Ross Creek is a town in Victoria, 130 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Population is 1,221; the median age is 40 and the median household income is $107,380 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The town grew 5.9% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $310 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,733. Ross Creek is characterised by high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Ross Creek a good town?
Ross Creek scores a C (43/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 129.8 km · 103 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $772K
High bushfire risk
Fire 74/100 · Crime 27/100 · Flood 22/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 40 · 1,221 residents
Liveability Rating
43 / 100 · Ranked #523 in VICEach bar is Ross Creek'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 Ross Creek?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
43 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataRoss Creek's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $772,000, roughly 29% above where it sat a year earlier.
$772,500
29% above its 4 neighbours (median $600,000)
Based on 12 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
By bedrooms
- 4 bed 6 sales $830K
Rental Market
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025110 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 27% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3351.
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 Ross Creek safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Ross Creek sits in the low band, with 29 incidents recorded in 2026 — up about 7% on the prior year.
29 offences
7.4% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20258 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town 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 Ross Creek, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
Primary
Walkability
Ross Creek 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 Ross Creek.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 438
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
Golden Plains: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Ross Creek is home to about 1,200 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $107,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,221
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$107,380/yr
Census Median Rent
$310/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg Household Size
3.0
Median Personal Income
$42,796/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.2%
Total Dwellings
402
Owner-Occupier Rate
96.0%
Houses
98.5%
Rental Stress
15.0%
Mortgage Stress
19.4%
Work From Home
11.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 90.1%
- English Spoken at Home
- 95.7%
- Employment Rate
- 69.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 35.4%
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 (1.1%) 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.
3.1% of residents (36) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (36).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,159 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (15 of 652).
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 $2,052 a year through Golden Plains based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 100%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Golden Plains
In the year to August 2026, 186 new dwellings were approved across Golden Plains. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are up 10.0% on the same period a year earlier.
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, 15.0 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 436 m
- above sea level, at the town 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 town 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 3351, 41 of 9,674 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.2% (113 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3351, 1,849 rooftop-solar systems totalling 11.9 MW have been installed since 2001, against 3,535 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 97 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.
10 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3351 in 2025-26, rank 91 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 70, in 2021-22.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this town, 2 across postcode 3351.
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 $772,500 this is $22,500 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 town'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 town's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Ross Creek?
Every figure above is a town 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 1,221 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
Smythes Creek VIC 3351
Smythesdale VIC 3351
Bonshaw VIC 3352
Scarsdale VIC 3351
Napoleons VIC 3352
Cambrian Hill VIC 3352
Compare Ross Creek 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 Ross Creek
Is Ross Creek a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Ross Creek is low (27/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Ross Creek?
Ross Creek has a high recorded bushfire history (74/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (22/100). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Ross Creek a good place to live?
Ross Creek has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (43/100), 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 Ross Creek?
Ross Creek, VIC had a population of 1,221 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Ross Creek, VIC?
The postcode for Ross Creek, VIC is 3351.
How far is Ross Creek from Melbourne?
Ross Creek is 130 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 103 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Ross Creek?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Ross Creek was $107,380 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 Ross Creek?
There are too few current rental listings in Ross Creek for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $310, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Ross Creek?
The median age of residents in Ross Creek was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Ross Creek at risk of bushfire?
Ross Creek has a high recorded bushfire history (74/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town 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 Ross Creek?
There is 1 school inside the Ross Creek boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
What is the weather like in Ross Creek?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Ross Creek, Ballarat Aerodrome (15 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 Ross Creek?
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 Ross Creek belong to?
Ross Creek sits within the Golden Plains local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Ross Creek?
The average residential rates bill through Golden Plains is $2,052 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Ross Creek?
Across Golden Plains, 186 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 10.0% 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 Ross Creek in?
Ross Creek 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
- 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.
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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.