Wonthaggi

Although the region is one of Victoria's biggest sources of coal, Wonthaggi is just as famous for its beautiful beaches. The town is perfectly situated for Gippsland's magnificent coastline, including Phillip Island, Inverloch and Wilson's Promontory.

Wonthaggi is in the Bass Coast Shire area.

Location information

Climate

In summer (January), Wonthaggi's average minimum temperature is 13.2 degrees, and the average maximum is 24.6. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 6.1 to a maximum of 13.5. The town's average annual rainfall is 934.0mm.

Population

6529 (Source: ABS Census 2006).

Cultural diversity

Around 18 percent of people living in Wonthaggi were born outside Australia.

Migrants have settled in Wonthaggi from:

  • England (5.4%)
  • Italy (1.9%)
  • Scotland (1.0%)
  • New Zealand (0.9%)
  • Netherlands (0.6%)

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

Languages spoken in Wonthaggi include:

  • Italian (2.0%)
  • Greek (0.2%)
  • Arabic (0.2%)
  • Dutch (0.1%)
  • Spanish (0.1%)

Finding a job

Key industries and employers

The top five industries by employment in Wonthaggi are:

Industry Hospitals Supermarkets and grocery stores School education Residential building construction Local Government administration
% 5.8 5.6 4.7 4.6 4.0

Local skill shortages

There is no specific information available on skills shortages in Wonthaggi. 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 Wonthaggi, visit:

Lifestyle information

Housing and accommodation

In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in Wonthaggi was $220,000.

In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom flat in Bass Coast Shire was $190 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $180 per week.

For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the Bass Coast Shire's accommodation directory.

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

Healthcare

Bass Coast Regional Health is the main health service in Wonthaggi. For information about healthcare providers in the Wonthaggi 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 Wonthaggi, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Wonthaggi’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.

Travel

Distance and travel time

Wonthaggi is 128km south east of Melbourne. You can travel from Wonthaggi to Melbourne by:

  • car (1 hour 45 minutes)
  • coach (2 hours 45 minutes)

Nearby towns are:

Public transport

Buses operate around Wonthaggi, 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 Wonthaggi, please visit the Bass Coast Shire website.

Wonthaggi attractions

  • Take an underground tour of the State Coal Mine
  • Walk, run or cycle along the Bass Coast Rail Trail
  • Take in the spectacular views along the George Bass Coastal Walk to San Remo

Last updated: 22 January 2009

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State Government of Victoria