Spring Gully
Forty-three percent of Spring Gully households own their home outright, more than in most comparable suburbs, signalling a long-settled, stable resident base rather than a suburb driven by newcomers. At a median age of 45, residents here are 5 years older than the national figure. The suburb covers 7.84 km2 on the northern fringe of Bendigo and sits at the 49th income percentile nationally, placing it squarely in the middle of the national distribution. University qualifications reach 35.9% of residents, which is 5.8 percentage points above the national average, a gap that reflects the influence of healthcare and education as the suburb's two largest employing industries.
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
9
Median House
$632K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $632,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024 is down 20.7% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $797,500, giving buyers who missed the peak some relief. Over a 14-year horizon the price has risen 83.3% from $345,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.4%. The stock is predominantly detached: 88.5% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 11.2% and apartments at just 0.2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.1% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms add another 34.1%, so family-sized stock dominates. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,454, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.8%, which is well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than many metropolitan markets.
For Buyers
The median house price of $632,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024 is down 20.7% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $797,500, giving buyers who missed the peak some relief. Over a 14-year horizon the price has risen 83.3% from $345,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.4%. The stock is predominantly detached: 88.5% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 11.2% and apartments at just 0.2%. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.1% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms add another 34.1%, so family-sized stock dominates. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,454, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.8%, which is well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than many metropolitan markets.
For Investors
Renters make up 21.1% of households, below typical investor-grade markets, but the vacancy rate of 7.3% is elevated and warrants attention before committing. Weekly rent sits at $290, modest against the $632,500 median, implying a gross yield around 2.4%. The rent-to-income ratio for tenants is 18.8%, which is well below the 30% stress level, suggesting tenants are stable but also that there is limited scope for rapid rent growth. Nine development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, all subdivision-related, indicating incremental land supply rather than a surge in new dwellings. The outright ownership share of 43.1%, high compared with Australian norms, reflects a resident base that has held assets for decades rather than a market turning over quickly.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+200.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure and points to a suburb in a sustained aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents account for just 8.5% of the population, which is 13.1 percentage points below the national average, making Spring Gully one of the more locally-born communities in regional VIC. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (1,400 residents), Irish (533) and Scottish (459) lead, with German (166) next. Average household size is 2.3 persons, 0.2 below the national figure, consistent with a high share of empty-nester couples. Couples without children account for 30.1% of families and couples with children 39.1%, meaning the resident profile is shifting toward post-family households. The volunteering rate is 20.4%, above typical suburban levels, reinforcing the picture of an established, civically engaged population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.5%
Houses
11.2%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 43.1% substantially outnumber mortgage holders at 35.8% and renters at 21.1%, a tenure split more typical of long-settled regional towns than outer-metropolitan growth areas. The median house price of $632,500 in Apr-Jun 2024 reflects a 20.7% pullback from the $797,500 peak in Oct-Dec 2023, and is 83.3% above the $345,000 recorded in 2013. Separate houses dominate at 88.5% of stock, with semi-detached at 11.2%. The bedroom profile skews large: 34.1% have four or more bedrooms and 45.1% have three, which suits the family and established-couple demographic. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.8%, repayment burden is manageable, sitting well below the national stress threshold. The IRSD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national median for relative disadvantage.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,454
Rent / wk
$290
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
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
2,351
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 24.4% of the local workforce (254 workers), a share that sits materially above national industry averages and anchors the suburb to Bendigo's hospital and allied health precinct. Education follows at 16.7% (174 workers), then Public Administration at 8.6%, Construction at 8.1% and Manufacturing at 7.1%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 432 workers, with Community and Personal Service Workers second at 177 and Managers third at 171. The unemployment rate is 4.0% and the full-time employment rate is 58.1%, while the participation rate of 55.2% is below national norms, consistent with the older median age of 45 pushing more residents outside the labour force. The SEIFA IEO score of 1025 places the suburb in decile 7 for education and occupation, above the national midpoint.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
37.9%
Participation
55.2%
Employed
1,349
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.9%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
8.5%
Dwellings
1,275
Transport to Work
Car dependence is pronounced: 90.0% of residents drive to work, compared with the national average, while public transport accounts for just 0.6% of commute trips. Walking and cycling are used by 2.5% of workers. The crime rate of 51.7 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 160 recorded offences, with property and deception offences the largest category at 100 incidents, followed by justice procedures at 31 and crimes against the person at 22. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb exactly at the national median for overall advantage and disadvantage. Rent stress is absent at 18.8% of income and mortgage stress is low at 21.8%, both well below the 30% threshold. No schools are recorded inside the Spring Gully boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring parts of the Greater Bendigo area.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
160
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
51.7
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 Spring Gully compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Spring Gully a good suburb to live in?
Spring Gully sits at the national median on the IRSAD advantage index (decile 5) with 43.1% of households owning outright, well above typical suburban averages. Mortgage and rent stress are both low, at 21.8% and 18.8% of income. The trade-offs are high car dependence (90% drive) and a 7.3% rental vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Spring Gully?
The median house price is $632,500, based on Apr-Jun 2024 data. This is 20.7% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $797,500. Over 14 years, prices have risen 83.3% from $345,000, a compound annual growth rate of 4.4%. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,454.
What schools are in Spring Gully?
No schools are recorded inside the Spring Gully suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Greater Bendigo area. The local population has university qualifications at 35.9%, which is 5.8 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the suburb's professional and healthcare workforce.
Is Spring Gully safe?
Spring Gully recorded 160 offences in the reference period, a rate of 51.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 100 of those incidents, followed by justice procedures (31) and crimes against the person (22). The suburb sits at the national median on IRSAD (decile 5), indicating average levels of advantage and disadvantage.
Is Spring Gully good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $290 against a $632,500 median implies a gross yield of around 2.4%, modest compared with higher-yield regional markets. The vacancy rate of 7.3% is elevated and worth monitoring. Prices have grown 83.3% over 14 years (4.4% annually), but fell 20.7% from the 2023 peak to mid-2024. Renter demand is modest at 21.1% of households.
How is Spring Gully's population changing?
No official population forecast data is available in this brief, but the suburb shows clear aging trends, with a median age of 45, which is 5 years above the national figure. The resident turnover rate is low at 19.2%, meaning 80.8% stayed over the reference period. The overseas-born share is just 8.5%, which is 13.1 percentage points below the national average.
What industries employ people in Spring Gully?
Healthcare is the top employer at 24.4% of the workforce (254 workers), materially above national industry averages, driven by proximity to Bendigo's health precinct. Education is second at 16.7% (174 workers). Public Administration, Construction and Manufacturing each account for between 7% and 9% of jobs. Professionals are the largest occupational group at 432 workers.
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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