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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 in May 2025

Central VIC Overall Liveability Index
Australia
59.5
Adelaide
62.9
Central NSW
59.0
Central QLD
57.2
Darwin
52.6
Eastern VIC
58.0
Far North Queensland
52.9
Hobart
58.1
Melbourne
60.6
Northern NSW
55.7
Perth
62.9
Regional NT
50.6
Regional SA
59.4
Regional Tas
58.8
Regional WA
61.0
Rest of QLD
66.5
South East Queensland
59.2
Southern NSW
59.1
Sydney
64.1
The ACT
64.2
Western VIC
60.9
Collected May 2025

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 60.8

Australia Overall Liveability Index

Australia Overall Liveability Index 59.5

Central VIC
Australia
Importance
Experience
Feeling safe
Importance
Experience
62%
6.2
65%
6.2
Natural environment
Importance
Experience
53%
7.8
50%
7.6
Affordable decent housing
Importance
Experience
52%
5.0
56%
4.5
Health services
Importance
Experience
50%
5.9
48%
6.1
Sense of community
Importance
Experience
44%
6.7
29%
6.2
Social cohesion
Importance
Experience
35%
6.1
26%
6.3
Good job prospects
Importance
Experience
31%
5.0
29%
5.4
Making your way
Importance
Experience
29%
6.3
30%
6.0
Education
Importance
Experience
26%
6.0
20%
6.3
Public transport
Importance
Experience
23%
4.1
40%
5.2
A lack of road congestion
Importance
Experience
20%
6.7
21%
5.3
Shopping, leisure & dining
Importance
Experience
17%
5.7
26%
6.1
A prosperous economy
Importance
Experience
16%
5.5
16%
5.6
Cultural facilities
Importance
Experience
16%
6.1
15%
5.8
Opportunity for all
Importance
Experience
14%
5.9
19%
5.9
Sports and recreation
Importance
Experience
12%
7.4
9%
6.9
The arrows indicate whether a difference is statistically significant. Significance testing helps determine if a difference between two groups is likely real (shown by an arrow) or due to random chance (no arrow).
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Health and Wellbeing in Central VIC in May 2025

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 2025 (n = 218)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
13%
58%
29%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
15%
56%
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 2025 (n = 218)
7.0
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.9
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
14%
62%
24%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
12%
64%
24%
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 2025 (n = 218)
6.7
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
6.5
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
12%
63%
25%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
11%
67%
22%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Financial circumstances in Central VIC in May 2025

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 2025 (n = 218)
5.8
Very poor
Excellent
Australia (n = 4907)
5.7
Very poor
Excellent
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
34%
50%
16%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
27%
47%
26%
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 2025 (n = 209)
Australia (n = 4683)
Always late
1%
2%
Often late
6%
6%
Sometimes late
31%
30%
Never late
63%
63%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
53%
39%
8%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Australia (n = 4907)
42%
48%
11%
Get worse
Stay the same
Get better
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change in Central VIC in May 2025

Which of the following best describes your personal views on climate change?
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
Australia (n = 4907)
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by human activities
43%
43%
It's happening - caused equally by human activities and natural causes
26%
32%
It's happening - caused entirely or mostly by natural causes
10%
9%
It's happening - not sure what is causing it
6%
6%
I do not believe climate change is happening
15%
11%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Among those that believe in climate change, 63% indicated that their local area is currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 22% expected their local area to feel the effects within their lifetime. Of those, 4% were very confident that their local area would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 26% somewhat confident. 65% 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 2025 (n = 180)
Australia (n = 4304)
My local area is feeling the effects of climate change
63%
49%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect it will in my lifetime
22%
36%
My local area is not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect it will in my lifetime
15%
15%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 149)
Australia (n = 3585)
Very confident
4%
5%
Somewhat confident
26%
35%
Not very confident
46%
39%
Not at all confident
19%
15%
Don't know
5%
6%
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: Extreme heat (83%), Bushfires (82%) and Droughts (75%). 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 (67%), Educate residents on how to live more sustainably (61%) and Reduce pollution of the environment (50%).

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 2025 (n = 143)
Australia (n = 3490)
Extreme heat
83%
74%
Bushfires
82%
50%
Droughts
75%
42%
Flooding
61%
48%
Storms
51%
53%
Severe wind
45%
44%
Extremely cold temperatures
25%
16%
Earthquakes
4%
5%
Landslide
3%
7%
Sea level rise
1%
24%
Cyclones
1%
24%
Other
4%
5%
None of these
0%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 149)
Australia (n = 3585)
Protect and enhance local biodiversity
67%
60%
Educate residents on how to live more sustainably
61%
53%
Reduce pollution of the environment
50%
51%
Provide options for recycling waste
47%
47%
More sustainable building and development practices
47%
44%
Conserve natural resources
47%
48%
Adopt renewable energy sources
46%
48%
Create renewable energy sources
45%
38%
Host renewable energy projects in the local area
43%
36%
Reduce carbon emissions in the local area
39%
35%
Encourage residents to buy locally
38%
30%
More sustainable transport options
33%
41%
Other
7%
6%
None of these
4%
2%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Impacts of climate change on residents

Among those that believe in climate change, 60% indicated that they themselves are currently feeling the effects of climate change and a further 24% expected to within their lifetime. Of those, 12% were very confident that they would be able to adapt to the effects of climate change and a further 45% somewhat confident. 41% 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 2025 (n = 180)
Australia (n = 4304)
I am feeling the effects of climate change
60%
47%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, but expect to in my lifetime
24%
37%
I am not feeling the effects of climate change, and do not expect to in my lifetime
16%
16%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3506)
Very confident
12%
8%
Somewhat confident
45%
52%
Not very confident
28%
30%
Not at all confident
12%
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 (86%), Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items (69%) and Essential infrastructure vulnerability (53%). 40% feel climate change will reduce their quality of life somewhat, and a further 35% 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 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3506)
Increased household running costs
86%
77%
Food production, making it harder and more expensive to get food items
69%
61%
Essential infrastructure vulnerability
53%
40%
My ability to leave my home due to weather
37%
46%
Reduction in air quality
36%
36%
Challenges getting around
35%
36%
Loss or damage to your home/property
35%
29%
Reduced personal safety or health to myself and/or those around me
33%
26%
Transport infrastructure vulnerability
28%
29%
Challenges accessing essential services
25%
28%
My ability to access nature due to weather
21%
32%
Reduced value to your home/property
16%
15%
None of these
1%
2%
Other
2%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
Central VIC 2025 (n = 145)
Australia (n = 3506)
It will improve a lot
0%
2%
It will improve somewhat
6%
7%
It will not change
14%
14%
It will reduce somewhat
40%
49%
It will reduce a lot
35%
22%
Don't know
5%
6%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Concerns in Central VIC in May 2025

What are the top three issues facing your local area?
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
Australia (n = 4907)
Inflation/Cost of Living
52%
54%
Housing/Price of Housing
43%
50%
Law & order
32%
36%
Healthcare/Hospitals
26%
20%
Poverty/Inequality
19%
11%
The Economy
18%
12%
Transport
15%
20%
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
15%
15%
Petrol Prices/Fuel
14%
12%
Environmental Concerns
13%
10%
Unemployment
12%
9%
Household Debt/Personal Debt
11%
13%
Population/Overpopulation
9%
13%
Taxation
8%
6%
Immigration
5%
7%
Education
3%
3%
Issues Facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
3%
4%
Race Relations/Racism
1%
5%
Defence
1%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower

Residential Development and Local Area Decision-Making in Central VIC in May 2025

What concerns do you have with residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
Australia (n = 4907)
Strain on infrastructure and public services
49%
42%
Lack of affordable housing
35%
38%
Increased traffic and congestion
34%
46%
Rising housing costs
28%
35%
Environmental impact
28%
20%
Changes to neighbourhood character
22%
21%
Loss of green space or natural areas
22%
28%
Overcrowding
11%
18%
Noise or disruption during construction
8%
10%
Other
7%
5%
None/not applicable to my area
9%
5%
Don't know
3%
1%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What other concerns do you have with residential development in your local area?

What do you see as the potential benefits of residential development (building more homes to accommodate more people) in your local area?
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
Australia (n = 4906)
Support for local businesses and services
52%
42%
Increased housing availability
44%
49%
More affordable housing options
30%
37%
Attraction of new residents and economic growth
23%
23%
Opportunity for more sustainable, energy-efficient housing
20%
15%
Improved infrastructure and amenities (e.g. roads, parks)
20%
18%
Revitalisation of underused or vacant areas
17%
20%
Greater diversity in housing types
13%
10%
Enhanced public transport options
10%
13%
Other
3%
4%
None/not applicable to my area
14%
13%
Don’t know
1%
3%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower
What do you see as the other potential benefits of residential development in your local area?

To what extent do you feel your community’s views are considered in local area decision-making?
Central VIC 2025 (n = 218)
Australia (n = 4907)
Very well considered
3%
4%
Somewhat well considered
18%
27%
Not well considered
43%
34%
Not considered at all
31%
27%
Don't know
6%
9%
Significantly higher
Significantly lower