Kurnai Region

Node ID: MPHA3850

Postcode: 3850

Companies: 1

Households: 112

Suburb Coverage: SALE (VIC) WURRUK (VIC)

Australian postcode 3850 is centred on Sale, the principal regional city of Gippsland in eastern Victoria, and also includes nearby Wurruk and Giffard; the 2021 Census recorded 15,472 people across the postal area, with a median age of 42. Sale provides a relatively self-contained regional lifestyle, with substantial healthcare, education, shopping and government services, while its surrounding economy is closely linked to agriculture, dairy, energy, government, defence and regional services; the nearby Gippsland Lakes, Lake Guthridge, Lake Guyatt and extensive rural landscape provide opportunities for fishing, boating, walking and other outdoor activities. Housing is predominantly detached—about 85.5% of occupied dwellings in the postcode—and the 2021 median weekly rent was $280, although more recent market data indicates that housing costs have risen considerably since then. Melbourne is roughly 190 km away, so Sale is sufficiently distant to function as a genuine regional centre rather than a commuter suburb, while the Princes Highway provides the principal road connection. Overall, 3850 offers a combination of regional-city services, agricultural hinterland, waterways and a relatively affordable lifestyle, making it another useful example of the regional service-hub model relevant to the SENA work.