Suburb by suburb snapshot – Ironbark

Ironbark is approximately 0.9 square kilometres and has two parks covering nearly 7.5 per cent of total area.

The population of Ironbark in 2016 was 1095 people and by the 2021 Census it had risen to 1163, showing growth of 6.2 per cent in the area during that time.

Ironbark is a suburb of Bendigo, two kilometres north-west of the city’s centre and was named after Ironbark Gully, the site of a rich alluvial gold digging that was fully occupied by miners by mid 1852.

Ironbark was the name given to several species of Eucalypt with dark, deeply furrowed bark.

Together with Long Gully to its north, Ironbark was an intensively mined area.

The Victoria Hill conservation area, west of the Loddon Valley Highway, is bare mined terrain with Hustlers Reef providing rich yields from 1853.

Hotels and businesses were established along Eaglehawk Road – now Loddon Valley Highway, and the Mount Korong Road – now the Calder Highway.

In 1861 the Ironbark Hill Primary School opened and five years later another school opened in Violet Street – now Old Violet Street.

Until the Violet Street school was built pupils were taught in a primitive Methodist chapel. Both schools operated until 1928 when Ironbark Hill closed, but before then and after Violet Street was enlarged, pupils overflowed into a Rechabites Hall and the Hopetoun Band Room on Eaglehawk Road.

In 1999 Ironbark was gazetted as a separate suburb, positioned between Golden Square and Long Gully.

For many years Ironbark, once a prominent business centre, was part of Long Gully.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Ironbark is 20-29 years with households being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1000 – $1399 per month on mortgages.

In general, people in Ironbark work in a professional occupation.

In 2011, 59 per cent of the homes in Ironbark were owner-occupied compared with 57.2% in 2016.

TITBIT:

For many years Ironbark, once a prominent business centre, was part of Long Gully.

Population: 1163

Male: 47.6%

Female: 52.4%

Median age: 44

5-year population change: 0.4%

House median value: $599,000

Change in Median Price: (5yrs) is 61.5%

Median asking rent per week: $360

Average length of ownership: 8 years

Owner occupiers: 58%

Renters: 42%

House median sale price:

April 2022: $529,100

April 2021: $435,000

April 2020: $305,000

April 2019: $325,000

April 2018: $275,000

House sales per annum:

Period ending April 2022: 32

Period ending April 2021: 29

Land median sale price:

April 2022: N/A

April 2021: N/A

Land sales per annum:

Period ending April 2022: 4

Period ending April 2021: 1