Demographics/Population
Surf Coast Shire Community
The REMplan Community uses Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census data to provide a demographic picture of the Surf Coast Shire and our unique towns and neighbourhoods. The most recent ABS Census was collected in August 2021. Data sets reflecting population, gender and age cohorts, household composition, housing type and tenure, income and education, social and cultural diversity and health were released in June 2022. October 2022 will see the release of economic and other data sets related to location variables and in mid 2023 socio-economic indexes, such as SEIFA, will complete the ABS 2021 Census release.
Surf Coast Shire Localities
Surf Coast Shire includes the localities of Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Bambra, Barrabool, Bellbrae, Bells Beach, Benwerrin, Big Hill, Birregurra (part), Boonah, Breamlea (part), Buckley, Connewarre (part), Deans Marsh, Eastern View, Fairhaven, Freshwater Creek, Gherang, Gnarwarre, Inverleigh (part), Jan Juc, Lorne, Modewarre, Moggs Creek, Moriac, Mount Duneed (part), Mount Moriac, Ombersley (part), Paraparap, Pennyroyal (part), Torquay, Wensleydale, Winchelsea (part), Winchelsea South and Wurdiboluc.
Community, Economic and Forecast data sets are available in a range of breakdowns according to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). The ASGS is made up of ABS and non-ABS structures. ABS structures includes Mesh Blocks (MBs) and Statistical Areas One through to Four (SA1 - SA4). A MB is the smallest geographical area, typically containing 30-60 dwellings. SA1s have a population range of 200 - 800 people. SA2s have a population range from 3,00 - 25,000 people. Most SA3s have between 30,000 - 120,000 people and SA4s above 100,000 people. Non ABS structure include Local Government Areas an the 'suburbs and localities' as listed above. ABS data sets using ABS and non-ABS geographies may be found on ABS Quickstats
Surf Coast Population Forecasts
Updated forecast data, re-baselined using 2021 ABS Census data is coming soon. Victoria in the Future population projection 2019 estimate that the population of the Surf Coast Shire will grow to 45,438 by 2036. However, a trend towards decentralisation and internal migration from metro Melbourne to regional Victoria over the last few years has seen population increase at a much higher rate than expected pre-COVID.