Moving to Wonthaggi VIC 3995
What the official numbers say about living in Wonthaggi — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $545,000 for a median house or $410,000 for a unit (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 118% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $270 a week, against a median household income of $852 a week.
About 69% of homes are owner-occupied and 30% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Wonthaggi grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,354 → 5,215 people).
Around 56% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Italy; most spoken languages besides English: Italian, Malayalam, German.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Wonthaggi scores below the national average (decile 1 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (80% of workers), while 12% work from home.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 104 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 6 schools · 12 cafes & restaurants · 4 supermarkets · 14 parks — see them all on the Wonthaggi profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Bass Coast Specialist School 400 m · Wonthaggi Primary School 550 m · Bass Coast College McKenzie Senior Campus 600 m · St Joseph's School 1.1 km · Wonthaggi North Primary School 1.1 km · Bass Coast College Dudley Junior Campus 2 km
Groceries: ALDI 400 m · IGA 450 m · Woolworths 500 m · Coles 800 m
Parks and reserves: Wishart Reserve 200 m · Soldiers Reserve 250 m · Apex Park 450 m · Fincher Street Reserve 450 m · State Coal Mine Historic and Cultural Features Reserve 500 m · Clancy Reserve 650 m · Strongs Reserve 900 m · Guide Park Reserve 1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Wonthaggi, most often seen first: Superb Fairy-wren · Australian Magpie · Common Starling · Grey Fantail · Red Wattlebird · Eurasian Blackbird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Wonthaggi, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wonthaggi here | 5,215 | $545,000 | 1/10 | 24% |
| North Wonthaggi | 3,475 | $552,000 | 2/10 | 4% |
| Cape Paterson | 1,111 | $845,000 | 7/10 | 10% |
| Dalyston | 843 | $540,000 | 2/10 | 4% |
| Inverloch | 6,526 | $850,000 | 7/10 | 6% |
| Kilcunda | 578 | $965,000 | 7/10 | 9% |
| Grantville | 1,168 | $590,000 | 2/10 | 32% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Bass Coast — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Monash — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3995 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Wonthaggi profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Wonthaggi has a median sale price of $545,000 (2024 sales), and a unit $410,000. Renters pay a median $270 a week, and about 30% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,354 people to 5,215. It sits about 104 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Bass Coast council, and the federal seat is Monash.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Wonthaggi vs North Wonthaggi · Wonthaggi vs Cape Paterson.
Nearby guides: North Wonthaggi · Cape Paterson · Dalyston · Inverloch · Kilcunda · Grantville.
Keep an eye on Wonthaggi
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