowong scores 35/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it 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 Poowong?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Poowong, Wonthaggi (33.7 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 Poowong?
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 Poowong belong to?
Poowong sits within the South Gippsland local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Poowong?
The average residential rates bill through South Gippsland is $2,282 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Poowong?
Across South Gippsland, 170 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 21.1% 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 Poowong in?
Poowong sits within the federal Division of Monash, currently held by Mary Aldred (Liberal).
Search another suburb or address
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
- 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.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.