Queenscliff
A 40.0% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Queenscliff's 1,516-person profile, sitting alongside a median age of 62 and a 91.1% separate-house share. The age measure is 22 years above the national median, while 61.8% of homes are owned outright, pointing to an established, low-turnover base rather than a typical first-home market. Household size averages 2.1 people, 38.6% work from home and 80.3% stayed at the same address, supporting a quieter residential pattern. For buyers comparing Queenscliff with Point Lonsdale, tenure, vacancy and age are more important distinctions than headline price alone.
Local council: Queenscliffe
Population
1,516
Median Age
62.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,473/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$955K
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Queenscliff suits buyers seeking detached housing, but the entry cost needs careful budgeting. The housing mix is 91.1% separate houses, led by 3-bedroom homes at 46.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 33.3%. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, stock is more detached and less flexible.
For Buyers
Queenscliff suits buyers seeking detached housing, but the entry cost needs careful budgeting. The housing mix is 91.1% separate houses, led by 3-bedroom homes at 46.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 33.3%. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, stock is more detached and less flexible.
For Investors
Queenscliff presents a yield and vacancy trade-off. Rent is $369 a week, while 14.0% of homes are rented, and the 40.0% vacancy rate creates a high-vacancy profile compared with a tightly occupied market. That vacancy can reduce income reliability even as rent growth reached 53.8% across the shift period. Six development matters were recorded in 12 months, so new supply appears limited rather than a major construction pipeline. Forecast growth is 2.0% annually and is driven by Internal migration, but investors should stress-test seasonal vacancy, maintenance and resale depth more heavily than in a larger market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Queenscliff
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Queenscliff Primary School
St Aloysius' School
Demographics
Queenscliff has an older and more settled profile than Australia overall. Median age is 62, or 22 years above the national median, while the 2.1-person average household is 0.4 below the national average. University attainment is 43.0%, 12.9 percentage points above the national comparison, but overseas-born residents account for 13.2%, 8.4 points below nationally. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 737, 277 and 260 respectively; Christianity counts 752 people and no religion 638. With 80.3% staying at the same address and 19.7% turnover, the aging trajectory is reinforced by long-term residence rather than rapid churn. Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale may be compared by buyers, but this age and mobility pattern deserves separate attention.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.1%
Houses
4.8%
Townhouse
2.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Queenscliff's housing is heavily detached and ownership-led. Separate houses make up 91.1% of stock, compared with 2.6% apartments and 4.8% semi-detached homes. Outright ownership is 61.8%, mortgages 22.2% and renting 14.0%, a tenure mix that limits rental depth and helps explain why the 40.0% vacancy rate matters. For buyers comparing Queenscliff with Point Lonsdale, the practical question is whether this low-density, established stock suits the intended use rather than assuming the two markets behave the same.
Mortgage / mo
$2,232
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$369
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$793
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
40.0%
Unoccupied
444
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.0% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples with children
61.6%
Couples, no children
9.8%
Single parent
451
Total families
Economy & Employment
Queenscliff's labour market combines health, professional and public-facing work with a large non-working base. Healthcare accounts for 14.7% of industry jobs, Professional/Tech 13.7%, Education 12.7%, Public Admin 10.4% and Construction 9.2%. Professionals number 195 and Managers 117, compared with 65 in Trades. Unemployment is 2.4% from 16 people, but participation is 47.7% and 646 people are outside the labour force, consistent with a median age of 62. SEIFA sits above the national midpoint: IEO and IRSAD are decile 8, IER 7 and IRSD 9. Household income is at the 45.6th percentile, lower than those advantage deciles, so wages alone understate local resources.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
656
Unemployed
16
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
45.9%
Part-time
42.2%
Participation
47.7%
Employed
640
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.0%
Postgraduate
12.3%
Born Overseas
13.2%
Dwellings
662
Transport to Work
Queenscliff's daily travel is oriented toward cars and home-based work: 50.5% drive to work, 38.6% work from home, only 1.1% use public transport and 7.8% walk or cycle. Families have access to 2 local primary schools, one government and one Catholic, but should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The crime total is 48, equal to 31.7 offences per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences made up 40, compared with 5 crimes against the person. IRSAD is in decile 8, above the national midpoint, while volunteering reaches 31.6% and need for assistance is 5.3%. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, daily convenience here depends more on private vehicles, local services and remote work arrangements.
Drive
50.5%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
7.8%
Work from Home
38.6%
Growth Outlook
Queenscliff has an established forecast profile, but the trajectory is more complex than simple population expansion. Annual growth is forecast at 2.0%, driven by Internal migration, while the wider area's population change is 35.7% over 10 years. The shift is labelled Aging: the senior share rose 10.3 percentage points, the young share fell 3.4 points and the working share fell 6.7 points. Gentrification is at the Active stage with a score of 51, and rent growth reached 53.8%. Affordability is labelled Worsening, despite the 2021 index of 48.9 being above 46.1 in 2011. Compared with a static established suburb, Queenscliff combines ongoing demand with an older resident base and rising housing pressure.
Population trend: Queenscliffe council area
Queenscliff sits in the Queenscliffe council area. These are the council area's residents, not Queenscliff's.
Residents 2025
3,317
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
48
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
31.7
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 Queenscliff compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Queenscliff a good suburb to live in?
Queenscliff can suit buyers who value detached housing and a mature population. The median age is 62, 61.8% of homes are owned outright and 38.6% of residents work from home. Compare the address with your transport, healthcare and maintenance needs before committing.
What schools are in Queenscliff?
Queenscliff has 2 listed primary schools: Queenscliff Primary School in the government sector and St Aloysius' School in the Catholic sector. Check the exact address, intake rules and enrolment zones directly, particularly when comparing homes near Point Lonsdale.
Is Queenscliff safe?
Queenscliff recorded 48 offences, equal to 31.7 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 40, compared with 5 crimes against the person. Review current local information and the exact street before deciding.
Is Queenscliff good for property investment?
Investment conditions are mixed. Weekly rent is $369, the rental share is 14.0% and vacancy is 40.0%, which can make income less dependable than in a tightly occupied market. Six development matters were recorded over 12 months, while forecast growth is 2.0% annually.
How is Queenscliff's population changing?
The forecast describes an Aging trajectory, with 2.0% annual growth driven by Internal migration. Population change across the wider area is 35.7% over 10 years, while the senior share rose 10.3 percentage points. That points to growth alongside a progressively older resident base.
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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