Moving to Portsea VIC 3944
What the official numbers say about living in Portsea — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $3,330,000 for a median house (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 155% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $577 a week, against a median household income of $2,470 a week.
About 90% of homes are owner-occupied and 7% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Portsea grew 76% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (446 → 787 people).
Around 65% of households are families, averaging 1.8 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Croatia; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Greek, Macedonian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Portsea sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (38% of workers), while 58% work from home.
Nearest ferry wharf: Sorrento - Queenscliff Ferry, 2.7 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Avalon Airport, 38.7 km north-west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 61 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 2 schools · 15 cafes & restaurants · 1 supermarket · 14 parks · 8 beaches — see them all on the Portsea profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Sorrento Primary School 2.7 km · St Joseph's Primary School 2.7 km
Groceries: Ritchies 2.3 km
Parks and reserves: James Ford Reserve 250 m · Wattle Grove Reserve 350 m · Peter Shelmerdine Reserve 350 m · Cypress Court Reserve 400 m · Portsea Recreation Reserve 400 m · W E Newton Reserve 800 m · The Quarterdeck Reserve 850 m · Police Point Shire Park 1.5 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Portsea, most often seen first: Australasian Gannet · Silver Gull · Australian Magpie · Pacific Gull · Welcome Swallow · Red Wattlebird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Portsea, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsea here | 787 | $3,330,000 | 10/10 | 42% |
| Sorrento | 2,013 | $1,862,500 | 10/10 | 31% |
| Blairgowrie | 2,786 | $1,495,000 | 9/10 | 39% |
| Queenscliff | 1,516 | $1,280,000 | 9/10 | 16% |
| Rye | 9,438 | $1,010,000 | 6/10 | 34% |
| Point Lonsdale | 3,788 | $1,200,000 | 9/10 | 14% |
| Tootgarook | 3,178 | $865,000 | 3/10 | 24% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Mornington Peninsula — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Flinders — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3944 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Portsea profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Portsea has a median sale price of $3,330,000 (2024 sales). Renters pay a median $577 a week, and about 7% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 76% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 446 people to 787. It sits about 61 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Mornington Peninsula council, and the federal seat is Flinders.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Portsea vs Sorrento · Portsea vs Blairgowrie.
Nearby guides: Sorrento · Blairgowrie · Queenscliff · Rye · Point Lonsdale · Tootgarook.
Keep an eye on Portsea
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