Town by town snapshot: Drysdale

The size of Drysdale is approximately 40.1 square kilometres with eight parks covering nearly 1.6 per cent of total area. The population of Drysdale in 2011 was 4,316 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 4,272 showing a population decline of 1.0 per cent in the area during that time, although with over 130 land sales since the last Census, along with homes transitioning from holiday ownership to permanent residents, the population would now be seeing positive growth. Rail has been part of Drysdale’s past since the Queenscliff branch line from Geelong opened in 1879, with the line eventually closing to passengers and freight in November 1976. Now operating as a tourist attraction, The Bellarine Railway is operated and maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers, with the Queenscliff- Drysdale line recognised as the oldest Victorian branch line still in operation. CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Drysdale is 60-69 years. Households in Drysdale are primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1,800 – $2,399 per month on mortgage repayments and in general, people in Drysdale work in a professional occupation. In 2011, 82.8 per cent of the homes in Drysdale were owner-occupied compared with 81.4 percent in 2016.