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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Gowanbrae has an estimated 3,055 residents, up from 2,971 at the 2021 Census — a change of 84 people, or 2.8%. That puts 2,910 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
The suburb of Gowanbrae has an estimated population of around 3,055 as of Aug 2026, according to AreaSearch assessment combining broader ABS updates and post-Census address validation. Compared to the 2021 Census tally of 2,971 people, this represents an addition of 84 people (2.8%). AreaSearch calculated this 3,055 resident total by evaluating the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside subsequent validated addresses. With a population density of 2,909 persons per square kilometer, the suburb of Gowanbrae sits within the upper quartile among nationwide locations reviewed by AreaSearch. Inbound overseas migration was the leading driver of local growth, accounting for roughly 55.00000000000001% of recent population additions.
Projections for the suburb of Gowanbrae utilise ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 figures published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, supplemented where needed by 2023 VIC State Government Regional/LGA projections converted via weighted aggregation to SA2 boundaries. Projected age-cohort growth rates from these models are also applied locally across 2032 to 2041. Looking forward, the suburb of Gowanbrae is anticipated to experience major expansion in the top quartile of statistical areas across Australia, expanding by 1,143 persons to 2041 under aggregated SA2 projections, which constitutes an overall increase of 37.4% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Residential building approvals in Gowanbrae have averaged around 2 dwellings per annum according to AreaSearch review of ABS data, yielding an estimated 10 homes across the past 5 financial years, with 4 approvals already recorded in FY-25. Because roughly 4.1 new residents arrived per completed home over the 5 financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, demand continues to outpace new supply, exerting upward pressure on property values and intensifying buyer competition. Approved new dwellings carry an average construction cost value of $480,000. On the commercial side, $23,000 in approvals has been logged this financial year, pointing to very limited commercial construction.
Per-capita residential construction in Gowanbrae sits 89.0% below the regional average across Greater Melbourne, an undersupply that typically bolsters values and demand for established residences. Building activity also tracks below national averages, reflecting planning limitations and market maturity. New residential building approvals are split evenly between 50.0% standalone houses and 50.0% medium and high-density dwellings. This focus on higher-density formats creates more attainable price points for entry-level buyers, downsizers, and investors, while representing a sharp pivot from the existing stock of 69.0% houses as land reserves diminish and market preferences shift. With approximately 1218 people per dwelling approval, the local property sector demonstrates high maturity. According to the latest quarterly projections from AreaSearch, Gowanbrae is slated to add 1,143 residents through to 2041. If prevailing construction rates persist, the resulting shortfall in new housing supply relative to population influx may intensify competition for real estate and support ongoing price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Gowanbrae
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 5 current infrastructure and development projects inside Gowanbrae, worth an estimated $185 million. A further 71 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $176.2 billion. 15 are already under construction and 21 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure development and major planning undertakings serve as primary determinants of community growth, with AreaSearch noting 5 projects positioned to influence the surrounding area. Prominent developments include 18-22 Howes Street Apartments by Artisan Architects, 17-25 Earl Street Airport West Development, 12 Howes Street Airport West Apartments, and 19-21 Louis Street Airport West.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
18-22 Howes Street Apartments by Artisan Architects
84-unit residential development featuring 1 and 2 bedroom apartments across two buildings of 5 and 6 storeys on a 1400sqm site. Designed by Artisan Architects with landscape design by Human Habitats. Includes 91 car parking spaces and mixed use office space. Development application has been granted, with completion estimated for early 2027.
12 Howes Street Airport West Apartments
30-unit residential apartment project at 12 Howes Street, Airport West. Proposal indicates a 4-storey, ~17 m building with rooftop terrace, approx. 30 car spaces and 5 bicycle spaces. Local government is Moonee Valley City Council.
17-25 Earl Street Airport West Development
Residential development project in Airport West on Earl Street. Part of ongoing residential densification in the Airport West area near transport links and Westfield shopping centre.
19-21 Louis Street Airport West
Small-scale residential development in Airport West providing additional housing stock in established suburban area. Part of local planning to increase housing density near transport corridors.
Glenroy Structure Plan
Long-term structure plan guiding regeneration of the Glenroy Activity Centre, including the Pascoe Vale Road and Wheatsheaf Road shopping areas, the industrial area east of the rail line and adjoining land. The plan supports a vibrant mixed-use centre with more services, facilities, activity and residential opportunities. Current implementation includes public realm renewal, with the West Street Shopping Strip Improvement moving into construction from February 2026 for about 10 to 11 months, including footpath upgrades, road works, drainage, traffic calming, new asphalt, safer pedestrian access, seating, landscaping and support for local businesses.
Hart Industrial Precinct
A 30 hectare aviation, commercial and light industrial precinct in the north-east of Essendon Fields, named after aviation pioneer James "Bob" Hart. Stage 1 civil works, including the Global Avenue extension, services and the stage 1 retarding basin, are complete. Operational buildings include Autex Acoustics at 121-131 Global Avenue, Modscape at 112-120 Global Avenue and Dutton Wholesale at 1 Challenger Court, with Modscape storage at 117 Global Avenue. As of September 2026, landscaping, boundary works and retarding basin stage 2 (due Q1 2027) remain ongoing.Further warehouses and a cafe are planned subject to market demand.
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre Refurbishment and Expansion
The Gladstone Park Shopping Centre refurbishment is a staged modernisation project focused on upgrading facades and common areas, enhancing the dining precinct, and increasing the number of specialty retailers. The plan includes improving site access, circulation, and car parking facilities while maintaining its status as a core neighborhood hub anchored by major supermarkets and community services.
Opes Building Solutions Headquarters
Development of a four-storey commercial office headquarters for Opes Building Solutions featuring contemporary architecture by Elevli Plus with perforated metal detailing. The building comprises flexible commercial office suites, a ground-floor cafe tenancy activating the street frontage, and a communal rooftop terrace. The development replaces an existing commercial building to support ongoing business expansion and urban renewal within the Glenroy activity centre.
1,866 residents of Gowanbrae are employed, from a labour force of 1,894. Unemployment sits at 1.5%, with participation at 74.2%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.4% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,157, about 71% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Gowanbrae maintains an educated local workforce characterized by steady employment trends over the preceding year, prominent professional services participation, and an unemployment rate of only 1.5% according to AreaSearch aggregated data. As of March 2026, employed residents total 1,866, with unemployment sitting 3.3% below the 4.8% benchmark for Greater Melbourne and labor participation at 74.2% against 70.1% across Greater Melbourne. Census records showed 33.5% of working residents based from home, though this figure was influenced by prevailing Covid-19 restrictions. The primary sectors employing local residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.
Transport, postal & warehousing shows heavy local concentration, employing residents at 1.6 times the regional average rate. Conversely, health care & social assistance accounts for only 11.9% of the local workforce compared to 14.2% across Greater Melbourne. Comparison between resident counts and local working population figures from the Census suggests that local job generation remains limited within this mostly residential community. AreaSearch assessment of ABS and SALM figures indicates that in the 12 months to March 2026, local employment grew by 0.4% while the overall labour force contracted by 0.6%, resulting in a 1.0 percentage points decline in the unemployment rate. In Greater Melbourne, employment expanded by 2.1%, the workforce rose by 2.3%, and unemployment climbed 0.2 percentage points. Broader demand trajectory is outlined by Jobs and Skills Australia national forecasts from Mar-26 across five and ten-year horizons. Nationally, job numbers are projected to grow 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with distinct variation by sector. Weighting these industry projections against Gowanbrae's occupational profile indicates potential local employment gains of 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, noting this model is an illustrative weighting extrapolation that excludes local demographic projections.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Gowanbrae is $2,208 a week (about $115,000 a year), with median personal income at $930 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $52,938 a year against an average of $61,913. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxpayer earnings in the suburb of Gowanbrae sit below metropolitan standards based on ATO records for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch. The median taxpayer income in the suburb of Gowanbrae is $52,938 and the average is $61,913, compared to $57,688 and $75,164 across Greater Melbourne. Accounting for 9.62% Wage Price Index expansion since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach roughly $58,031 (median) and $67,869 (average) as of March 2026. At the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings placed near the 74th percentile nationally. Weekly earnings between $1,500 - 2,999 form the largest single bracket at 29.2% of residents (892 people), compared with 32.8% regionally.
Furthermore, 34.6% of residents earn above $3,000/week, reflecting considerable local financial capacity. Housing absorbs 13.9% of income, disposable earnings rank in the 80th percentile, and the SEIFA income position sits in the 8th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Gowanbrae had 1,058 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 69% detached houses and 3% apartments. 54% are owned with a mortgage, 13% rented and 33% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $445 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,000 a month. Rent absorbs 20.2% of household income here and mortgage repayments 20.9%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
According to the latest Census, housing in Gowanbrae consists of 69.0% houses alongside 31.0% other dwellings including semi-detached residences and apartments, compared with 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings across Melbourne metro. Outright home ownership reached 32.9%, surpassing the Melbourne metro rate, while 53.9% of homes were mortgaged and 13.2% were rented. The local median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, matching the Melbourne metro benchmark of $2,000, while median weekly rent stood at $445 against $390 in Melbourne metro. On a national scale, mortgage costs exceed the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are considerably higher than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Gowanbrae counted 1,058 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.7 people each. 42% are couples with children, more than in 82% of areas nationally, against 23% couples without children. 21% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 77.1% of all households in the community, comprising couples with children at 41.7%, couples without children at 23.3%, and single parent families at 11.3%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 22.9%, consisting of lone person households at 21.2% and group households at 1.3%. The median household size is 2.7 people, slightly above the Greater Melbourne standard of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
29.1% of adults in Gowanbrae hold a university qualification, including 20.0% with a bachelor degree and 6.1% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 97% of areas nationally. A further 18.6% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Tertiary attainment in Gowanbrae sits below regional levels, with 29.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 37.0% across Greater Melbourne, presenting an opportunity for further educational advancement. Bachelor degrees represent 20.0% of qualifications, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 6.1% and graduate diplomas at 3.0%. Technical and vocational credentials are widely held, with 31.1% of residents aged 15+ possessing vocational qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (18.6%). Formal study engagement is substantial throughout the community, with 29.5% of residents actively enrolled in education. This proportion includes 10.0% attending secondary education, 9.7% in primary education, and 4.8% enrolled in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Gowanbrae reaches 14 stops on 1 route, timetabled for about 570 services a week. The typical home sits about 100 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.6 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity in Gowanbrae comprises 14 active bus stops. These stops are served by 1 individual routes that generate 568 weekly passenger trips. Overall transport access is strong, with typical walking distances to the nearest stop averaging 103 meters. Given the predominantly suburban residential environment, outward commuting is standard, with private vehicles accounting for 94% of trips. Average motor vehicle ownership stands at 1.6 per dwelling, higher than regional figures. Census data from 2021 showed 33.5% working from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 working arrangements. Transit services run at an average frequency of 81 trips per day across the network, providing approximately 40 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
72.5% of residents in Gowanbrae report no long-term health condition. 4.1% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.3% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 4.8 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Gowanbrae records favourable health metrics in AreaSearch evaluations of chronic conditions and mortality rates, exhibiting low incidence of major health issues across both younger and older cohorts. Private health insurance is held by approximately 51% of the total population (~1,568 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. Asthma and arthritis represent the primary chronic ailments in the locality, affecting 8.2 and 7.0% of residents, respectively, whereas 72.5% of the population reported no long-term medical conditions, comparable to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Health profiles among working-age individuals are positive, with low chronic disease incidence.
Seniors aged 65 and over account for 16.4% of residents (501 people), exceeding the 15.1% share in Greater Melbourne, and exhibit above-average health outcomes that align with broader national rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Gowanbrae is largely Australian-born, at 75.4% of residents, with 29.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (18.3%) and English (18.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Gowanbrae ranks above most comparable markets, with 24.6% of residents born abroad and 29.8% using a non-English language at home. Christianity is the predominant faith, adhered to by 61.1% of the local population, compared to 43.0% across Greater Melbourne. In terms of parental lineage, the leading reported ancestries in Gowanbrae are Australian (18.3%), English (18.0%), and Italian (14.2%), the latter being markedly higher than the regional average of 5.2%. Notable representation is also seen among other ancestries, including Croatian at 1.8% (against 0.7% regionally), Maltese at 2.9% (against 1.1%), and Sri Lankan at 1.3% (against 0.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Gowanbrae is 40. 26.7% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Age distributions in Gowanbrae align closely with Greater Melbourne, showing a maximum variance of 6.1 percentage points across the four broad demographic tiers. As at August 2026, the estimated median age is 40, matching the 2021 Census figure and sitting 3 years above the Greater Melbourne median of 37 recorded in that Census. Since the Census, the cohort aged 0 - 24 has decreased from 32.2% to an estimated 30.9%, within which the 5 to 14 bracket contracted from 14.3% to an estimated 11.6% while the 15 to 24 group expanded from 12.4% to 14.2%, reflecting an existing demographic maturing in place with limited younger family arrivals.
Looking toward 2041, seniors aged 65+ are projected to drive local growth, increasing by 452 residents (90%) to reach 953.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Gowanbrae
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 2 months ago all 5 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (2,971 at the 2021 Census → 3,055 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL21079). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.