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

Bunyip-Garfield's population was approximately 10,393 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This represented an increase of 525 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,868. The growth was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 10,242 in June 2024 and 79 validated new addresses post-Census. This resulted in a population density of 28 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Bunyip-Garfield exhibited resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, surpassing state averages. Interstate migration contributed approximately 40.3% to recent population gains, although all factors including natural growth and overseas migration were positive.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 are used with adjustments via weighted aggregation to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas until 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate above-median population growth for national statistical areas, with Bunyip-Garfield expected to increase by 1,743 persons by 2041, marking a total gain of 15.3% 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. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25266 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY26. On average, around 3.2 new residents have arrived per dwelling constructed each year during this period.

This has led to a significant lag between supply and demand, resulting in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction value of new properties is $341,000. In terms of commercial approvals, $3.1 million has been registered in the current financial year, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Bunyip - Garfield exhibits roughly half the construction activity per person and ranks among the 73rd percentile nationally when assessed for new building activity. Detached houses make up 85% of new constructions, with townhouses or apartments accounting for the remaining 15%, maintaining the area's low-density character and appealing to space-seeking buyers. With around 174 people per dwelling approval, Bunyip - Garfield displays characteristics consistent with a low-density area. By 2041, it is projected that the population will grow by approximately 1,592 residents. Given current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to affect the region: Gippsland Line Upgrade - Bunyip and Longwarry Stations, Pakenham East Precinct, Stockland Averley, and Ridgelea Estate - Pakenham East. The following details those most relevant.

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

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

Bunyip Garfield has a diverse workforce with equal representation of white and blue-collar jobs. The construction sector is 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 64.1%, similar to Greater Melbourne. Employment is concentrated in construction (twice the regional level), health care & social assistance, and retail trade. However, professional & technical jobs are under-represented at 5.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5% and unemployment rise by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% growth 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 2022 shows that Bunyip - Garfield has an income well above average nationally. The median income is $50,473 and the average income stands at $73,838. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bunyip - Garfield would be approximately $56,611 (median) and $82,817 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 59th percentile ($1,897 weekly), while personal income sits at the 42nd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 34.7% of locals (3,606 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 category, reflecting regional patterns where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. After housing expenses, 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

Bunyip-Garfield's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 91.1% houses and 8.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bunyip-Garfield stood at 37.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 49.9% and rented ones at 12.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Melbourne metro's $1,866. Median weekly rent in Bunyip-Garfield was $311, lower than Melbourne metro's $361. Nationally, Bunyip-Garfield's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were below the national figure 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 comprise 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, matching the Greater Melbourne 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 lead at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (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 7 schools operates within Bunyip-Garfield, educating approximately 1,105 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1005) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 5 primary and 2 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 indicates 13 active public transport stops in Bunyip - Garfield area, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by 16 different routes, collectively facilitating 429 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as limited, with residents typically residing 1003 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 61 daily trips across all routes, translating 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 for Bunyip - Garfield residents shows positive outcomes with common health conditions seen across both young and old age groups. The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 56% (~5,872 people), compared to 51.6% across Greater Melbourne.

Asthma and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, impacting 8.6 and 8.2% of residents respectively. 68.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.3% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 20.1% (2,091 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is higher than the 13.7% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing 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, surveyed in 2016, had a population with 89.7% being Australian citizens, 89.2% born in Australia, and 96.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 50.3% of the population, compared to 41.3% across Greater Melbourne (as of 2016). The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (30.6%), and Irish (9.3%).

Notably, Dutch ancestry was overrepresented at 3.5%, matching the regional average for Maltese at 0.5%, and Italian at 3.0%.

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

The median age in Bunyip-Garfield is 40, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 11.3% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 6.9%, and the 65-74 cohort has increased from 10.1% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.9% to 11.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Bunyip-Garfield's age profile will change significantly. The 65-74 age group is projected to expand by 476 people (41%) from 1,174 to 1,651. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 72% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 0-4 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.