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Central VIC in Australia

Central VIC is made up of Mitchell (S), Strathbogie (S), Golden Plains (S), Indigo (S), Ballarat (C), Greater Bendigo (C), Campaspe (S), Wangaratta (RC), Greater Shepparton (C), Towong (S), Central Goldfields (S), Mount Alexander (S), Wodonga (C), Benalla (RC), Alpine (S), Hepburn (S), Murrindindi (S), Moira (S), Loddon (S), Macedon Ranges (S), Moorabool (S), Mansfield (S), Pyrenees (S), and Wellington (S).

Living in Central VIC

Central VIC Overall Liveability Index
Central VIC 2023
64.0
Australia
63.4
Adelaide
67.4
Central NSW
60.5
Central QLD
59.5
Darwin
58.5
Eastern VIC
63.9
Far North Queensland
60.3
Hobart
58.5
Melbourne
65.5
Northern NSW
58.8
Perth
67.4
Regional NT
53.0
Regional SA
67.7
Regional Tas
60.2
Regional WA
61.7
Rest of QLD
68.7
South East Queensland
63.7
Southern NSW
61.9
Sydney
65.9
The ACT
65.6
Western VIC
66.4
Collected May 2024

Use the values and experiences matrix to understand the relationship between what your residents believe makes somewhere a good place to live and how they experience their local area in that regard. The matrix highlights the attributes that your community believe needs to maintained and improved to advance overall liveability.

Greater Importance & Worse Experiences    Greater Importance & Better Experiences    Less important attributes

Central VIC Overall Liveability Index

Central VIC Overall Liveability Index 67.5

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 63.4

Central VIC
Australia
Importance
Experience

Feeling safe

Importance
Experience
58%
6.8
63%
6.8

Natural environment

Importance
Experience
58%
8.0
53%
7.9

Health services

Importance
Experience
55%
7.1
45%
6.5

Affordable decent housing

Importance
Experience
54%
5.6
52%
4.7

Sense of community

Importance
Experience
38%
7.1
31%
6.5

Making your way

Importance
Experience
35%
7.1
32%
6.4

Shopping, leisure & dining

Importance
Experience
30%
6.2
28%
6.5

Social cohesion

Importance
Experience
27%
6.9
26%
6.7

Good job prospects

Importance
Experience
26%
5.9
29%
5.9

Public transport

Importance
Experience
25%
5.4
40%
5.6

A lack of road congestion

Importance
Experience
25%
6.8
22%
5.6

Education

Importance
Experience
19%
6.7
18%
6.7

Cultural facilities

Importance
Experience
18%
7.3
16%
6.2

Opportunity for all

Importance
Experience
16%
6.6
18%
6.3

Sports and recreation

Importance
Experience
8%
7.7
11%
7.2

A prosperous economy

Importance
Experience
8%
6.4
15%
6.2
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Central VIC

Physical Health
How would you rate your physical health?
Do you think your physical health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central VIC (n = 185)
7.1
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
8%
62%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
12%
58%
30%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Mental Health
How would you rate your mental health?
Do you think your mental health will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central VIC (n = 185)
7.5
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
7.2
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
9%
65%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
10%
65%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Social wellbeing
How would you rate your social wellbeing?
Do you think your social wellbeing will get better, worse or stay the same over the next year?
Central VIC (n = 185)
7.1
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
7%
66%
27%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
9%
68%
23%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Central VIC

How would you rate your personal financial circumstances?
Do you think your personal financial circumstance will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central VIC (n = 185)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
6.0
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
19%
55%
26%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
21%
51%
28%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
How often, if ever, are you late meeting your financial commitments?
Do you think the economic situation in your local area will get worse, stay the same or get better over the next year?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 4831)
Always late
0%
2%
Often late
6%
5%
Sometimes late
30%
27%
Never late
63%
66%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
42%
40%
19%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
35%
52%
13%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Central VIC

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
42%
46%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
38%
30%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
8%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
4%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
8%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 51% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 37% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 3% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 45% somewhat confident. 48% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact your local area in your lifetime?
How confident are you that your local area will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
51%
45%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
37%
40%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
12%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Very confident
3%
6%
Somewhat confident
45%
38%
Not very confident
40%
39%
Not at all confident
8%
13%
Don't know
3%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt their local area is currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top local area climate-related events were: Bushfires (77%), Flooding (68%) and Extreme heat (62%). The top actions residents felt should be taken to address the effects of climate change in their local area were: Protect and enhance local biodiversity (68%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (57%) and Adopt renewable energy sources (56%).

How is your local area currently, or how do you expect it will, feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
What do you feel are the best ways to address the effects of climate change in your local area?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3660)
Bushfires
77%
51%
Flooding
68%
55%
Extreme heat
62%
75%
Storms
62%
57%
Droughts
57%
42%
Severe wind
53%
43%
Extremely cold temperatures
20%
18%
Sea level rise
3%
23%
Earthquakes
3%
5%
Landslide
3%
6%
Other
2%
3%
None of these
1%
0%
Cyclones
0%
12%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3806)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
68%
64%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
57%
58%
Adopt renewable energy sources
56%
55%
Conserve natural resources
49%
54%
Provide options for recycling waste
49%
53%
Reduce pollution of the environment
45%
58%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
40%
43%
More sustainable transport options
39%
48%
Create renewable energy sources
38%
46%
More sustainable building and development practices
38%
48%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
37%
41%
Encourage residents to buy locally
37%
36%
None of these
4%
2%
Other
3%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 44% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 40% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 14% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 48% somewhat confident. 35% were not confident.

Please select the extent to which climate change is impacting or will impact you personally in your lifetime?
How confident are you that you personally will be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 4511)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
43%
44%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
42%
40%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
15%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Very confident
14%
10%
Somewhat confident
48%
53%
Not very confident
31%
27%
Not at all confident
4%
6%
Don't know
3%
4%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among the group of residents that felt they are currently feeling, or will feel, the effects of climate change in their lifetime, the top personal impacts were: Increased household running costs (80%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (67%) and Challenges getting around (47%). 50% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 18% feel it will reduce their quality of life a lot.

How are you currently, or how do you expect to, personally feel the effects of climate change in your lifetime?
Which of the following best represents how you believe the effects of climate change will affect your quality of life?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
Increased household running costs
80%
81%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
67%
63%
Challenges getting around
47%
38%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
39%
39%
Loss or damage to your home/property
36%
27%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
35%
44%
Reduction in air quality
33%
39%
Challenges accessing essential services
28%
28%
My ability to access nature due to weather
26%
34%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
26%
30%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
21%
27%
Reduced value to your home/property
16%
13%
Other
2%
3%
None of these
2%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 3728)
It will improve a lot
4%
2%
It will improve somewhat
3%
7%
It will not change
17%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
50%
49%
It will reduce a lot
18%
22%
Don't know
8%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns & ideas in Central VIC

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Central VIC (n = 185)
Australia 2024 (n = 5064)
Inflation/Cost of Living
65%
59%
Housing/Price of Housing
40%
54%
Law & order
36%
26%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
25%
21%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
23%
15%
Healthcare/Hospitals
17%
19%
Transport
17%
18%
The Economy
16%
13%
Poverty/Inequality
12%
11%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
10%
14%
Unemployment
9%
9%
Population/Overpopulation
8%
13%
Environmental Concerns
7%
7%
Immigration
6%
5%
Education
5%
3%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
2%
5%
Race Relations/Racism
1%
3%
Taxation
1%
5%
Defence
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower