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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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Sales Activity
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Sales Detail
Population
Population growth drivers in Southbank (West) - South Wharf are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends
Southbank (West) - South Wharf's population was around 8,122 as of May 2026. This reflected an increase of 1,659 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,463 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,122 from the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 9,555 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Southbank (West) - South Wharf's growth of 25.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the state average of 9.3%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 94.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch used the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusting with a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group were applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, exceptional growth was predicted based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, with an expected expansion of 5,281 persons, reflecting a total increase of 65.0% over the 16-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in Southbank (West) - South Wharf according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
Southbank West - South Wharf has seen approximately 158 dwellings granted development approval annually. Between Financial Year 2021 (FY-21) and FY-25, around 794 homes were approved, with another 312 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 0.2 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built over these five financial years.
This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and facilitating population growth. The average expected construction cost of new homes is around $414,000. In FY-26 alone, there have been approximately $29.1 million in commercial approvals, indicating significant commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Southbank West - South Wharf exhibits 73.0% higher construction activity per person as of recent measurements, reflecting strong developer confidence in the area. All new construction has comprised medium and high-density housing, offering more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.
By 2041, projections estimate that Southbank West - South Wharf will add around 5,281 residents, indicating reasonable pace of development with projected growth. However, increased competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Southbank (West) - South Wharf
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Southbank (West) - South Wharf has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 57 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects are Sento, One Queensbridge, R.Evolution, and Greenline Project. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Greenline Project
The Greenline Project is a transformational 4km urban renewal initiative creating a continuous promenade along the north bank of the Yarra River (Birrarung). It connects five precincts: Birrarung Marr, The Falls, River Park, Maritime, and Saltwater Wharf. As of mid-2026, the first major stage at Birrarung Marr is complete, featuring 450 metres of new boardwalks, native habitat restoration, and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung cultural design elements. Planning and detailed design are currently underway for the central riverfront sections, including Federation Wharf and Flinders Walk.
Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation
Australia's largest cultural infrastructure project, a $1.7 billion transformation of the Melbourne Arts Precinct. The project includes the construction of The Fox: NGV Contemporary, a new 30,000sqm gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design; the creation of Laak Boorndap, an 18,000sqm elevated urban garden; and a major refurbishment of the Arts Centre Melbourne's Theatres Building. Significant milestones in 2026 include the early reopening of the Ian Potter State Theatre in October, featuring upgraded accessibility, seating, and acoustics. The transformation aims to unify the precinct, improve back-of-house logistics with a new loading dock, and provide new public parklands and dining options.
Ian Potter State Theatre Refurbishment
A major refurbishment of the heritage-listed State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne, renamed the Ian Potter State Theatre following a philanthropic donation from the Ian Potter Foundation. The first significant upgrade since the venue opened in 1984, the works expand the Theatres Building footprint by 16 percent and include new lifts and accessible seating across all three levels, full replacement of seating, refreshed interiors honouring John Truscott's original design, improved acoustics, new state-of-the-art lighting, sound and broadcast technology, and upgraded heating, cooling and fire protection systems. The project also delivers a doubled-size loading dock, a new flexible rehearsal space the same size as the State Theatre stage with an adjoining function room, a new accessible stage door, two new hospitality outlets opening onto the Laak Boorndap urban garden, and four new wheelchair accessible amenities plus two all-gender amenities in the foyers. Construction commenced in March 2024 with Lendlease as principal contractor and NH Architects leading the design. The theatre is now scheduled to reopen in October 2026, six months ahead of the original schedule, as the first completed milestone of the wider 1.7 billion dollar Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation. My Fair Lady will be the first major musical to perform in the refurbished venue from November 2026, with The Australian Ballet and Opera Australia returning as resident companies.
The Fox: NGV Contemporary
Set to be Australia's largest gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design, The Fox: NGV Contemporary will span 30,000 square metres including more than 13,000 square metres of public exhibition space. Designed by Angelo Candalepas and Associates with a team of 20 leading architecture and engineering firms, the building will feature dramatic arched entries, a colossal 40-metre-high spherical orientating hall (the omphalos) and a dual-level rooftop terrace and sculpture garden with views over Melbourne. The gallery is the centrepiece of the Victorian Government's 1.7 billion dollar Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation, which also delivers the 18,000 square metre Laak Boorndap urban garden and major upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne's Theatres Building. The former Carlton United Breweries building on the site was deconstructed in 2024, with 95 per cent of materials diverted from landfill. Lendlease was appointed head contractor in March 2025 and is delivering the gallery alongside part of the Laak Boorndap deck structure and precinct services. Piling works are progressing on the site, with construction expected to support around 11,000 jobs across the wider precinct project. The gallery is targeted for completion in 2028.
Level Crossing Removal Project
Victorian Government program to remove 110 dangerous and congested level crossings across metropolitan Melbourne by 2030. The program has removed 88 crossings to date, is rebuilding or upgrading stations and rail infrastructure, and is creating new public open space while improving safety, reducing congestion and making train services more reliable.
One Queensbridge
A proposed 67-storey, 241.8-metre mixed-use tower designed by COX Architecture for developer PDG. The project will deliver 558 luxury apartments (increased from original 483), a 276-room five-star hotel, premium residential amenities, heritage restoration of the 1920s Queens Bridge Hotel, public realm improvements, and ground-level retail and dining. Located directly opposite Crown Casino on the south bank of the Yarra River in Southbank.
South Melbourne Town Hall Restoration
Major restoration and renewal of the historic South Melbourne Town Hall, preserving its heritage while transforming it into a vibrant cultural and community hub. Works include seismic roof strengthening, a new slate roof, solar panels, a new north-west annexe studio, Clock Tower conservation, and full fit-out of two performance venues (350-seat Main Hall and new 150-seat venue). Co-funded by City of Port Phillip ($60M) and ANAM ($54M including $25M Australian Government and philanthropic contributions). Completion expected late 2027 with public reopening in early 2028.
Sento
Melbourne's first urban onsen featuring a 48-storey residential tower with Japanese-inspired wellness living. The development includes 140 apartments and a boutique 126-room hotel on the lower nine levels, with amenities including a Japanese bathhouse, private teahouse, expansive sky garden, yoga room, gym, and separate hotel lobby with dedicated lifts.
Employment
Southbank (West) - South Wharf ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance
Southbank West - South Wharf has a highly educated workforce with professional services being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area is 2.9%, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Over the past year, there has been an estimated employment growth of 4.6% in the area.
As of December 2025, 5,962 residents are employed with an unemployment rate of 1.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate. The workforce participation rate is 80.7%, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's rate of 69.9%. According to Census responses, 46.6% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries among residents are professional & technical services, finance & insurance, and accommodation & food services.
Southbank West - South Wharf has a particular specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share that is 1.9 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence with only 8.5% of employment compared to the regional average of 14.2%. There are 4.5 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.6% and labour force increased by 4.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Southbank West - South Wharf's employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch
The Southbank (West) - South Wharf SA2's median income among taxpayers was $58,179 and average income stood at $75,649 in the financial year 2023. These figures were higher than Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $63,776 (median) and $82,926 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, individual earnings in the area stood out at the 92nd percentile nationally with a weekly figure of $1,227. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 dominated with 36.6% of residents (2,972 people). High housing costs consumed 17.8% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 66th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 9th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Southbank (West) - South Wharf features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
Southbank (West) - South Wharf's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 0.0% houses and 100.0% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's dwelling composition of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Southbank (West) - South Wharf stood at 16.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.7% and rented dwellings at 64.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $430 compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Southbank (West) - South Wharf's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Southbank (West) - South Wharf features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size
Family households account for 47.0% of all households, including 10.3% that are couples with children, 30.4% that are couples without children, and 4.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 53.0%, with lone person households at 43.1% and group households comprising 9.7%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Southbank (West) - South Wharf exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
Southbank (West) - South Wharf's educational attainment significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 64.5% hold university qualifications compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. The area's substantial educational advantage positions it strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 38.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (22.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%).
Vocational pathways account for 18.4% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 8.1%. Educational participation is notably high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in tertiary education, 3.3% in primary education, and 1.6% pursuing secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Southbank (West) - South Wharf has 14 active public transport stops operating within it. These comprise a mix of light rail and bus services, with 11 individual routes providing a total of 9,265 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 121 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 35%, followed by walking at 26% and train use at 13%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 46.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,323 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 661 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Southbank (West) - South Wharf's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups
Southbank West-South Wharf demonstrates excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment.
Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 47% of residents have private health cover (around 3,765 people). Mental health issues affect 6.0% of residents, while asthma impacts 5.5%. Around 81.4% report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. About 7.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (641 people), lower than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Senior health outcomes align with national rankings, similar to the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Southbank (West) - South Wharf is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Southbank West-South Wharf is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 50.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the 2016 Census. In this area, 62.3% of people were born overseas. Christianity was found to be the predominant religion in Southbank West-South Wharf, comprising 30.8% of the population.
Notably, Buddhism made up 6.8%, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 4.2%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were Other (19.0%), Chinese (17.0%), and English (16.1%). The area had notable overrepresentation of Korean (1.8% vs regional 0.3%), Spanish (0.9% vs 0.4%), and Indian (8.2% vs 4.2%) ancestry groups compared to Greater Melbourne's averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Southbank (West) - South Wharf's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide
Southbank (West) - South Wharf has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Southbank (West) - South Wharf has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (36.4%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.7%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 11.0% to 13.9%, while the 0 to 4 age group has decreased from 3.8% to 2.6% and the 55 to 64 age group has dropped from 8.2% to 7.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes in Southbank (West) - South Wharf, with the 25 to 34 age cohort projected to grow by 44%, adding 1,293 residents to reach a total of 4,246.