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Baw Baw housing target: 2051 target vs approvals

Baw Baw’s official 2051 housing target, the yearly pace it implies, and how ABS building approvals in the council compare, month by month.

Baw Baw’s final 2051 housing target is 25,700 additional homes (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Spread evenly over the 28 years from 2023, that is about 918 homes a year.

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 587 dwelling approvals in Baw Baw: approvals are running at 64% of the pace needed. That is about the same as the 12 months before.

Updated to Jul 2026 (ABS building approvals), data refreshed 2026-10-07. Targets as set in Plan for Victoria’s final targets, 24 February 2025.

25,700additional homes by 2051 (target)
918a year: the even pace the target implies
587dwellings approved in the 12 months to Jul 2026
64%of the pace needed, on the last 12 months

The state counts about 25,800 homes in Baw Baw in 2023 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), so the target would add roughly 100% to the housing stock.

Region: Regional Victoria.

Monthly approvals in Baw Baw

Dwelling approvals in Baw Baw by monthMonthly dwelling units approved in Baw Baw, Jul 2018 to Jul 2026, split into houses and other dwellings, with the 12-month average and a dashed line at the 76 a month the 2051 target implies. The last 12 months total 587. The same figures are in the table that follows.05010015020020192020202120222023202420252026

Since January 2024, 1,438 dwellings have been approved in Baw Baw, about 557 a year, and the three-year average is 520 a year (57% of the pace needed). Extrapolation only: if approvals continued at the last 12 months' pace and every approval became a home (not all do), the remaining target would be reached in about 41 years, around 2067, after 2051.

Of the last 12 months’ approvals, 97% were houses and 3% were other dwellings such as townhouses and apartments.

Dwelling units approved in Baw Baw, by financial year
Financial yearHousesOther dwellingsTotal
2018–1969871769
2019–2061927646
2020–2194249991
2021–2271838756
2022–2339725422
2023–2431231343
2024–2553178609
2025–2656915584
2026–27 (Jul–Jul, 1 months)46046
Last 24 months, month by month
MonthHousesOther dwellingsTotal
Jul 202646046
Jun 202680080
May 202640040
Apr 202680282
Mar 202656965
Feb 202639443
Jan 202630030
Dec 202534034
Nov 202537037
Oct 202555055
Sep 202547047
Aug 202528028
Jul 202543043
Jun 202544044
May 202544448
Apr 202542042
Mar 202549049
Feb 202551556
Jan 202528028
Dec 202438947
Nov 202440242
Oct 20245951110
Sep 202426531
Aug 202447249

Similar councils

Councils in Regional Victoria with the closest target sizes.

Council2051 targetNeeded a yearApproved, last 12 monthsShare of pace needed
Greater Bendigo37,0001,32188567%
Baw Baw25,70091858764%
Moorabool20,00071434248%
Bass Coast19,25068839858%
Greater Shepparton15,250545662122%

Where in Baw Baw the approvals are

Suburbs with the most dwelling approvals since July 2021, when the ABS small-area series starts. Suburb figures are apportioned from ABS SA2 areas, so treat them as indicative.

SuburbDwellings approved since Jul 2021
Labertouche214
Warragul198
Drouin177
Darnum142
Drouin South139
Longwarry138
Nilma North111
Warragul South103

What the target means

The target is the number of additional homes the Victorian Government expects Baw Baw to make room for by 2051 (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026). Councils do that through their planning controls (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026), and the state says it will intervene, including by rezoning, where councils don’t (Premier of Victoria, verified 27 Sep 2026). The targets were set using access to jobs, services and transport, hazards such as flood and bushfire, and development trends (Victorian Government (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 27 Sep 2026).

Method and limits.

Frequently asked

What is Baw Baw's housing target?

Baw Baw's final housing target, set by the Victorian Government in February 2025, is 25,700 additional homes by 2051.

How many homes are being approved in Baw Baw?

In the 12 months to Jul 2026, the ABS recorded 587 dwelling approvals in Baw Baw. The even pace the target implies is about 918 a year, so approvals are running at 64% of the pace needed.

Does Baw Baw have to approve 918 homes every year?

No. The target is a long-run total to 2051, not a yearly quota, and councils meet it by providing capacity in their planning controls. The even yearly pace is a yardstick for comparison, not a legal requirement.

Are building approvals the same as new homes?

No. An approval is the permit that lets construction start. Some approved homes are built years later, some never are, and demolished homes aren't subtracted.

Suburbs in Baw Baw

Baw Baw council overview: median prices for every suburb →

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.

← All councils’ targets Rezoning tracker → Planning and development guide →
Written by
Delora editorial team
Jurisdiction
Victoria only (Victorian Government targets)
Content type
Data tracker (general information, not advice)
Last reviewed
2026-10-07
Sources
See "Sources and methodology" above for cited sources

Sources on this page last verified against the primary source each figure cites. What “verified” means