Drouin
VICDrouin is a growing suburb in VIC with 15,287 residents.
- SAL code
- 20790
- SA2
- 205011076
- Population
- 15,287
Drouin, VIC had 15,287 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 15.2% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,647 a month. Around 75.8% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 40.3%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 91.0% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 40 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Drouin, VIC at a glance
Drouin sits in West Gippsland, ~97 km east of Melbourne CBD in the Shire of Baw Baw, with hourly V/Line services to the city and a ~10-minute drive to Warragul. The town centre has been steadily redeveloping while new estates push out toward Drouin West and South. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council context they don't.
For homebuyers
Drouin reads as a country town that's been quietly expanding for a decade. The bulk of stock is detached houses on standard or generous lots, with newer estates fanning out around Drouin West and Drouin South and a more established core near the train station. The Twin Towns Trail (~8 km) links Drouin to Warragul on foot or bike, and the Drouin Golf & Country Club, Civic Park, and the annual Ficifolia Festival anchor local recreation. Two major supermarkets and a working main street cover daily needs; Warragul (~10 min drive) handles cinemas and bigger retail. School options include Drouin Secondary College (~983 students, established 1956) and the Drouin campus of Chairo Christian School (Years 5-12). V/Line to Melbourne runs hourly and the Princes Freeway is on the edge of town, so a ~70-minute commute is realistic but not daily-comfortable. In short: a country-town lifestyle with real shops, real schools, and a usable rail link if you can wear the commute.
For investors
Drouin is a moderate-yield, steady-growth regional market with reasonable depth. Median house sale $640,000 against $550/week rent gives a ~4.16% gross yield; units sit around $460,000 with $438/week rent for ~5.17% yield (Your Investment Property March 2026). 12-month house growth +6.67%; units +3.37%. Houses spend ~42 days on market, units ~64. Turnover is healthy by regional standards: 361 house sales and 59 unit sales in the past 12 months. Regional Victorian vacancy was 2.2% in February 2026 (REIV).
Strengths
- Solid sales depth for a regional town (361 house sales over 12 months) means easier entry and exit than thinner Gippsland markets.
- Yields of ~4.16% (houses) and ~5.17% (units) sit above metro Melbourne while still attracting owner-occupier demand.
- Hourly V/Line service to Melbourne plus Princes Freeway access widen the tenant pool beyond purely local employment.
- Tight regional vacancy (~2.2% across regional VIC, REIV Feb 2026) supports rent stability.
Trade-offs
- Capital growth has cooled to ~+6.67% over 12 months (houses) — solid but well off the post-COVID regional surge.
- 42-day average days-on-market for houses (htag 2026) signals a balanced rather than tight market; pricing discipline matters.
- Active estate build-out around Drouin West/South means future supply could cap rent growth into 2027.
- Unit segment is thin (59 sales, ~64 days on market) — limited stratified stock to scale a portfolio.
What's coming
Baw Baw Shire's 2025/26 Capital Works program includes the $1.1M Commercial Place streetscape upgrade in central Drouin: raised pedestrian crossings, new footpaths, lighting, drainage, and a partial return to one-way traffic, part-funded ($600k) from the Development Contributions Plan. The Warragul-Drouin Development Contributions Plan is also under review, signalling continued investment in the twin-town corridor.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a country-town lifestyle with rail and freeway access if the commute suits. For investors: a steady-growth, mid-yield regional play with healthy turnover, not a high-yield or hot-growth bet.
Population
?15,287
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+15.2%
3yr: +7.7% · 10yr: +40.1%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,432/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?4/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.2%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
3 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?14
5 long day, 7 OSHC
Parks & green space
?40
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?53
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Drouin (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Drouin suburb alone is ~15,287 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 9,882 to 22,118 over 24 years, averaging 3.4% per year.
Schools
4 in suburbSector
2 public · 2 private
Type
2 primary · 1 secondary · 1 K-12
Total enrolment
3,821
Avg per school
955
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 1.3%Almost entirely detached houses (91%), owner-occupied (75.8%), built for families (41% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZ | Farming ZoneRural | 43.8% | 22.95 km² |
| UGZ2 | UGZ2Other | 14.8% | 7.74 km² |
| LDRZ | Low Density Residential ZoneResidential | 13.8% | 7.22 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 12.8% | 6.68 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 4.9% | 2.57 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 3.2% | 1.68 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 2.3% | 1.22 km² |
| IN1Z | Industrial 1 ZoneIndustrial | 1.1% | 0.58 km² |
| RLZ5 | Rural Living Zone Schedule 5Rural | 0.8% | 0.44 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.7% | 0.36 km² |
| RLZ2 | Rural Living Zone Schedule 2Rural | 0.7% | 0.34 km² |
| PCRZ | Public Conservation and Resource ZoneEnvironmental | 0.3% | 0.16 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 0.3% | 0.13 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.2% | 0.13 km² |
| RAZ | Rural Activity ZoneRural | 0.1% | 0.06 km² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.