Apollo Bay
A 56.1% vacancy rate is the most striking number in Apollo Bay's profile, and it explains almost everything else. With a population of just 1,790 across 86.91 km2 of Great Ocean Road coastline, the township exists primarily as a holiday destination rather than a commuter suburb. The median age of 52 sits 12 years above the national average, and household income falls in only the 21.4th percentile nationally, partly because part-time and seasonal hospitality work dominates the local economy.
Local council: Colac Otway
Population
1,790
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,144/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$795K
October to December 2025
Separate houses dominate at 83.9% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes account for 49.0%, making the stock relatively homogeneous. Outright owners are a large majority at 47.4%, reflecting an older, sea-change buyer base rather than first-home purchasers. The apartment segment is thin at 4.4%, so the market moves with coastal sentiment more than urban supply cycles.
For Buyers
Separate houses dominate at 83.9% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes account for 49.0%, making the stock relatively homogeneous. Outright owners are a large majority at 47.4%, reflecting an older, sea-change buyer base rather than first-home purchasers. The apartment segment is thin at 4.4%, so the market moves with coastal sentiment more than urban supply cycles.
For Investors
The 56.1% vacancy rate is the central investor risk in Apollo Bay, because a majority of the dwelling stock sits empty for much of the year as short-term holiday accommodation. The renter share is 29.1%, a thinner base than most suburban markets. On the positive side, only 4 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, constraining new supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
16
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Apollo Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Apollo Bay P-12 College
Demographics
The median age of 52 is 12 years above the national average, placing Apollo Bay firmly in the upper range of aging coastal townships. Only 41.8% of families are couples with no children, and the average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below the national figure, consistent with empty-nesters and retirees. Overseas-born residents account for 19.6%, which is 2 points below the national share, and the ancestry profile is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (697), Irish (309) and Scottish (222). University-qualified residents stand at 28.0%, which is 2.1 percentage points below the national rate. The volunteering rate of 27.5% is high, reflecting the community cohesion typical of small, place-attached coastal towns.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.9%
Houses
10.1%
Townhouse
4.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses make up 83.9% of the stock, with three-bedroom homes the dominant type at 49.0% and four-plus bedroom homes at 24.1%. Tenure shows 47.4% own outright, 23.5% carry a mortgage and 29.1% rent, a notably high outright-ownership share that reflects the older, asset-rich buyer profile. Rent averages $300 per week, and mortgage repayments average $1,700 per month.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$695
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
56.1%
Unoccupied
927
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.3% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.6%
Couples with children
54.0%
Couples, no children
14.7%
Single parent
428
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hospitality is the single largest employer at 21.3% of local workers (111 people), driven by the tourism and seasonal restaurant trade. Healthcare follows at 13.5% (70 workers) and Construction at 12.3% (64), with Education at 9.4% and Retail at 7.7%. By occupation, Managers lead at 147 workers, then Labourers at 122, Professionals at 106 and Community/Personal Service at 88, a mix that reflects both the service economy and the physically demanding outdoor industries of the region. The full-time employment rate is 47.8%, below the national norm, because part-time and seasonal work in hospitality dominates. Unemployment is 3.6% and the participation rate is only 46.3%, partly because 575 residents are not in the labour force, a figure consistent with the high median age of 52.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
820
Unemployed
26
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
41.6%
Part-time
45.3%
Participation
53.0%
Employed
794
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.0%
Postgraduate
8.0%
Born Overseas
19.6%
Dwellings
710
Transport to Work
Apollo Bay's livability is shaped by its small size and coastal setting. A notable 24.6% of residents walk or cycle for transport, far higher than most Australian suburbs, and 69.7% drive, reflecting both the compact township layout and the absence of public transport options. The crime rate of 50.8 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 91 total incidents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 40 cases. That rate is influenced by the small permanent population base relative to the tourist footfall. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset. Rent-to-income sits at 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, while mortgage-to-income at 34.3% exceeds it, a pattern common to high-price, lower-income coastal markets.
Drive
55.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
19.6%
Work from Home
20.5%
Growth Outlook
The population of 1,790 is small and relatively stable, with a turnover rate of 23.6%, meaning 76.4% of residents stayed in place over the five-year survey period. The township's scale limits how fast supply can expand, which has historically anchored prices even as demand fluctuates with coastal lifestyle sentiment. No SEIFA decile data is available to rank the suburb against national benchmarks for economic resources or education, though household incomes in the 21.4th percentile nationally indicate below-average economic capacity among permanent residents.
Population trend: Colac Otway council area
Apollo Bay sits in the Colac Otway council area. These are the council area's residents, not Apollo Bay's.
Residents 2025
22,209
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
91
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
50.8
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Apollo Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apollo Bay a good suburb to live in?
Apollo Bay suits residents who prioritise coastal lifestyle over economic opportunity. The volunteering rate of 27.5% and the fact that 76.4% of residents stayed in place over five years suggest strong attachment to the area despite modest incomes.
What schools are in Apollo Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Apollo Bay suburb boundary in this dataset. The township has a population of 1,790 and a small number of school-age children, so families typically access schools in nearby Great Ocean Road towns. University-qualified residents make up 28.0% of adults, which is 2.1 percentage points below the national rate.
Is Apollo Bay safe?
Apollo Bay recorded 91 total offences, giving a crime rate of 50.8 per 1,000 residents. The largest category was property and deception offences at 40 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 24. The rate is partly inflated by the small permanent population of 1,790 relative to the much larger tourist visitor numbers throughout the year.
Is Apollo Bay good for property investment?
Returns depend on short-term holiday letting rather than conventional residential tenancy, which adds management complexity and seasonal income variability.
How is Apollo Bay's population changing?
The permanent population stands at 1,790 across an 86.91 km2 area, giving a low density of 20.6 residents per km2. The median age of 52 is 12 years above the national average, pointing to an aging resident base. A turnover rate of 23.6% means 76.4% of residents stayed in place over the five-year survey period, indicating stability rather than rapid demographic change.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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