Bairnsdale

Bairnsdale is the gateway to two of Victoria's most rugged and untouched regions: the Victorian High Country, and the vast Gippsland Lakes. The town is the main commercial centre for the region's wool, dairy, agriculture and timber industries.

Bairnsdale is in the East Gippsland Shire area.

Location information

Climate

In summer (January), Bairnsdale's average minimum temperature is 13.7 degrees, and the average maximum is 25.8. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 3.8 to a maximum of 15.1. The town's average annual rainfall is 715.9mm.

Population

11,282 (Source: ABS Census 2006).

Cultural diversity

Around 14 percent of people living in Bairnsdale were born outside Australia.

Migrants have settled in Bairnsdale from:

  • England (2.7%)
  • Germany (0.5%)
  • Italy (0.7%)
  • Scotland (0.5%)
  • New Zealand (0.6%)

Around seven percent of people living in Bairnsdale speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken in Bairnsdale include:

  • Italian (0.9%)
  • Vietnamese (0.1%)
  • German (0.4%)
  • Dutch (0.1%)
  • Malayan (0.2%)

Finding a job

Key industries and employers

The top five industries by employment in Bairnsdale are:

Industry Residential care services School education Bakery product manufacturing Cafes, restaurants & takeaway food stores Supermarkets & grocery stores
% 6.2 5.9 3.3 3.2 2.8

Local skill shortages

There is no specific information available on skills shortages in Bairnsdale. Information on skills shortages in the Gippsland region is available on the South East Victoria map page.

Job search links

To see jobs currently available in Bairnsdale, visit:

Lifestyle information

Housing and accommodation

In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in Bairnsdale was $205,000.

In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom flat in Bairnsdale was $168 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $225 per week.

For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the East Gippsland region's accommodation directory.

To find a local real estate agent, visit the REIV agent directory, type 'Bairnsdale' into the search box, select 'suburb' and then press 'search'.

Healthcare

Bairnsdale Regional Health Service is the main health service located in Bairnsdale. For information about healthcare providers in the Bairnsdale area, please visit the Victorian Better Health Channel's health services directory.

More information on Victoria's healthcare system can be found in the Health & Medical section.

Schools

For information on schools in Bairnsdale, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Bairnsdale’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.

Travel

Distance and travel time

Bairnsdale is 280km east of Melbourne. You can travel from Bairnsdale to Melbourne by:

  • car (3 hours 15 minutes)
  • coach (3 hours 45 minutes)
  • train (3 hours 30 minutes)

Nearby towns are:

Public transport

Buses operate around Bairnsdale, and between the town and surrounding areas. For specific routes and timetables, please visit the regional bus information on VicLink and select from the drop down list.

Places of worship

For information about where you can practice your faith, please visit your religion's Australian website. To find it, visit Google, type in the name of your religion, and select 'pages from Australia'.

Sport and recreation

For more information about sport and recreation in Bairnsdale, please visit the East Gippsland Shire website.

Bairnsdale attractions

  • Fishing on the Mitchell River
  • Mitchell River National Park
  • Twin Rivers Food and Wine trail
  • Batalak Cultural Trail (indigenous history)
  • Local art galleries, museums, craft and antique shops
  • Bairnsdale Country Music Festival (March)
  • East Gippsland Agricultural Field Days (April)
  • Bairnsdale Cup (September)

Last updated: 22 January 2009

Back to Top

State Government of Victoria