| Id | Name | Type | Places | Approval | Distance (Km) | Day Rate | Availability |
|---|
* Click centres on the map for more detail and custom analysis options.
Key Metrics
Watsonia / Greater Melbourne
LDC Providers
3
1,697
Total LDC Places
280
159,192
Total Population
5,593
5,521,435
Persons Per Place
20
-
Avg Centre Age
4 yrs
10 yrs
Population 0-4
399
322,457
0-4 Per LDC Place
1.43
1.9
Workforce Impact
Low
Standard
School Attendance
1,510
-
School Per LDC Place
5.39
5.1
Avg LDC Fee ($/day)
$158
$164
Other Places (PSK/OOSH)
159
-
SOURCE: ACECQA, StartingBlocks, ABS data analysed by AreaSearch
Last updated:
Approvals Pipeline
Childcare development approvals near Watsonia
Development applications around Watsonia
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
—
In the local catchment
Proposed Places
—
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.
Watsonia Child Care FAQ
What is the Child Care supply composition of Watsonia?
As of our last update on May 24, 2026, there are 10 child care centres in Watsonia. Of these, 3 centres provide Long Day Care offering 280 places, 2 centres provide Out of Hours School Care with 101 places, 2 centres provide Preschool/Kindergarten with 58 places, and 3 centres provide other child care services. The area is also serviced by 3 schools, collectively accommodating 1,510 enrolments.
What population do these centres in Watsonia service?
AreaSearch's latest population estimate for Watsonia as at May 2026 stands at a total of 5,593 people, of this 399 are estimated to be children under five years of age.
Why do your population numbers differ from Census figures for Watsonia?
Some areas have changed considerably since the 2021 Census was undertaken. At the 2021 Census Watsonia was assessed as having 5,352 people with 369 of these (6.9%) being children under 5 years old. Given changes in localised population estimates by the ABS we estimate that Watsonia has experienced population growth of approximately 241 people from the 2021 Census.
How does the ratio of children per LDC place in Watsonia compare to those in Greater Melbourne?
In Watsonia, our latest analysis shows there are 1.4 resident children under 5yo per LDC place. This figure is considerably lower than the 1.9 children per place across Greater Melbourne.
How do childcare fees in Watsonia relate to those in Greater Melbourne?
Childcare fees in Watsonia average $158, which is comparable to the regional average of $164 in Greater Melbourne.
How does the ratio of school population per LDC place compare in Watsonia and Greater Melbourne?
In Watsonia, 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 Watsonia?
The average LDC in Watsonia was approved 4 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 Watsonia?
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 Watsonia 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.