Bellbrae
With a median age of 52, Bellbrae sits 12 years above the national average, making it one of the older communities in the Surf Coast region. The suburb spans 50.8 square kilometres and houses just 1,346 residents, giving a density of 26.5 per km2, far below the state average for urban Victoria. Ownership is a standout: 57.2% of households own their home outright, compared with roughly 31% nationally, signalling a debt-free, settled resident base. The 17.0% vacancy rate is high for an area this size, pointing to a meaningful holiday or secondary-dwelling cohort rather than a conventional rental market.
Population
1,346
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,556/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
No median house price data is recorded for Bellbrae, reflecting the thin sales volume typical of small rural-fringe communities with fewer than 1,350 residents. What the data does show is a tenure profile strongly weighted toward outright ownership: 57.2% own their home free of a mortgage, compared with about 31% nationally, and only 35.9% carry a mortgage. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.1%, above the 30% stress threshold relative to local household incomes. The housing stock is almost exclusively separate houses at 98.7%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 36.1% and 3-bedroom homes at 40.3%, so buyers competing here are almost always pursuing a detached family home.
For Buyers
No median house price data is recorded for Bellbrae, reflecting the thin sales volume typical of small rural-fringe communities with fewer than 1,350 residents. What the data does show is a tenure profile strongly weighted toward outright ownership: 57.2% own their home free of a mortgage, compared with about 31% nationally, and only 35.9% carry a mortgage. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.1%, above the 30% stress threshold relative to local household incomes. The housing stock is almost exclusively separate houses at 98.7%, with 4-plus bedroom homes accounting for 36.1% and 3-bedroom homes at 40.3%, so buyers competing here are almost always pursuing a detached family home.
For Investors
Bellbrae's investment case is complicated by a 17.0% vacancy rate, higher than most owner-occupier-dominated suburbs, which suggests a significant short-stay or holiday rental segment rather than a stable long-term tenancy pool. The renter share is low at 6.8%, compared with a national average around 31%, meaning rental demand from permanent residents is limited. Weekly rent runs $380, modest for the Surf Coast area. Only 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, indicating very low new supply pressure, but equally little speculative growth activity. Long-term holders dominate: 57.2% own outright, and 77.7% of residents have not moved in the past 5 years, suggesting capital preservation rather than yield drives most ownership decisions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bellbrae iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Bellbrae Primary School
Prep-6 · 492 students
Demographics
The median age of 52 sits 12 years above the national median, pointing to a community well into its post-family phase. Just 13.5% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.1 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (565), Irish (226) and Scottish (202) are the top three groups. University qualifications reach 37.1%, which is 7 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a professional and educated cohort despite the low population density. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure exactly. Couples without children make up 33.1% of families, consistent with the older age profile, while couples with children represent 44.0% of family households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 98.7% of the housing stock, higher than the national figure and reflective of Bellbrae's rural character across 50.8 square kilometres. Bedroom distribution skews large: 36.1% are 4-plus bedroom homes and 40.3% have 3 bedrooms, with only 21.8% at 2 bedrooms. Ownership is the defining feature: 57.2% own outright, far above the national average of around 31%, while just 6.8% rent, compared with roughly 31% nationally. The rental vacancy rate of 17.0% is high, suggesting a portion of the dwelling stock is used as holiday or secondary accommodation rather than permanent housing. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, and at a 34.1% mortgage-to-income ratio, servicing costs are elevated relative to local incomes despite the absence of a published median price.
Mortgage / mo
$2,300
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$776
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.0%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.1% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.1%
Couples, no children
974
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 20.1% (78 workers), consistent with the area's rural-fringe and lifestyle property character where trades support ongoing dwelling improvements. Healthcare follows at 15.4% (60 workers) and Education at 11.3% (44 workers), both above typical industry concentrations for a settlement this size. Professional/Technical services contribute 11.1% (43 workers), which aligns with the 37.1% university qualification rate, well above the national average. The formal unemployment rate is low at 1.9%, though the participation rate of 43.7% is modest because 454 residents are not in the labour force, many in retirement given the median age of 52. Full-time employment runs at 56.6% among those employed.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
41.5%
Participation
43.7%
Employed
477
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.1%
Postgraduate
8.5%
Born Overseas
13.5%
Dwellings
448
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 90.0% of residents drive to work, compared with the national car-driver rate, while 5.5% walk or cycle, reflecting the suburban-rural layout across 50.8 square kilometres with limited public transport options. Crime totals 48 recorded offences per year, giving a rate of 35.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 19 of those cases and crimes against the person for 14, patterns consistent with a low-density, low-activity area rather than a high-risk environment. Volunteering is notably high at 25.2%, above the national average, suggesting a cohesive community culture. Only 5.7% of residents (68 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the generally capable age profile despite the median age of 52.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
48
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.7
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 Bellbrae compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bellbrae a good suburb to live in?
Bellbrae suits those seeking a rural-lifestyle setting near the Surf Coast. The median age is 52, the car dependence rate is 90.0%, and 57.2% of residents own their home outright. Volunteering runs at 25.2%, above the national average, indicating strong community participation. The trade-off is limited public transport and services across its 50.8 km2 area.
What is the median house price in Bellbrae?
No median house price is published for Bellbrae due to very low transaction volumes in this small community of 1,346 residents. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 34.1%. Weekly rent is $380 for the 6.8% of households who rent.
What schools are in Bellbrae?
No schools are recorded inside the Bellbrae boundary in this dataset. Families in this community of 1,346 residents rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs along the Surf Coast. Despite the absence of local schools, 37.1% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 7 percentage points above the national average.
Is Bellbrae safe?
Bellbrae recorded 48 total offences in the most recent year, a rate of 35.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (19 cases) and crimes against the person (14 cases) are the main categories. For a suburb with 1,346 residents spread over 50.8 km2, these figures reflect low overall incidence typical of rural-fringe communities.
Is Bellbrae good for property investment?
The investment outlook is modest. The renter share is just 6.8%, far below the national average of around 31%, limiting rental demand from permanent residents. Weekly rent of $380 is modest, and the 17.0% vacancy rate signals a significant holiday-home component rather than a stable tenancy base. Only 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, indicating low market activity.
How is Bellbrae's population changing?
Bellbrae has a population of 1,346 across 50.8 km2, with a median age of 52 that is 12 years above the national average. The resident stability rate is high: 77.7% of residents have not moved in the past 5 years. The aging profile and low development activity of just 1 application in 12 months suggest slow natural population change rather than active growth.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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