Bunyip - Garfield
Statistical Area - sa2

Bunyip - Garfield lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Aug 2025, Bunyip - Garfield's population is around 10,387. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,868 people. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 10,242 as of June 2024 and an additional 77 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 28 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Bunyip - Garfield has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, outpacing the state. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 40.3% during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for Bunyip - Garfield, expected to increase by 1,743 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 15.4% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Bunyip - Garfield among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Garfield in Bunyip has seen approximately 53 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, there have been 266 home approvals, with 10 more approved so far in FY26. On average, around 3.2 new residents arrive annually per dwelling constructed over these five years.

This supply is lagging demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being built at an average construction cost of $440,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY26, there have been $3.1 million in commercial development approvals recorded, indicating limited focus on commercial development compared to residential. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bunyip - Garfield has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person but ranks among the 73rd percentile nationally for areas assessed.

New building activity shows 85% detached houses and 15% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers with its focus on detached housing. With around 174 people per dwelling approval, Bunyip - Garfield exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Future projections estimate Bunyip - Garfield to add approximately 1,598 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bunyip - Garfield has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Area's performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified three projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Gippsland Line Upgrade - Bunyip and Longwarry Stations, Pakenham East Precinct Structure Plan, Ridgelea Estate - Pakenham East, and Warragul and Drouin Precinct Structure Plan. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Bunyip - Garfield well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Bunyip - Garfield has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is particularly prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.0% and estimated employment growth of 4.2% in the past year as of June 2025.

There are 5,860 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation is at par with Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Employment is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Construction shows strong specialization, with a share of employment 2.0 times the regional level.

Professional & technical services are under-represented, at 5.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 4.2% while labour force grew by 4.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment grew by 3.5%, labour force expanded by 4.0%, and unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with Victoria's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bunyip - Garfield's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows that Bunyip - Garfield has incomes above national averages. The median assessed income is $50,473 and the average stands at $73,838. In Greater Melbourne, these figures are $54,892 (median) and $73,761 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year ending June 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $55,576 (median) and $81,303 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 59th percentile ($1,897 weekly), while personal income sits at the 42nd percentile. The predominant earnings cohort in Bunyip - Garfield is 34.7% of locals (3,604 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999 per week. After housing costs, 86.1% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Bunyip - Garfield, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Melbourne metro's 97.8% houses and 2.2% other dwellings in the June 2016 Census. Home ownership in Bunyip - Garfield was at 37.4%, with mortgaged properties at 49.9% and rented dwellings at 12.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of August 2021, was $1,950, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $1,866. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Bunyip - Garfield was $311, lower than Melbourne metro's $361 and Australia's national average of $375.

Bunyip - Garfield features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 80.0% of all households, including 39.5% couples with children, 31.0% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.0%, with lone person households at 18.5% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, aligning with Greater Melbourne's average.

Educational attainment in Bunyip - Garfield aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 16.7%, substantially below the Greater Melbourne average of 37.0%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 43.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 33.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education. A network of seven schools operates within Bunyip - Garfield, educating approximately 1,105 students. Bunyip - Garfield demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1005) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes five primary and two K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents are at 10.6, below the regional average of 16.5, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transport in Bunyip - Garfield indicates that there are currently 13 operational transport stops. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. A total of 16 individual routes service these stops, collectively facilitating 429 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents typically situated 1003 meters away from the nearest stop. Across all routes, an average of 61 trips per day are recorded, which translates to approximately 33 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bunyip - Garfield'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 Bunyip - Garfield residents have a relatively positive health status with common conditions seen across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 56% (about 5,868 people), compared to Melbourne's 51.6%.

Common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.6% and 8.2% respectively. About 68.3% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Melbourne's 70.3%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.1% (2,089 people), compared to Melbourne's 13.7%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, better than the general population in health metrics.

Bunyip - Garfield is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Bunyip-Garfield, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016 data, exhibited below-average cultural diversity with 89.7% citizens, 89.2% born in Australia, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion (50.3%), higher than Greater Melbourne's 41.3%. Ancestry-wise, Australians topped at 34.4%, followed by English at 30.6%, and Irish at 9.3%.

Notably, Dutch ancestry was overrepresented at 3.5% compared to the regional average of 2.6%. Maltese and Italian ancestries were equally represented at 0.5% and 3.0% respectively, matching regional averages.

Bunyip - Garfield's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Bunyip-Garfield has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Comparing with Greater Melbourne, the 65-74 age group is notably over-represented in Bunyip-Garfield at 11.3%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 6.9% of the population, and the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 10.1% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 13.9% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic projections suggest significant changes in Bunyip-Garfield's age profile. The 65 to 74 age cohort is projected to expand by 477 people (41%), growing from 1,173 to 1,651. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 72% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 age groups are expected to experience population declines.