Moving to Donald VIC 3480
What the official numbers say about living in Donald — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $240,000 for a median house (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 100% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $180 a week, against a median household income of $1,044 a week.
About 77% of homes are owner-occupied and 20% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Donald shrank 13% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (1,693 → 1,472 people).
Around 60% of households are families, averaging 2.1 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, Philippines, New Zealand; most spoken languages besides English: Malayalam, Tagalog, Filipino.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Donald scores below the national average (decile 2 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (77% of workers), while 10% work from home.
Nearest airport: Warracknabeal Airport, 51.2 km west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 238 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 3 schools · 1 cafe or restaurant · 1 supermarket · 3 parks — see them all on the Donald profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St Mary's Primary School 350 m · Donald Primary School 400 m · Donald High School 1.1 km
Groceries: Weir's IGA 350 m
Parks and reserves: Donald Public Park 200 m · Apex Park 700 m · Donald Recreation Reserve 850 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Donald, most often seen first: Pacific Black Duck · Eurasian Coot · White-plumed Honeyeater · Long-billed Corella · Magpie-lark · Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Donald, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald here | 1,472 | $240,000 | 2/10 | 1% |
| St Arnaud | 2,318 | $275,000 | 2/10 | 44% |
| Charlton | 1,095 | $297,000 | 2/10 | 2% |
| Wycheproof | 610 | $265,000 | 2/10 | 2% |
| Birchip | 694 | $186,000 | 5/10 | 1% |
| Murtoa | 897 | $280,000 | 2/10 | 4% |
| Warracknabeal | 2,359 | $199,500 | 2/10 | 2% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Buloke — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Mallee — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3480 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Donald profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Donald has a median sale price of $240,000 (2024 sales). Renters pay a median $180 a week, and about 20% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 13% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 1,693 people to 1,472. It sits about 238 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Buloke council, and the federal seat is Mallee.
Weighing up alternatives?
Nearby guides: St Arnaud · Charlton · Wycheproof · Birchip · Murtoa · Warracknabeal.
Keep an eye on Donald
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