Moving to St Arnaud VIC 3478
What the official numbers say about living in St Arnaud — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $275,000 for a median house (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 90% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $188 a week, against a median household income of $920 a week.
About 78% of homes are owner-occupied and 20% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
St Arnaud shrank 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (2,619 → 2,318 people).
Around 55% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Philippines; most spoken languages besides English: Tagalog, Greek, Mandarin.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), St Arnaud scores below the national average (decile 2 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (84% of workers).
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 202 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 3 schools · 1 cafe or restaurant · 1 supermarket · 9 parks — see them all on the St Arnaud profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St Arnaud Primary School 500 m · St Patrick's Primary School 750 m · St Arnaud Secondary College 800 m
Groceries: IGA 150 m
Parks and reserves: Chas McKenny Track 300 m · Walter Ellis Memorial Park 350 m · Pioneer Park 400 m · Queen Mary Botanic Gardens 400 m · Lord Nelson Park 750 m · King George Park 750 m · Silvermines Road Park 800 m · Bicentennial Park 1.1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around St Arnaud, most often seen first: Red Wattlebird · Australian Magpie · Eastern Red Wattlebird · Eurasian Blackbird · House Sparrow · Grey Shrike-thrush.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to St Arnaud, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Arnaud here | 2,318 | $275,000 | 2/10 | 44% |
| Charlton | 1,095 | $297,000 | 2/10 | 2% |
| Donald | 1,472 | $240,000 | 2/10 | 1% |
| Wedderburn | 951 | $237,000 | 1/10 | 7% |
| Avoca | 1,356 | $390,000 | 2/10 | 22% |
| Dunolly | 899 | $325,000 | 1/10 | 41% |
| Maryborough | 8,160 | $388,000 | 1/10 | 56% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Northern Grampians — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Mallee — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3478 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full St Arnaud profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in St Arnaud has a median sale price of $275,000 (2024 sales). Renters pay a median $188 a week, and about 20% of homes here are rented.
The population fell 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 2,619 people to 2,318. It sits about 202 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Northern Grampians council, and the federal seat is Mallee.
Weighing up alternatives?
Nearby guides: Charlton · Donald · Wedderburn · Avoca · Dunolly · Maryborough.
Keep an eye on St Arnaud
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