Lake Wendouree

An assessment of population growth drivers in Lake Wendouree reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Lake Wendouree is around 2,704. This figure represents a decrease of 174 people from the 2021 Census count of 2,878. AreaSearch's analysis, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date, indicates a resident population estimate of 2,703 for Lake Wendouree. This results in a population density ratio of 591 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 for areas not covered by this data. Applying these projections, Lake Wendouree is expected to grow by 405 persons to reach an estimated population of 3,109 by the year 2041, reflecting a total increase of 14.9% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Lake Wendouree is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Lake Wendouree has minimal residential development activity with 1 dwelling approval annually on average over the past five years (6 approvals total). This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Lake Wendouree has much lower development activity compared to other Victorian regions and nationally. Recent construction comprises 50.0% standalone homes and 50.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift from the current housing mix of 79.0% houses. This change is due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The area has an estimated population density of 1372 people per dwelling approval, indicating its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Lake Wendouree is projected to add 404 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and price growth.

Future projections show Lake Wendouree adding 404 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Lake Wendouree has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Ballarat Base Hospital Redevelopment, Federation University SMB Campus Redevelopment, Ballarat Co-Operative Education and Skills City Centre, and Ballarat Major Events Precinct Upgrades. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Lake Wendouree significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Lake Wendouree's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of December 2025 was 1.4%. This rate is 2.3% lower than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation was somewhat below standard at 58.5%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%. According to Census responses, 22.4% of residents worked from home. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 2.4% compared to Regional Vic.'s 7.5%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.7%, combined with employment decreasing by 1.5%, resulting in a fall of 0.3 percentage points in the unemployment rate. This compares to Regional Vic., where employment fell by 0.6%, labour force contracted by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Lake Wendouree. These projections estimate local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 15.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific growth rates applied to the local employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023 for financial year 2023, Lake Wendouree had a median income among taxpayers of $60,869 and an average level of $77,879. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the regional Victorian levels of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $66,725 (median) and $85,371 (average) as of March 2026. In the 2021 Census, Lake Wendouree's personal income ranked at the 79th percentile ($1,010 weekly), while household income was at the 62nd percentile. Income distribution showed that 25.2% of residents (681 people) fell into the $4,000+ bracket, differing from the regional dominance of the $1,500 - $2,999 category at 30.3%. The substantial proportion of high earners (35.2% above $3,000/week) indicated strong economic capacity throughout Lake Wendouree. After housing costs, residents retained 90.2% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

Lake Wendouree is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Lake Wendouree as of the latest Census, 79.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 20.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Regional Vic., where 90.1% of dwellings are houses and 9.9% are other types. Home ownership in Lake Wendouree stood at 52.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.5% and rented ones at 25.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,106, higher than Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in Lake Wendouree was $321, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Lake Wendouree's median monthly mortgage repayment is higher at $2,106 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent is lower at $321 compared to the national figure of $375.

Lake Wendouree features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.3 percent of all households, including 24.5 percent couples with children, 34.2 percent couples without children, and 6.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.7 percent, with lone person households at 32.0 percent and group households comprising 2.0 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Lake Wendouree shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Lake Wendouree is notably high, with 43.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares to 21.7% in the rest of Victoria and 24.6% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 26.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.5% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 14.6%. Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.8% in secondary education, 8.7% in primary education, and 5.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Lake Wendouree has 20 operational public transport stops. These are served by three routes, offering a total of 525 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport access, with an average distance of 196 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with outward commuting being common. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 87%, followed by walking at 10% and cycling at 2%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 22.4% of residents work from home, a figure possibly influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 75 trips daily, equating to roughly 26 weekly trips per individual stop.

Lake Wendouree's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Lake Wendouree residents' health data shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Common health conditions are low across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is high at 58% (~1,556 people), compared to Regional Vic.'s 50.5%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.4%) and mental health issues (8.4%), with 62.7% reporting no medical ailments, close to Regional Vic.'s 63.4%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. Lake Wendouree has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.4% (~876 people), compared to Regional Vic.'s 23.9%. Senior health outcomes rank above average, aligning with national averages for the general population.

Lake Wendouree is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Lake Wendouree's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.9 percent of its population born in Australia, 91.1 percent being citizens, and 94.6 percent speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Lake Wendouree is Christianity, accounting for 58.0 percent of the population, compared to 47.3 percent across Regional Vic. The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth are English (31.0%), Australian (24.7%), and Irish (14.4%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 10.9 percent in Lake Wendouree compared to the regional average of 8.8 percent, Dutch ancestry is slightly higher at 1.9 percent versus 1.7 percent regionally, and Welsh ancestry is also relatively higher at 0.7 percent compared to 0.4 percent regionally.

Lake Wendouree ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Lake Wendouree is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 years and also notably above the national norm of 38 years. The cohort aged 85 and above is over-represented in Lake Wendouree at 6.7%, compared to the Regional Vic. average. Conversely, the age group of 25 to 34 years is under-represented locally at 7.0%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 25 to 34 year-olds has increased from 5.9% to 7.0%, while the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 13.6% to 12.4%, and the 65 to 74 cohort has dropped from 15.3% to 14.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Lake Wendouree. The 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 56%, adding 105 residents to reach a total of 295. In contrast, population declines are anticipated for the 15 to 24 and 55 to 64 age cohorts.