VIC 3550 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Spring Gully

Spring Gully's median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national benchmark, giving the suburb an established, older resident profile. Its 3,092 residents are concentrated in detached housing, with 88.5% of dwellings separate houses and 42.3% owned outright. For buyers comparing Spring Gully with nearby Kennington and Flora Hill, the defining features are its larger-home format, high owner presence and slower growth profile. These qualities support stability, although they also mean less rental depth and fewer signals of rapid demographic change.

Local council: Greater Bendigo

Spring Gully urban fabric map

Population

3,092

Median Age

45.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,543/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

10

Median House

$715K

October to December 2025

7.84 km²· 394.6 people/km²· Family income $2,068/wk

Housing is strongly detached, with 88.5% separate houses, while 45.1% have 3 bedrooms and 34.1% have 4 or more. That mix suits households seeking conventional family layouts because apartments account for only 0.2%. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,454 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.8% indicate that typical owner costs are not flagged as mortgage stress, though deposit size remains the larger hurdle.

For Buyers

Housing is strongly detached, with 88.5% separate houses, while 45.1% have 3 bedrooms and 34.1% have 4 or more. That mix suits households seeking conventional family layouts because apartments account for only 0.2%. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,454 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.8% indicate that typical owner costs are not flagged as mortgage stress, though deposit size remains the larger hurdle.

For Investors

Spring Gully has a 20.7% renting share, a weekly median rent of $290 and a vacancy rate of 7.3%. Versus the 42.3% outright ownership rate, the rental pool is relatively modest, so investors may rely more on tenant demand from established households than on a large renter population. Rents have grown 26.1% in the wider forecast period, while 11 development records were lodged across the latest 12 months, including subdivision activity and a small second dwelling. The forecast identifies overseas migration as the primary growth driver, but annual growth is only 0.17%, so capital growth expectations should remain measured. Detached housing supports broad tenant appeal because 88.5% of dwellings are separate houses.

Development Activity

Total DAs

16

Last 12 Months

10

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+150.0%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Subdivision
9
Other
1
New Dwelling
1
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
1
Renovation / Extension
1
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
1

Demographics

Spring Gully has an older profile than the national average, with a median age of 45, or 5.0 years above the comparison point. University attainment is 35.9%, which is 5.8 percentage points higher than nationally, while only 8.5% of residents were born overseas, 13.1 points below the national figure. Compared with the national household size, the local average of 2.3 people is 0.2 lower. Household composition helps explain the mature feel: 42.7% of families are couples without children, 39.4% are couples with children and 17.3% are one-parent families. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent, with counts of 1,400, 533 and 459. Resident stability is also high, with 80.8% staying at the same address.

Age Distribution

0-14
17.7%
15-24
10.6%
25-44
21.2%
45-64
26.6%
65+
23.6%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
3.4%
2 bed
17.4%
3 bed
45.1%
4+ bed
34.1%

Dwelling Structure

88.5%

Houses

11.2%

Townhouse

0.2%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 42.3% Mortgage 35.1% Rent 20.7% Other 1.9%

Tenure is weighted toward owners, with 42.3% owning outright and 35.1% paying a mortgage, compared with 20.7% renting. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 88.5%, and bedrooms are concentrated in 3-bedroom homes at 45.1% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 34.1%. This structure supports family and downsizer demand because smaller apartment options represent only 0.2%.

Mortgage / mo

$1,454

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$290

Census 2021

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$794

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

7.3%

Unoccupied

101

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

18.8%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

21.8%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
1,400
Irish
533
Scottish
459
German
166
Other
144
Ancestry NS
141

Household Composition

39.4%

Couples with children

42.7%

Couples, no children

17.3%

Single parent

827

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare is Spring Gully's largest industry at 24.4%, followed by education at 16.7%, public administration at 8.6%, construction at 8.1% and manufacturing at 7.1%. The occupational mix is led by 432 professionals, 177 community and personal service workers, 171 managers, 169 clerical and administration workers and 167 trades workers. Labour force participation is 58.8%, unemployment is 3.7% and 54.5% of employed residents work full time. Compared with the national income distribution, household income sits near the middle at the 49.1 percentile, with weekly household income of $1,543. SEIFA results show an uneven profile: education and occupation sit in decile 7, economic resources in decile 2, while disadvantage and advantage are both decile 5. This gap suggests qualifications and job mix are stronger than household financial capacity.

Unemployment

3.7%

Labour Force

1,495

Unemployed

56

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
5
Disadvantage
5
Economic resources
2
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

54.5%

Part-time

39.3%

Participation

58.8%

Employed

1,439

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 432
Community/Personal 177
Managers 171
Clerical/Admin 169
Trades 167
Sales 135
Labourers 110
Machinery/Drivers 64

Top Industries

Healthcare 24.4%
Education 16.7%
Public Admin 8.6%
Construction 8.1%
Manufacturing 7.1%

University

35.9%

Postgraduate

8.1%

Born Overseas

8.5%

Dwellings

1,275

Transport to Work

Spring Gully is strongly car-oriented: 71.2% of residents drive to work, compared with 0.5% using public transport and 2.0% walking or cycling. A further 20.8% work from home, which may reduce commuting pressure because employment is split across healthcare, education, public administration, construction and manufacturing. School access and enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address, including sector, year levels and current capacity, because transport choices are highly address-sensitive. Recorded crime totals 160 incidents, including 100 property and deception offences, 31 justice procedures offences and 22 crimes against the person, producing a rate of 51.7 per 1,000 residents. Compared with public-transport-oriented suburbs, daily life here depends more on private vehicles. IRSAD and IRSD both sit at decile 5, while IEO is higher at decile 7 and IER lower at decile 2.

Drive

71.2%

Public Transport

0.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.0%

Work from Home

20.8%

Growth Outlook

Spring Gully is an established, slow-growth market, with the forecast trend running at 0.17% annually and population change across the wider area recorded at 2.7% over 10 years. Overseas migration is identified as the primary growth driver, although the demographic trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.7 percentage points and the young share down 0.4 points. Compared with a rapid-growth corridor, this points to gradual change rather than a sharp expansion cycle. Price growth has averaged 3.9% annually across 19 years, while rents have risen 26.1% in the relevant shift measure. Gentrification signals are mixed: the primary score is 0 with a stage of Not gentrifying, while the shift indicator records a score of 26 and Early signs. The result is a mature suburb with selective renewal rather than broad transformation.

Population trend: Greater Bendigo council area

Spring Gully sits in the Greater Bendigo council area. These are the council area's residents, not Spring Gully's.

Residents 2025

126,568

Growth, 5 yr average

+1.1%/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

160

Year ending June 2024

Rate per 1,000 People

51.7

Offence Categories

Property and deception offences
100
Justice procedures offences
31
Crimes against the person
22
Public order and security offences
7

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Spring Gully compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 17%
Household Income
Bottom 49%
Rent Level
Top 43%
Apartments
Top 26%
Renters
Top 36%
Uni Educated
Top 24%
Public Transport
Bottom 6%
Born Overseas
Bottom 22%
Density
Top 20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Spring Gully a good suburb to live in?

Spring Gully suits buyers seeking established detached housing, with 88.5% of dwellings being separate houses and 42.3% owned outright. Its median age is 45, or 5.0 years above the national comparison, so the suburb is better matched to stable households than to people seeking a fast-changing inner-city environment.

What schools are in Spring Gully?

School names, sectors and enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address before buying or renting. This is particularly important because 71.2% of residents drive to work and only 0.5% use public transport, making practical school access and daily travel times important parts of the decision.

Is Spring Gully safe?

Recorded crime was 160 incidents, equal to 51.7 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 100 incidents, followed by 31 justice procedures offences and 22 crimes against the person. Buyers should review the immediate street and property context rather than relying on a suburb-wide rate alone.

Is Spring Gully good for property investment?

Spring Gully has 20.7% renters, a weekly median rent of $290 and a vacancy rate of 7.3%. The 88.5% separate-house share supports broad tenant appeal, while 11 development records in 12 months indicate some renewal. Annual forecast growth is 0.17%, so investors should prioritise property quality and rental demand over rapid capital growth assumptions.

How is Spring Gully's population changing?

Growth is gradual, with the annual forecast trend at 0.17% and population change across the wider area recorded at 2.7% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.7 percentage points and the young share down 0.4 points. Overseas migration is the stated primary growth driver.

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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