Wendouree - Miners Rest

Population growth drivers in Wendouree - Miners Rest are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Wendouree - Miners Rest's population is approximately 15,555 as of May 2026. This figure represents a 1.4% increase from the 2021 Census count of 15,333 people. The population growth was inferred from the ABS estimated resident population of 15,549 in June 2025 and an additional 211 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 230 persons per square kilometer. Between May 2026 and the 2021 Census, Wendouree - Miners Rest's growth rate was within 2.9 percentage points of the Rest of Vic., indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.6% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Wendouree - Miners Rest is forecasted to grow by 4,223 persons, reflecting a total increase of 27.1%.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wendouree - Miners Rest according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wendouree - Miners Rest has seen approximately 63 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 319 homes were approved during this period and a further 12 have been approved in FY26 so far. On average, 1.2 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions.

The average construction value of new properties was $173,000, below regional norms, offering affordable housing options. In FY26, there have been $106.8 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Wendouree - Miners Rest has significantly less development activity, 65.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The new building activity consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points.

This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 85.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated population count per dwelling approval in the area is 548 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections suggest Wendouree - Miners Rest will add approximately 4,216 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Wendouree - Miners Rest has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 31 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Learmonth Road Retail Hub, Wendouree Library and Learning Centre, Wendouree Station Precinct Structure Plan and Urban Design Framework, 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.

Employment drivers in Wendouree - Miners Rest are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Wendouree - Miners Rest has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment. Essential services sectors are well represented, with an unemployment rate of 6.6% as of December 2025. This rate is 2.9% higher than Regional Vic.'s rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Wendouree - Miners Rest is somewhat below standard at 58.1%, compared to Regional Vic.'s 61.0%. According to Census responses, a low 11.5% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area shows strong specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.9%, compared to the regional average of 7.5%. As of the Census, there are 0.7 workers for each resident, indicating a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 0.0% while labour force decreased by 0.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional Vic., where employment contracted by 0.6%, the labour force fell by 0.7%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Wendouree - Miners Rest's employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows Wendouree - Miners Rest SA2 had a median income of $49,469 and an average of $61,622 among taxpayers. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Regional Vic's median was $50,954 with an average of $62,728. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year ending June 2023, estimates for March 2026 would be approximately $54,228 (median) and $67,550 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Wendouree - Miners Rest fell between the 12th and 18th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile showed that 28.7% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, aligning with metropolitan regions where this cohort represented 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 84.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 14th percentile nationally.

Wendouree - Miners Rest is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Wendouree - Miners Rest, as per the latest Census, 85.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.9% comprising semi-detached units, apartments and other types. This compares to Regional Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wendouree - Miners Rest stood at 32.9%, with mortgaged properties at 30.5% and rented ones at 36.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Regional Vic.'s average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in the area was $260, compared to Regional Vic.'s $285. Nationally, Wendouree - Miners Rest's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 63.0% of all households, including 21.7% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 33.6% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Wendouree - Miners Rest fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.0%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (29.1%). Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.7% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wendouree - Miners Rest has 116 active public transport stops offering a mix of train services. These are serviced by 9 routes, providing 1,657 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 208 metres from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, primarily by car at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 11.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 236 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Wendouree - Miners Rest is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Wendouree - Miners Rest faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% (~7,746 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, impacting 12.0 and 10.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.1% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic.. The working-age population faces substantial health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has 18.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,935 people), lower than the 23.9% in Regional Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly aligned with the general population.

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

Wendouree-Miners Rest had below average cultural diversity with 90.9% citizens, 90.6% born in Australia, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 44.4%. Islam was overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to Regional Vic's 1.0%.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (32.5%), English (31.3%), Irish (9.5%). Dutch (2.1%) and Scottish (8.5%) were notably overrepresented, while Maltese (0.4%) was slightly under the regional average of 0.5%.

Wendouree - Miners Rest's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Wendouree - Miners Rest is 37 years, which is lower than Regional Vic.'s average of 43 and close to the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominently represented at 16.9%, while the 65-74 group is comparatively smaller at 9.8% compared to Regional Vic.. From 2021 to present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 14.5% to 16.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 12.5% to 11.3%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 11.6% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Wendouree - Miners Rest's age structure. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to rise substantially by 1,591 people (60%), from 2,631 to 4,223. Meanwhile, the 75-84 cohort grows modestly by 67 people (7%).