National Forecasting Program

Population and housing forecast for Melbourne – Outer East

Our latest population and housing forecasts for Melbourne – Outer East, which covers the Knox and Maroondah council areas and parts of Yarra Ranges, Manningham and Whitehorse, from Ringwood, Bayswater and Croydon to Healesville, Yarra Junction and Warburton in the Yarra Valley.

Region
Melbourne – Outer East · SA4 211
Councils
Cardinia (part), Knox, Manningham (part), Maroondah, Whitehorse (part), Yarra Ranges (part)
Built on
Earlier national forecast (2021.2022.1)
Released
09/07/2024
Status
Current
Boundaries
ASGS 2021 Ed. 3
Horizon
2046
  • Mitcham
  • Warrandyte
  • Ringwood
  • Croydon
  • Bayswater
  • Boronia
  • Ferntree Gully
  • Rowville
  • Mooroolbark
  • Lilydale
  • Healesville
  • Warburton

Where this region sits

  1. Nation
    Australia
    +8.6m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2025 forecast
  2. State
    Victoria
    +2.88m to 2046
    Population growth, 2021 to 2046
    2021.2022.x
  3. You are here: Region
    Melbourne – Outer East
    +86,013
    3.0% of Victoria's growth
    2021.2022.1.1.1 · Jul 2024
  4. Below the region
    40 small areas, all forecast
    Small-area forecasts available through Placemaker.

Victoria's share of national growth is set from the national drivers. This region's share of Victoria is built from development assessed on the ground.

The forecast

  • 522,777

    Population, 2021

  • 608,790

    Population, 2046

  • +86,013

    Total growth to 2046

  • +43,045

    Additional dwellings

Population, dwellings and age structure, five-yearly

Five-year intervals shown; the forecast itself is a single-year series by single year of age and sex, available in full through Placemaker, along with a downloadable summary. We forecast the share aged 65 and over to move from 17.7% in 2021 to 20.1% in 2046.
PopulationDwellingsAge structure, %
YearTotalChangeTotalChange0–1415–6465+
2021522,777—204,341—18.164.217.7
2026541,515+18,738211,209+6,86817.563.718.9
2031559,150+17,635220,983+9,77416.963.319.8
2036575,794+16,644229,772+8,78916.863.020.2
2041592,813+17,019238,656+8,88416.862.920.2
2046608,790+15,977247,386+8,73016.962.920.1

What we assess, and where

Different things drive population change at different scales. We form a view at each level, and each level constrains the one below it.

  1. Nation
    • Overseas migration
    • Fertility and life expectancy
    • Housing completions
  2. State
    • Share of overseas migration
    • Interstate migration
    • State housing policy
  3. Region (this page)
    • Intrastate migration
    • Development pipeline
    • Capacity and limiting factors
    • Ageing in place
  4. Suburb and site
    • Site-by-site development assessment
    • Dwelling type and density

Housing capacity, by area

Sub-area (SA3)Area characterCapacity used by 2046
Knox67.7%
Manningham – East52.9%
Maroondah32.8%
Whitehorse – East72.1%
Yarra Ranges83.8%
Melbourne – Outer East total56.0%

How to read this

Capacity used is the share of an area's assessed dwelling capacity that the forecast draws down by 2046. Assessed capacity is post-census capacity across 416 tracked residential development sites, so it counts what those sites can hold, not every theoretical dwelling a planning control would permit.

The major sites that shape this forecast

SiteLocationTypeStatus
Kinley Estate - LilydaleMelba Ave, LilydaleGreenfieldApproved
Wantirna South By Mirvac191 George St, ScoresbyGreenfieldPre-approved / Lapsed approval
Watirna Health Precinct - Subprecinct 4760 Boronia Road WANTIRNARedevelopmentStructure plan / Under-utilised (med-high density)
Lilydale potential developmentLilydaleRedevelopmentStructure plan / Under-utilised (med-high density)
Forest Ridge - Stage 3104-168 Hawthorn Road & 1 Bulkara AvenueRedevelopmentPre-approved / Lapsed approval

Our forecasting team

Liza Ivanova

Liza Ivanova

Principal Forecast Consultant

Oliver Bowering

Oliver Bowering

Senior Forecast Consultant

Places covered by this forecast

The largest of the 90 suburbs and localities in this region. Every one of them is forecast at small-area level, and any combination can be built into a custom catchment through Placemaker.

  • Rowville
  • Croydon
  • Ferntree Gully
  • Boronia
  • Mooroolbark
  • Wantirna South
  • Ringwood
  • Lilydale
  • Mitcham
  • Wantirna
  • Nunawading
  • Donvale
  • Bayswater
  • Chirnside Park
  • Vermont South
  • Kilsyth
  • Vermont
  • Ringwood East
  • Forest Hill
  • Ringwood North
  • + 70 more

Plus 70 more. Search for any suburb or locality on our forecast analysis page.

Common questions about the forecast for Melbourne – Outer East

A credible, independent forecast

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Independent of government

Our forecasts are not commissioned by any government, so they give an independent view.

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Granular forecasts for custom catchments

Forecast at small-area level, so they can be built up into any catchment you need, such as a school catchment, a retail trade area or a utility service area.

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Every region, on one basis

A single national model, not a collection of unconnected local studies.

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Assessed site by site

Built on a national development sites layer maintained by our own forecasters. 416 development sites assessed in this region alone.

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organisations across Australia trust Informed Decisions for data and insights

15,000+

suburbs forecast, covering every part of Australia

A named forecaster behind every region

Questions about a forecast go to the team who prepared it.

See the forecast for your exact area

Placemaker gives you the population, housing and development forecast for any catchment you draw inside this region, by single year, with the development pipeline behind it.