Shelford is a rural locality in Victoria, 112 km from Melbourne CBD, around 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Population is 263; the median age is 39 and the median household income is $92,456 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 4.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,330. The area shows high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and 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 263. 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 Shelford?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
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Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Shelford sits at $928,000, 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.
Houses
$927,500
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Land
$320,000
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Is Shelford safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Shelford sits in the low band, with 6 incidents recorded in 2026 — up roughly 50% on the prior year.
6 offences
50.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20253 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 serves Shelford, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
- • 13 students in one school (avg 13)
Primary
Walkability
Shelford 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 Shelford.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 102
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 locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Shelford is home to 263 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $92,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.8%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
263
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$92,456/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,330/mo
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$38,844/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Unoccupied Dwellings
16.1%
Total Dwellings
93
Owner-Occupier Rate
86.7%
Houses
94.6%
Rental Stress
16.9%
Mortgage Stress
17.3%
Work From Home
21.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 86.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 95.4%
- Employment Rate
- 68.1%
- Completed Year 12
- 32.7%
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 $2,052 a year through Golden Plains based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 99%
- 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: 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 She Oaks, 18.8 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 187 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 40.9 km
- Annual rainfall
- 502 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.8°C
- 10 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.3°C
- 6 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 3329, 3 of 340 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.0% (0 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 0.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3329, 47 rooftop-solar systems totalling 0.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 128 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 8 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.
0 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3329 in 2025-26. The most was 3, in 2000-01.
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 $927,500 this is $177,500 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 locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Michaela Settle Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Michaela Settle ALP | 57.2% | 57.2% | 42.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Shelford?
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 263 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 Shelford 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 Shelford
Is Shelford a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Shelford is low (31/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Shelford?
Shelford has a moderate recorded bushfire history (65/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (56/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Shelford?
Shelford, VIC had a population of 263 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Shelford, VIC?
The postcode for Shelford, VIC is 3329.
How far is Shelford from Melbourne?
Shelford is 112 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 90 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Shelford?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Shelford was $92,456 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 Shelford?
There are too few current rental listings in Shelford for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $300, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Shelford?
The median age of residents in Shelford was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Shelford at risk of bushfire?
Shelford has a moderate recorded bushfire history (65/100). 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 Shelford?
There is 1 school inside the Shelford boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
What is the weather like in Shelford?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Shelford, She Oaks (18.8 km away), summer days average 25.8°C, winter nights 5.3°C, 502 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 10 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Shelford?
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 Shelford belong to?
Shelford 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 Shelford?
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 Shelford?
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 Shelford in?
Shelford 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.