Ferny Creek

Ferny Creek is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Ferny Creek's estimated population is around 1,512, reflecting a decrease of 12 people from the 2021 Census figure of 1,524. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,503 based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 335 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed about 64% to recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Ferny Creek is projected to grow by 60 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 3.1% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Ferny Creek is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Ferny Creek has seen approximately 2 residential properties granted approval per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling around 10 homes. As of FY-26, there has been 1 recorded approval. The population decline in recent years suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering good choice to buyers.

Developers have targeted the premium market segment, with an average construction cost value of $859,000 for new homes. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ferny Creek records markedly lower building activity, 66.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. However, building activity has accelerated in recent years. Recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated count of 502 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Ferny Creek is expected to grow by 47 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Ferny Creek has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project expected to impact the region: Six Senses Resort And Spa At Burnham Beeches. Key projects include Angliss Hospital Expansion, Mountain Highway Logistics Hub, and Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program. The following details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Ferny Creek performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Ferny Creek has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 2.1% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025868 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 2.5% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%, and workforce participation was 67.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. The key industries of employment among residents were education & training, health care & social assistance, and construction. Education & training showed notable concentration with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average, while transport, postal & warehousing had lower representation at 2.5% versus the regional average of 5.2%. The area offered limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4% and labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.4 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5%, labour force growth of 4.0%, with unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ferny Creek's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Ferny Creek has a high national income level based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers is $53,490 and the average income stands at $74,504. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $59,994 and the average will be around $83,564, considering a 12.16% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, Ferny Creek's household incomes rank at the 87th percentile with an income of $2,393 weekly. Income distribution shows that 29.9% of residents (452 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this bracket. Ferny Creek's affluence is evident with 37.9% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. After housing costs, residents retain 87.1% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Ferny Creek is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ferny Creek's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses with no other dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's 93.8% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ferny Creek stood at 37.2%, similar to Melbourne metro, with mortgaged dwellings at 57.0% and rented ones at 5.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's $1,950. Median weekly rent in Ferny Creek was $400 compared to Melbourne metro's $380. Nationally, Ferny Creek's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,167 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $400 compared to the national figure of $375.

Ferny Creek features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 79.5% of all households, including 41.5% couples with children, 31.3% couples without children, and 6.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.5%, with lone person households at 19.3% and group households comprising 0.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational achievement in Ferny Creek places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Ferny Creek is notably high, with 42% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares to 23.8% in the broader SA3 area and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are most common at 25.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.5%) and graduate diplomas (5.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.2% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (18.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 5.1% in tertiary education. Ferny Creek Primary School serves the local area, with an enrollment of 163 students as of a recent report. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with ICSEA score indicating significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (1104). There is one school per 100 residents in Ferny Creek, lower than the regional average of 15.5, suggesting some students may attend schools in nearby areas for secondary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Ferny Creek has ten active public transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that together facilitate 968 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as moderate, with residents on average located 447 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are an average of 138 trips per day, which equates to approximately 96 weekly trips per individual stop.

Ferny Creek's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Ferny Creek residents have relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions similar across age groups. Private health cover is high at approximately 56%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 52.4%.

Mental health issues and asthma are most common, affecting 8.7% and 8.2% respectively. 67.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 66.9%. Ferny Creek has 21.0% residents aged 65 and over (317 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 19.4%. Seniors' health outcomes are strong, better than the general population in metrics.

Ferny Creek ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ferny Creek showed lower cultural diversity, with 81.5% born in Australia, 90.5% being citizens, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the prevalent religion at 31.6%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

Top ancestry groups were English (29.7%), Australian (26.4%), and Irish (9.4%). Hungarian, Dutch, and Polish groups showed notable divergences: Hungarian at 0.7% (vs regional 0.3%), Dutch at 2.9% (vs 3.2%), and Polish at 1.1% (vs 0.7%).

Ferny Creek hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Ferny Creek is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and also older than Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Ferny Creek has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (15.1%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (5.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of the population aged 75-84 increased from 5.0% to 7.3%, while the percentage of those aged 25-34 decreased from 7.4% to 5.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Ferny Creek's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 194%, reaching 80 from the current 27, leading this demographic shift. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 81% of total population growth, reflecting Ferny Creek's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the age groups of 25-34 and 15-24 are projected to have reduced numbers by 2041.