LGA · VIC · CENTRAL WESTERN VICTORIA

Moorabool Shire

Semi-rural LGA between Melbourne + Ballarat with wind farm employment growth. Roughly 80km from Melbourne CBD.

Central Western Victoria Hotspotting refresh: Jun 2026 80km from CBD

Investment thesis

What this LGA is for

Semi-rural LGA ~80km west of Melbourne between Melbourne and Ballarat, half an hour north of Geelong. Council headquartered in Ballan, with Bacchus Marsh the largest commercial centre. Gross Regional Product $2.1+ billion (2025) supporting 10,233 jobs with $4.037 billion annual economic output. Construction is the largest contributor at $924 million (23% of output). Unemployment 3.7% (Dec 2025), below the Victorian rate. Wind farms, water infrastructure projects and hospital + school construction nearby are driving the LGA's employment growth. Sub-$680K median entry with low vacancies across both house and unit markets.

Key numbers

Snapshot of the Moorabool Shire economy and demographics.

Gross Regional Product (2025)

$2.1B+

Annual economic output

$4.037B

Unemployment (Dec 2025) — below state

3.7%

Construction sector output (23% of LGA)

$924M

Infrastructure pipeline

The committed and in-flight infrastructure spend reshaping the LGA.

Major

Wind farms

Multiple wind farm developments providing construction + ongoing operations employment.

Major

Adjacent new hospital builds

Large hospital construction projects in nearby regions attracting workers to Moorabool.

Major

Water infrastructure projects

Major water + irrigation projects servicing the broader region.

Major

New land estates + master-planned suburbs

Bacchus Marsh + Maddingley growth corridors. Sustains rental supply alongside structural demand.

Major

Western transport corridor (Melbourne-Adelaide)

Major freight + commuter spine running through the LGA. Strategic logistics location.

Major

Ballarat-Melbourne train spine

V/Line direct to Southern Cross. Ballan and Bacchus Marsh stations.

Suburbs in scope

Suburbs we actively track within Moorabool Shire. House market data from PropTrack via Hotspotting LGA report (12 months trailing).

Suburb	Median (house)	Yield	1yr growth	Vacancy	Read
Darley	$675K	3.90%	+2%	1.10%	Established Bacchus Marsh adjacent. Unit median $430K at 4.7%
Ballan	$659K	4.00%	+5%	1.20%	Council headquarters town
Maddingley	$650K	4.20%	+5%	1.10%	Bacchus Marsh adjacent. Newer estate
Bacchus Marsh	$640K	4.10%	+2%	1.20%	LGA commercial heart. 193 sales/yr. Unit median $435K at 4.8%

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