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Job market report

Warrnambool and South West job market report

Online job ads, unemployment, industries and pay in Warrnambool and South West, Victoria, from Jobs and Skills Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Every figure is numbered and sourced.

Latest data
JSA September 2026; ABS 2023 to 2025 and the 2021 Census
Updated
25 October 2026
Area
ABS SA4 217 Warrnambool and South West
Sources
JSA, ABS and ViewJobs

Key findings

  1. Growing: online job ads in Warrnambool and South West were up 3.4% on a year earlier, from 736 to 761 a month in the three months to September 2026.

    Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Victoria and up 0.6% across Australia.[1][2]

    Section 1: Job ads and demand →

  2. Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 66 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (62) and sales assistants and salespersons (50).

    Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades rose fastest, up 85.7%.[1]

    Section 2: Which jobs are in demand →

  3. Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 46% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by health care and social assistance (28% more).

    Public administration and safety had 28% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.[3]

    Section 4: Industries growing and shrinking →

  4. 3.1% of the labour force in Warrnambool and South West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria.

    It was 4.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.9%, against 62.4% across Victoria. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.[3]

    Section 3: Unemployment and participation →

1 Job ads and demand

Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads.

Warrnambool and South West
+3.4%
761 ads a month[1]
Victoria
+0.1%
the sum of its areas[1][2]
Australia
+0.6%
the sum of every area[1][2]

Change in online job ads, the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 1.1: Online job ads a month, Warrnambool and South WestThree-month average, October 2023 to September 2026.
6008001k1.2k1.4kJan 2024Sep 2024May 2025Jan 2026Sep 2026Warrnambool and South WestWarrnambool and South West, Sep 2026: 761761

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Online job ads a month, Warrnambool and South West
MonthOnline job ads a month
October 20231,238
November 20231,210
December 20231,121
January 20241,110
February 20241,085
March 20241,106
April 20241,035
May 2024996
June 2024906
July 2024828
August 2024773
September 2024777
October 2024781
November 2024754
December 2024677
January 2025662
February 2025640
March 2025702
April 2025662
May 2025680
June 2025671
July 2025722
August 2025717
September 2025736
October 2025731
November 2025726
December 2025653
January 2026658
February 2026657
March 2026729
April 2026675
May 2026666
June 2026660
July 2026716
August 2026748
September 2026761

2 Which jobs are in demand

Online job ads by occupation group (ANZSCO sub-major groups), the three months to September 2026 against a year earlier.

Figure 2.1: Change in online job ads by occupation, Warrnambool and South WestThe 12 occupation groups with the most ads, fastest-rising first. Groups with fewer than 5 ads a month now or a year earlier are left out; the table lists all 48.
Food trades: +23.8%Food trades+23.8%Automotive and engineering trades: +21.7%Automotive and engineering trades+21.7%Other labourers: +17.6%Other labourers+17.6%Hospitality, retail and service managers: +15.4%Hospitality, retail and service managers+15.4%Sales assistants and salespersons: +13.6%Sales assistants and salespersons+13.6%Legal, social and welfare professionals: +12.1%Legal, social and welfare professionals+12.1%Other clerical and administrative workers: +11.5%Other clerical and administrative workers+11.5%Medical practitioners and nurses: +4.8%Medical practitioners and nurses+4.8%Health and welfare support workers: 0.0%Health and welfare support workers0.0%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists: −9.3%General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists−9.3%Carers and aides: −13.9%Carers and aides−13.9%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals: −23.1%Health diagnostic and therapy professionals−23.1%

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Show the numbers
Change in online job ads by occupation, Warrnambool and South West
Occupation groupAds a month, September 2026A year earlierChange
Medical practitioners and nurses6663+4.8%
Carers and aides6272−13.9%
Sales assistants and salespersons5044+13.6%
General-inquiry clerks, call centre, receptionists4954−9.3%
Legal, social and welfare professionals3733+12.1%
Hospitality, retail and service managers3026+15.4%
Health diagnostic and therapy professionals3039−23.1%
Other clerical and administrative workers2926+11.5%
Automotive and engineering trades2823+21.7%
Food trades2621+23.8%
Health and welfare support workers23230.0%
Other labourers2017+17.6%
Drivers and storepersons1915+26.7%
Farm, forestry and garden workers1914+35.7%
Numerical clerks1611+45.5%
Cleaners and laundry workers1613+23.1%
Corporate managers15150.0%
Engineering, ICT and science technicians15150.0%
Hospitality workers1412+16.7%
Business, finance and human resource professionals1318−27.8%
Electrotechnology and telecommunications trades137+85.7%
Sports, travel and personal service workers129+33.3%
Construction, production and distribution managers1112−8.3%
Construction trades1011−9.1%
Sales representatives and agents1011−9.1%
Machine and stationary plant operators106+66.7%
Mobile plant operators108+25.0%
Engineers95+80.0%
Health, education, ICT and other managers87+14.3%
Education professionals711−36.4%
Office managers, administrators and secretaries711−36.4%
Sales support workers69−33.3%
Factory process workers67−14.3%
Food preparation assistants68−25.0%
ICT professionals57−28.6%
Sales, marketing & public relations professionals550.0%
Science professionals and veterinarians550.0%
Skilled animal and horticultural workers550.0%
Hairdressers, printing, clothing and wood trades5fewer than 5n/a
Jewellers, arts and other trades workers550.0%
Construction and mining labourers550.0%
Farmers and farm managersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Information professionalsfewer than 56n/a
Transport and design professionals, and architectsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Chief executives, managing directors & legislatorsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Arts and media professionalsfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Protective service workersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a
Clerical and office support workers, couriersfewer than 5fewer than 5n/a

3 Unemployment and participation

Unemployment and labour force participation at each Census, from the ABS. These are the rates at the Census named, not current rates.

Figure 3.1: Unemployment rate, Warrnambool and South WestShare of the labour force unemployed at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Warrnambool and South West
  • Victoria
3%4%5%6%7%201120162021Warrnambool and South WestWarrnambool and South West, 2011: 4.1%Warrnambool and South West, 2016: 4.7%Warrnambool and South West, 2021: 3.1%3.1%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 5.4%Victoria, 2016: 6.6%Victoria, 2021: 5.0%5.0%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Unemployment rate, Warrnambool and South West
CensusWarrnambool and South WestVictoria
2011 Census4.1%5.4%
2016 Census4.7%6.6%
2021 Census3.1%5.0%
Figure 3.2: Labour force participation, Warrnambool and South WestShare of people aged 15 and over in the labour force at the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, against Victoria.
  • Warrnambool and South West
  • Victoria
56%58%60%62%64%201120162021Warrnambool and South WestWarrnambool and South West, 2011: 60.8%Warrnambool and South West, 2016: 57.9%Warrnambool and South West, 2021: 58.9%58.9%VictoriaVictoria, 2011: 61.4%Victoria, 2016: 60.5%Victoria, 2021: 62.4%62.4%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Labour force participation, Warrnambool and South West
CensusWarrnambool and South WestVictoria
2011 Census60.8%61.4%
2016 Census57.9%60.5%
2021 Census58.9%62.4%

Note: This report takes unemployment from the Census. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.

4 Industries growing and shrinking

Employee jobs by industry (ANZSIC division) in the year to 30 June, from the ABS. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Shrinking means fewer employee jobs in the ABS count.

Figure 4.1: Change in employee jobs by industry, Warrnambool and South West, 2019 to 2023Industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs in 2023, fastest-growing first.
Education and training: +46.0%Education and training+46.0%Health care and social assistance: +27.6%Health care and social assistance+27.6%Other services: +22.4%Other services+22.4%Construction: +19.1%Construction+19.1%Retail trade: +18.3%Retail trade+18.3%Accommodation and food services: +18.1%Accommodation and food services+18.1%Professional, scientific and technical services: +16.9%Professional, scientific and technical services+16.9%Financial and insurance services: +15.1%Financial and insurance services+15.1%Agriculture, forestry and fishing: +7.9%Agriculture, forestry and fishing+7.9%Arts and recreation services: +6.2%Arts and recreation services+6.2%Rental, hiring and real estate services: +2.5%Rental, hiring and real estate services+2.5%Wholesale trade: +2.3%Wholesale trade+2.3%Manufacturing: +0.8%Manufacturing+0.8%Transport, postal and warehousing: −5.8%Transport, postal and warehousing−5.8%Administrative and support services: −6.2%Administrative and support services−6.2%Public administration and safety: −27.8%Public administration and safety−27.8%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Change in employee jobs by industry, Warrnambool and South West, 2019 to 2023
Industry20192023Change
Health care and social assistance12,15915,519+27.6%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing9,55410,307+7.9%
Retail trade8,59210,168+18.3%
Accommodation and food services8,4169,941+18.1%
Manufacturing8,7318,798+0.8%
Education and training5,3577,822+46.0%
Public administration and safety8,3876,055−27.8%
Administrative and support services5,7635,404−6.2%
Construction4,4975,356+19.1%
Professional, scientific and technical services2,9443,441+16.9%
Transport, postal and warehousing3,4723,269−5.8%
Wholesale trade2,7352,798+2.3%
Financial and insurance services2,3912,751+15.1%
Other services2,1232,599+22.4%
Arts and recreation services1,7461,854+6.2%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,0301,056+2.5%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services736872n/a
Information media and telecommunications456597n/a
Mining463476n/a
Figure 4.2: Largest industries by employee jobs, Warrnambool and South West, 202399,936 employee jobs across all industries in the year to 30 June 2023.
Health care and social assistance: 15,519Health care and social assistance15,519Agriculture, forestry and fishing: 10,307Agriculture, forestry and fishing10,307Retail trade: 10,168Retail trade10,168Accommodation and food services: 9,941Accommodation and food services9,941Manufacturing: 8,798Manufacturing8,798Education and training: 7,822Education and training7,822Public administration and safety: 6,055Public administration and safety6,055Administrative and support services: 5,404Administrative and support services5,404

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Largest industries by employee jobs, Warrnambool and South West, 2023
IndustryEmployee jobsShare of all employee jobs
Health care and social assistance15,51916%
Agriculture, forestry and fishing10,30710%
Retail trade10,16810%
Accommodation and food services9,94110%
Manufacturing8,7989%
Education and training7,8228%
Public administration and safety6,0556%
Administrative and support services5,4045%
Construction5,3565%
Professional, scientific and technical services3,4413%
Transport, postal and warehousing3,2693%
Wholesale trade2,7983%
Financial and insurance services2,7513%
Other services2,5993%
Arts and recreation services1,8542%
Rental, hiring and real estate services1,0561%
Electricity, gas, water and waste services8721%
Information media and telecommunications5971%
Mining4760%
All industries99,936100%

5 Pay

Employee income per person with wage or salary income, before tax, including part-time and part-year workers, from the ABS. The median is the middle earner; the mean (average) is pulled up by high earners.

Figure 5.1: Median employee income, Warrnambool and South WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Warrnambool and South West
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$40k$45k$50k$55k$60k$65k20192020202120222023Warrnambool and South WestWarrnambool and South West, 2019: $44,876Warrnambool and South West, 2020: $46,682Warrnambool and South West, 2021: $49,258Warrnambool and South West, 2022: $50,883Warrnambool and South West, 2023: $53,630$53,630VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $51,487Victoria, 2020: $53,010Victoria, 2021: $55,526Victoria, 2022: $57,653Victoria, 2023: $61,397$61,397AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $52,256Australia, 2020: $53,878Australia, 2021: $56,485Australia, 2022: $58,260Australia, 2023: $61,966$61,966

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Median employee income, Warrnambool and South West
YearWarrnambool and South WestVictoriaAustralia
2019$44,876$51,487$52,256
2020$46,682$53,010$53,878
2021$49,258$55,526$56,485
2022$50,883$57,653$58,260
2023$53,630$61,397$61,966
Figure 5.2: Mean employee income, Warrnambool and South WestIn the year to 30 June, 2019 to 2023, against Victoria and Australia.
  • Warrnambool and South West
  • Victoria
  • Australia
$50k$60k$70k$80k20192020202120222023Warrnambool and South WestWarrnambool and South West, 2019: $50,013Warrnambool and South West, 2020: $52,254Warrnambool and South West, 2021: $54,649Warrnambool and South West, 2022: $56,528Warrnambool and South West, 2023: $59,453$59,453VictoriaVictoria, 2019: $62,207Victoria, 2020: $64,331Victoria, 2021: $67,299Victoria, 2022: $70,089Victoria, 2023: $73,591$73,591AustraliaAustralia, 2019: $63,517Australia, 2020: $65,591Australia, 2021: $68,452Australia, 2022: $70,950Australia, 2023: $74,579$74,579

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Mean employee income, Warrnambool and South West
YearWarrnambool and South WestVictoriaAustralia
2019$50,013$62,207$63,517
2020$52,254$64,331$65,591
2021$54,649$67,299$68,452
2022$56,528$70,089$70,950
2023$59,453$73,591$74,579

6 People

Estimated resident population and the working-age population (15 to 64), from the ABS.

People living in the area
128,320
ABS, 2025 · up 0.7% since 2020[3]
Working-age population, 15 to 64
75,428
ABS, 2024 · down 1.9% since 2020[3]

Victoria's population was up 6.9% from 2020 to 2025, and Warrnambool and South West's up 0.7%.[3]

7 Businesses

Counts of businesses by how many people they employ, from the ABS.

Businesses in the area
14,515
ABS, 2025 · up 5.7% since 2021[3]
Figure 7.1: Businesses by number of employees, Warrnambool and South West, 2025Businesses by how many people they employ. The table adds each size's count in 2021 and the change.
No employees: 9,132No employees9,1321–4 employees: 3,5941–4 employees3,5945–19 employees: 1,4855–19 employees1,48520 or more employees: 30420 or more employees304

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Show the numbers
Businesses by number of employees, Warrnambool and South West, 2025
Size20212025Change
No employees7,9789,132+14.5%
1–4 employees3,9593,594−9.2%
5–19 employees1,5121,485−1.8%
20 or more employees284304+7.0%

8 Jobs on ViewJobs now

Live job ads on ViewJobs in the Great Ocean Road and the Western Grampians, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in this ABS area.

Live jobs on ViewJobs in these regions
445
ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026[4]
Figure 8.1: Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Great Ocean Road and Western GrampiansThe 8 classifications with the most live ads, as of 25 Oct 2026.
Healthcare & Medical: 147Healthcare & Medical147Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics: 49Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics49Retail & Consumer Products: 48Retail & Consumer Products48Education & Training: 33Education & Training33Community Services & Development: 32Community Services & Development32Hospitality & Tourism: 32Hospitality & Tourism32Trades & Services: 18Trades & Services18Sport & Recreation: 12Sport & Recreation12

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

Show the numbers
Live jobs on ViewJobs by classification, Great Ocean Road and Western Grampians
ClassificationLive jobs
Healthcare & Medical147
Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics49
Retail & Consumer Products48
Education & Training33
Community Services & Development32
Hospitality & Tourism32
Trades & Services18
Sport & Recreation12

9 Quick answers

Short answers to the questions people ask about Warrnambool and South West's job market, each with its period and source.

How many jobs are advertised in Warrnambool and South West?

761 online job ads a month were placed in Warrnambool and South West, on average, in the three months to September 2026.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

Is Warrnambool and South West's job market growing or shrinking?

Growing: online job ads in Warrnambool and South West were up 3.4% on a year earlier, from 736 to 761 a month in the three months to September 2026. Over the same year, ads were up 0.1% across Victoria and up 0.6% across Australia.

Sources: Jobs and Skills Australia[1]; ViewJobs analysis[2].

Which jobs are most in demand in Warrnambool and South West?

Medical practitioners and nurses had the most online ads, 66 a month in the three months to September 2026, followed by carers and aides (62) and sales assistants and salespersons (50). Among occupation groups with at least 5 ads a month a year earlier and now, ads for electrotechnology and telecommunications trades rose fastest, up 85.7%.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia[1].

What is the unemployment rate in Warrnambool and South West?

3.1% of the labour force in Warrnambool and South West was unemployed at the 2021 Census, against 5.0% across Victoria. It was 4.7% at the 2016 Census. Labour force participation at the 2021 Census was 58.9%, against 62.4% across Victoria. The Census runs every five years, so these are not current rates.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

What is the average wage in Warrnambool and South West?

Average (mean) employee income in Warrnambool and South West was $59,453 in 2023; the median was $53,630, against $61,397 across Victoria and $61,966 across Australia.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries employ the most people in Warrnambool and South West?

Health care and social assistance had the most employee jobs in Warrnambool and South West: 15,519 in 2023, 16% of the 99,936 employee jobs. Next were agriculture, forestry and fishing (10,307) and retail trade (10,168).

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Which industries are growing or shrinking in Warrnambool and South West?

Among industries with 1,000 or more employee jobs, education and training grew fastest, with 46% more employee jobs in 2023 than in 2019, followed by health care and social assistance (28% more). Public administration and safety had 28% fewer employee jobs than in 2019.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

Is Warrnambool and South West's population growing?

128,320 people lived in Warrnambool and South West in 2025, up 0.7% since 2020. Victoria's population was up 6.9% over the same years. The working-age population was 75,428 in 2024, down 1.9% since 2020.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics[3].

How many jobs are on ViewJobs in Warrnambool and South West?

At least 445 jobs are live on ViewJobs in Warrnambool and South West, as of 25 Oct 2026. They are the ads in the Great Ocean Road and the Western Grampians, ViewJobs regions whose towns all sit in the area. The most advertised are Healthcare & Medical (147), Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics (49) and Retail & Consumer Products (48).

Source: ViewJobs live ads[4].

10 Notes and method

What the figures count, where they come from, and the rules this report applies to them.

The area
Warrnambool and South West here is ABS SA4 217 Warrnambool and South West. The reports cover 50 areas, 42 regional ABS regions and the eight capital cities: the areas Jobs and Skills Australia publishes online job ads for.
Online job ads
Jobs and Skills Australia's Internet Vacancy Index is a monthly count of online job ads, compiled from SEEK, CareerOne and Workforce Australia. Regional figures are three-month averages. It is not a count of ViewJobs' own ads. It counts ads, not jobs filled, by occupation and area.
State and national ads
This report reads the index's series by area, so a state or national figure here is the sum of its areas, marked as ViewJobs analysis. It can differ from the state and national totals Jobs and Skills Australia publishes separately.[2]
Small numbers
A figure under 5 ads a month is shown as "fewer than 5". A group with fewer than 5 ads a month, now or a year earlier, is left out of every change, and every ranking by change.
ABS figures
The latest ABS income and jobs figures here are for the year to 30 June 2023; population and business counts are more recent. Every figure shows its year. Change is measured from 2019: the ABS figures for 2018 and 2019 differ sharply for some industries in some areas. Industries with fewer than 1,000 employee jobs are listed but not ranked.
Unemployment
This report takes unemployment from the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses: each figure is the rate at the Census named, not a current rate. The ABS's monthly Labour Force estimates by region are not included yet.
Jobs on ViewJobs
ViewJobs regions do not follow ABS boundaries. Section 8 counts the ads open on ViewJobs on 25 Oct 2026 in each ViewJobs region with at least 20% of its towns in this area, and counts each region whole: a region that reaches beyond the area can include ads from outside it, and a region with fewer of its towns here is left out. A classification links to its own page once it has enough ads for one.

11 References

Every figure on this page points at one of these entries.

  1. Jobs and Skills Australia, Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-10/internet_vacancies_anzsco2_occupations_gccsa_and_sa4_regions_-_september_2026.xlsx. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  2. ViewJobs, ViewJobs analysis of the Jobs and Skills Australia Internet Vacancy Index, September 2026. jobsandskills.gov.au/data/internet-vacancy-index. State and national figures are the sum of the ABS areas in Jobs and Skills Australia's regional series.
  3. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Data by Region, v1.6.0. dbr.abs.gov.au. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Accessed 25 October 2026.
  4. ViewJobs, Live job ads on ViewJobs, 25 Oct 2026. viewjobs.com.au.

Cite this report

ViewJobs (2026). Warrnambool and South West job market report, data to September 2026. https://www.viewjobs.com.au/job-market/vic/warrnambool-and-south-west

Licence

Contains data from Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics, used under CC BY 4.0. ViewJobs has charted the data and, where marked as ViewJobs analysis, added areas together.

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