| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.
Key Metrics
Melbourne / Greater Melbourne
LDC Providers
11
1,697
Total LDC Places
1,189
159,192
Total Population
73,773
5,521,435
Persons Per Place
62
-
Avg Centre Age
9.9 yrs
10 yrs
Population 0-4
1,262
322,457
0-4 Per LDC Place
1.06
1.9
Workforce Impact
Exceptional
Standard
School Attendance
6,457
-
School Per LDC Place
5.43
5.1
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$176
$164
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
118
-
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Approvals Pipeline
Childcare development approvals near Melbourne
Development applications around Melbourne
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
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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.
Melbourne Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Melbourne?
As of our last update on May 24, 2026, there are 24 child care centres in Melbourne. Of these, 11 centres provide Long Day Care offering 1189 places, there is one Out of Hours School Care centre that has 60 places, Preschool/Kindergarten is serviced by a facility with 58 places, and 11 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 11 schools, collectively accommodating 6,457 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Melbourne service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Melbourne as at May 2026 stands at a total of 73,773 people, of this 1262 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Melbourne?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Melbourne was assessed as having 54,941 people with 1,079 of these (2%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Melbourne has experienced population growth of approximately 18,832 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Melbourne compare to those in Greater Melbourne?
In Melbourne, our latest analysis shows there are 1.1 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 Melbourne relate to those in Greater Melbourne?
Childcare fees in Melbourne average $176, which is slightly higher than the regional average of $164 in Greater Melbourne.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Melbourne and Greater Melbourne?
In Melbourne, there are 5.4 students per LDC place. This figure is about the same as the 5.1 students per LDC place in Greater Melbourne.
What is the average age of Long Daycare Centres in Melbourne?
The average LDC in Melbourne 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 Melbourne?
Yes, workforce activity is exceptional in this area and is a major 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 Melbourne 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.
Find & Assess a Centre
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.