Forrest, VIC 3236 — Suburb Profile
Last reviewed: · By Knowburb Research Team
In short
Forrest is a suburb of Victoria, postcode 3236, home to 257 residents with a settled, mature community. Located in the Colac Otway local government area (Inner Regional Australia) and roughly 135 km from the Melbourne CBD.
Snapshot
Demographics
- Population
- 257
- Median age
- 52 years
- Median household income
- $1,091 /week
- Median personal income
- $595 /week
- Median family income
- $1,312 /week
- Average household size
- 2.1
- Persons per bedroom
- 0.8
- Local government area
- Colac Otway
- Statistical region (SA4)
- Warrnambool and South West
- Remoteness classification
- Inner Regional Australia
- Federal electorate
- Corangamite
Property & cost of living
- Median rent
- $290 /week
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,509
- Rent share of household income
- 27%
Schools
- Forrest Primary School
Transport
- Within 800 m walk: 2 bus stops
- Forrest General Store/Birregurra - Forrest Rd
- Turner Dr/Birregurra -Forrest Rd
Lifestyle & amenities
- 2 cafés
- 2 pubs and bars
- 6 parks and reserves
- 2 gyms and fitness centres
- 2 playgrounds
Climate
- Warmest month: Jan (21.5°C avg max)
- Coolest month: Jul (13.0°C avg max)
- Annual rainfall: 895 mm
- Reference station: Cape Otway Lighthouse, 41.5 km away
NBN & connectivity
Fixed Wireless serves 97.8% of the 278 resolvable premises in Forrest. Most premises here are served by NBN Fixed Wireless from a nearby tower. Speed is shared with neighbours and weather-sensitive; plans up to NBN 100 are available where signal allows.
- Fixed Wireless: 97.8%
- Sky Muster (Satellite): 2.2%
Safety
- Recorded offences: 10 across postcode 3236 in the year to December 2025.
- Most common categories: 7 property offences, 2 drug offences.
Nearby suburbs
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Forrest?
Forrest (VIC 3236) had 257 residents at the most recent ABS Census. The median age is 52. It sits within the Colac Otway local government area.
What is the median rent in Forrest?
The median advertised rent in Forrest is $290/week, based on SQM Research listings data. Rents vary by property type, bedrooms and condition.
Are there schools in Forrest?
Yes — 1 school is listed within or near Forrest covering government sectors. Nearest include: Forrest Primary School (0.3 km). School data sourced from ACARA and state education departments.
What NBN technology is available in Forrest?
Forrest is predominantly served by Fixed Wireless (97.8% of premises). Coverage data is sourced from the NBN upgrade map aggregated from NBN Co address checks.
How safe is Forrest?
Across postcode 3236, 10 offences were recorded in the 12 months to December 2025. The most common offence categories were property (7), drug offences (2). Crime statistics are recorded by area (postcode or LGA), not by individual suburb. Data sourced from each state's crime statistics agency.
What is the climate like in Forrest?
In Forrest, mean daily temperatures range from 10.6°C to 17.3°C and annual rainfall is 895 mm measured at the Cape Otway Lighthouse weather station (41.5 km away). Long-term averages from the Bureau of Meteorology.
What public transport options are in Forrest?
2 public transport stops are mapped within 1.6 km of the Forrest centroid. Within 800 m, you'll find 2 bus stops. Stop data is sourced from state government GTFS feeds.
Sources & methodology
Demographics from ABS Census. Property data from SQM Research. Climate from Bureau of Meteorology. Schools from ACARA. NBN from NBN Co. Amenities from OpenStreetMap. See full methodology.
Additional sources for this profile: