| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.
Key Metrics
Essendon / Greater Melbourne
LDC Providers
10
1,697
Total LDC Places
911
159,192
Total Population
22,995
5,521,435
Persons Per Place
25.2
-
Avg Centre Age
9.9 yrs
10 yrs
Population 0-4
769
322,457
0-4 Per LDC Place
0.84
1.9
Workforce Impact
Low
Standard
School Attendance
3,715
-
School Per LDC Place
4.08
5.1
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$163
$164
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
689
-
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Approvals Pipeline
Childcare development approvals near Essendon
Development applications around Essendon
Development approvals is a new addition to AreaSearch.
We’re actively expanding council coverage and refining the dataset — details and statuses for some councils may be partial. Check back regularly for the latest pipeline.
CC Approvals
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In the local catchment
Proposed Places
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Where disclosed
Under Assessment
—
Awaiting determination
Determined
—
Approved or decided
Approvals pipeline
Status, location, timing and project scale
Loading childcare approvals…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Places | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Essendon Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Essendon?
As of our last update on May 24, 2026, there are 26 child care centres in Essendon. Of these, 10 centres provide Long Day Care with 911 places, 5 centres provide Out of Hours School Care offering 390 places, 4 centres provide Preschool/Kindergarten with 299 places, and 7 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 7 schools, collectively accommodating 3,715 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Essendon service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Essendon as at May 2026 stands at a total of 22,995 people, of this 769 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Essendon?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Essendon was assessed as having 21,240 people with 865 of these (4.1%) being children under 5yo. Essendon has seen 342 new addresses added since this time, which, combined with broader ABS population estimates for resident population, leads us to estimate that Essendon has experienced population growth of approximately 1,755 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Essendon compare to those in Greater Melbourne?
In Essendon, our latest analysis shows there are 0.8 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is significantly lower than the 1.9 children per place across Greater Melbourne.
How do childcare fees in Essendon relate to those in Greater Melbourne?
Childcare fees in Essendon average $163, which is comparable to the regional average of $164 in Greater Melbourne.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Essendon and Greater Melbourne?
In Essendon, there are 4.1 students per LDC place. This figure is somewhat lower than the 5.1 students per LDC place in Greater Melbourne.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Essendon?
The average LDC in Essendon was approved 9.9 years ago, while across Greater Melbourne the typical centre approval is 10 years old.
Is the local workforce a significant driver of additional child care demand for Essendon?
No, daily workforce activity is considered low in this area and is unlikely to be a significant 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 Essendon 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.
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Search by name, postcode, or address to explore supply & demand for any child care or school catchment in Australia.
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Nearby suburbs & deeper analysis
What will drive demand from here?
Centre supply and current places are an output, not a leading indicator. For the demand-side drivers of this area — population growth, 0–4 cohort trends, dwelling supply, workforce participation and competing development pipeline — open the relevant deep-dive page.