Quarry Hill
Forty percent of Quarry Hill residents hold university qualifications, which is 10.3 percentage points above the national average, yet the suburb sits within postcode 3550 in regional Bendigo where the median house price of $612,500 remains far below Melbourne's inner-city benchmarks. With 85.1% detached houses across 2.43 square kilometres and a population of 2,365, this is a low-density, professionally oriented neighbourhood where housing costs stay below capital-city levels while workforce skills are comparable to metropolitan educated corridors. An 8.6% vacancy rate and 36.2% renter share point to genuine tenant demand, while a 59.1% price rise from 2013 to 2024 shows consistent long-run capital growth.
Population
2,365
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,648/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Median House
$612K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $612,500 in the April-June 2024 quarter sits well below Melbourne's equivalent suburbs for the same professional profile, making entry costs lower compared to capital-city peers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,417, which is 19.9% of median household income, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 85.1%, with semi-detached homes filling the remaining 14.9%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 49.3%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 24.1%. Prices pulled back 19.1% from the $757,500 peak in January-March 2024 to the current $612,500, which gives buyers who missed the peak an improved entry point relative to just 12 months ago.
For Buyers
The median house price of $612,500 in the April-June 2024 quarter sits well below Melbourne's equivalent suburbs for the same professional profile, making entry costs lower compared to capital-city peers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,417, which is 19.9% of median household income, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 85.1%, with semi-detached homes filling the remaining 14.9%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 49.3%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 24.1%. Prices pulled back 19.1% from the $757,500 peak in January-March 2024 to the current $612,500, which gives buyers who missed the peak an improved entry point relative to just 12 months ago.
For Investors
Quarry Hill's 36.2% renter share and $298 weekly rent support steady tenant demand in a suburb where 85.1% of dwellings are freestanding houses. The 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated compared to many regional centres, signalling that supply is keeping pace with demand rather than tightening. Development activity recorded 29 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and fence or window works on existing houses rather than large new supply. The long-run price record shows 3.4% compound annual growth over 14 years from an earliest recorded $385,000 to $612,500, a consistent if unspectacular rate. The 57th-percentile household income base underpins rent-paying capacity, with rent-to-income at 18.1% indicating tenants are not under financial stress.
Development Activity
Total DAs
32
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+2800.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Quarry Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 234 students
Quarry Hill Primary School
Prep-6 · 324 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure precisely, placing Quarry Hill in neither an aging nor a young-skewing category compared to the wider population. University qualifications at 40.4% are 10.3 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the concentration of healthcare, education and professional workers who account for more than half the local workforce. Overseas-born residents are low at 9.6%, which is 12.0 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the suburb's Anglo-Celtic ancestry pattern where English (1,102), Irish (478) and Scottish (343) ancestries dominate. Average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below national, pointing to the 28.2% couples-without-children share. Volunteering reaches 20.8% of residents, above the typical national rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.1%
Houses
14.9%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure divides into 34.0% owning outright, 29.8% with a mortgage and 36.2% renting, a relatively even split that is more renter-heavy than the national owner-occupier norm. The outright-owner share of 34.0% suggests a meaningful cohort of long-held, debt-free properties. Detached houses dominate at 85.1% of the stock, with semi-detached making up the remaining 14.9% and no apartment stock recorded. Three-bedroom dwellings are the modal type at 49.3%, followed by four-plus bedroom homes at 24.1% and two-bedroom at 23.5%. The price history spans $349,000 at the 2016 trough to $757,500 at the early-2024 peak before settling back to $612,500, a cumulative 59.1% rise from the 2013 base over 14 years.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,417
Rent / wk
$298
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$863
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
94
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
1,792
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 28.1% of employed residents (241 workers), well ahead of the national sector share, reflecting Bendigo's role as a regional health hub. Education follows at 15.3% (131 workers) and Public Administration at 7.8% (67 workers), giving the suburb a strong public-sector employment base compared to typical suburban profiles. Professional/Tech and Construction each sit near 7.7%, adding a small private-sector layer. By occupation, Professionals (378) are the largest group, followed by Community/Personal workers (172) and Managers (148), consistent with the 40.4% university qualification rate. Full-time employment is 55.0% of workers and the unemployment rate is 5.2%, above a typical metropolitan rate but typical for regional centres. Household income sits at the 57th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.0%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
64.5%
Employed
1,184
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.4%
Postgraduate
11.3%
Born Overseas
9.6%
Dwellings
997
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 80.9% of commuters driving, while public transport use is just 1.0%, lower than most urban suburbs and consistent with regional Bendigo's limited bus and rail frequency compared to Melbourne. Walking and cycling together account for a noteworthy 10.3%, suggesting the suburb's compact 2.43 square kilometre footprint makes active travel practical for short trips. The crime rate is 46.5 incidents per 1,000 residents across 110 recorded offences, with property and deception offences accounting for 64 of those, a pattern typical of regional towns rather than high-crime hotspots. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Bendigo precincts. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 18.1% and mortgage-to-income at 19.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
80.9%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
10.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
110
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
46.5
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 Quarry Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quarry Hill a good suburb to live in?
Quarry Hill suits professionals and families who want a regionally affordable suburb with a high-education peer group. University qualifications at 40.4% are 10.3 percentage points above the national average. Mortgage repayments average $1,417 per month, which is 19.9% of household income, well below the 30% financial stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Quarry Hill?
The median house price was $612,500 in the April-June 2024 quarter, down 19.1% from the $757,500 peak recorded in January-March 2024. Over 14 years from 2013, the price has risen 59.1% at a 3.4% compound annual growth rate. Weekly rent averages $298.
What schools are in Quarry Hill?
No schools are recorded inside the Quarry Hill suburb boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in neighbouring Bendigo precincts. The suburb's adult population is highly educated, with 40.4% holding university qualifications, which is 10.3 percentage points above the national average.
Is Quarry Hill safe?
Quarry Hill recorded 110 offences with a crime rate of 46.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 64 of those incidents, which is the dominant category. Crimes against the person numbered 32. The pattern is typical of a regional town rather than a high-risk urban area.
Is Quarry Hill good for property investment?
The suburb offers a 36.2% renter share and $298 weekly rent on a $612,500 median, implying a gross yield near 2.5%. The 3.4% compound annual price growth over 14 years is moderate compared to capital-city averages. The 8.6% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention before committing to rental investment.
How is Quarry Hill's population changing?
Quarry Hill has a population of 2,365 with a turnover rate of 22.5%, meaning 77.5% of residents stayed in place over the Census period. The median age of 40 matches the national figure, and development activity is low at 29 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations rather than new dwellings.
How much development is happening in Quarry Hill?
There were 29 planning permit applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most involve partial demolitions, external alterations and fence or window changes on existing dwellings rather than new residential supply, consistent with an established suburb of 2,365 residents where the housing stock is already predominantly detached houses at 85.1%.
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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