Child Care Castlemaine

Needs Analysis

Demand and supply analysis of Child Care Centres and demographic drivers for Castlemaine 3450. Key stats for childcare operators, investors and developers.

Updated March 15, 2026 14 Centres Pop: 8,317
Id Name Type Places Approval Distance (Km) Day Rate Availability

* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.

Key Metrics

Castlemaine / Rest of Vic.

LDC Providers
LDC Providers
3
449
LDC Places
Total LDC Places
218
41,593
Population
Total Population
8,317
1,671,504
Per Place
Persons Per Place
38.2
-
Avg Age
Avg Centre Age
14.2 yrs
10 yrs
0-4 Pop
Population 0-4
349
88,864
Kids Per Place
0-4 Per LDC Place
1.6
2.3
Workforce
Workforce Impact
Significant
Standard
School Att
School Attendance
1,371
-
School Per LDC
School Per LDC Place
6.29
6
Avg Fee
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$163
$152
Other
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
216
-

SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:

Castlemaine Child Care FAQ

What is the Child Care supply composition of Castlemaine?

As of our last update on March 15, 2026, there are 14 child care centres in Castlemaine. Of these, 3 centres provide Long Day Care offering 218 places, 2 centres provide Out of Hours School Care with 96 places, 2 centres provide Preschool/Kindergarten with 120 places, and 7 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 6 schools, collectively accommodating 1,371 enrolments.

What population do these centres in Castlemaine service?

AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Castlemaine as at November 2025 stands at a total of 8,317 people, of this 349 are estimated to be children under five years of age.

Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Castlemaine?

Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Castlemaine was assessed as having 7,506 people with 277 of these (3.7%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Castlemaine has experienced population growth of approximately 811 people from the 2021 Census.

How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Castlemaine compare to those in Rest of Vic.?

In Castlemaine, our latest analysis shows there are 1.6 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is considerably lower than the 2.3 children per place across Rest of Vic..

How do childcare fees in Castlemaine relate to those in Rest of Vic.?

Childcare fees in Castlemaine average $163, which is slightly higher than the regional average of $152 in Rest of Vic..

How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Castlemaine and Rest of Vic.?

In Castlemaine, there are 6.3 students per LDC place. This figure is about the same as the 6 students per LDC place in Rest of Vic..

What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Castlemaine?

The average LDC in Castlemaine was approved 14.2 years ago, while across Rest of Vic. the typical centre approval is 10 years old.

Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Castlemaine?

Yes, workforce activity is significant in this area and is likely a key driver of child care demand.

Who would typically use analysis such as this?

Childcare operators, developers, investors and financiers would typically conduct a thorough child care supply and demand analysis (SDA) on Castlemaine before allocating the significant amount of capital required. Boundary-based analysis such as this is often used as an initial guide however, and analysis would be undertaken on the specific site adopting a radial, travel time, or custom catchment to take into account nearby competition and demand drivers that would influence a centre's performance.

Comprehensive Demographic Analysis

Understanding child care demand requires deep analysis of population growth trends, dwelling supply forecasts, and workforce participation rates. Our detailed suburb profiles provide the complete demographic picture, including census data, building approvals, migration patterns, and economic indicators that drive child care demand in each area.

View the full demographic analysis, population projections, and market insights for this area:


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