The Basin
Statistical Area - sa2

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

The Basin's population was approximately 4,350 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 5 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,345 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,345 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 760 persons per square kilometer, which aligns with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth primarily drove population growth for the area, contributing approximately 54.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 utilises the 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. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth, with the area expected to expand by 128 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 2.8% in total over the 17-year period.

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

The Basin averaged approximately five new dwelling approvals annually over the past six years, with 27 homes approved between financial year 2021 (FY-21) and 2025 (FY-25), and five more approved so far in FY-26. The population has decreased during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with diverse buyer choices. The average construction cost of new properties is $430,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on high-quality developments.

In FY-26, $1.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominant residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, The Basin has significantly less development activity, with 73.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This lower activity also reflects national trends, potentially indicating market maturity or development constraints. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, preserving the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking spacious family homes. As of now, there are an estimated 1264 people in the area per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment.

By 2041, The Basin is projected to grow by 123 residents. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand readily, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

The Basin has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely impacting the area: Mountain Highway Logistics Hub, Angliss Hospital Expansion, Bayswater Business Precinct Transformation Strategy, and Dandenong Ranges Environmental Protection Program are key projects, with the following list detailing 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.

Employment performance in The Basin exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

The Basin's workforce exhibits notable proficiency, particularly in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate stands at 3.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 2,468 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.2%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is higher at 69.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Major employment industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The Basin specializes in construction, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 6.0%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparison of working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4% while labour force grew by 0.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to The Basin's current employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows The Basin's median income among taxpayers is $54,820, with an average of $66,132. This is slightly above the national average. Comparing to Greater Melbourne, The Basin has a lower median ($54,892) but higher average ($73,761). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% from financial year 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes for The Basin would be approximately $61,486 (median) and $74,174 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in The Basin cluster around the 62nd percentile nationally. Distribution data shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 37.3% of the community (1,622 individuals), which is similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 32.8%. Housing expenses account for 13.6% of income. The Basin's residents rank within the 73rd percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

The Basin's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.4% houses and 3.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 83.4% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Basin stood at 36.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 53.4% and rented ones at 10.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, below Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent was $366, compared to Melbourne metro's $400. Nationally, The Basin's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

The Basin features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 79.7% of all households, including 39.7% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 11.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.3%, with lone person households at 18.6% and group households comprising 1.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

The educational profile of The Basin exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 23.5%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (13.5%) and certificates (26.6%). Educational participation is high at 29.1%, with 10.6% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education.

The area has two primary schools, St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School and The Basin Primary School, serving a total of 847 students. These schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. The area functions as an educational hub with 19.5 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 12.0, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The Basin has 15 active public transport stops operating currently. These stops are served by a mix of buses along three different routes. Together, these routes provide a total of 536 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents typically located an average of 263 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 76 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

The Basin's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

The Basin residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, or about 2,279 people, which is higher than the SA2 area average. Mental health issues affect 9.4% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.5%. About 68.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 69.4% in Greater Melbourne. Residents aged 65 and over make up 16.2%, or 706 people, which is lower than the 19.5% in Greater Melbourne. Overall, health profiles align with broader population trends.

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

The Basin's cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of a certain date, 84.0% of its population were born in Australia, with 91.1% being citizens and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 38.2% of The Basin's population.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.1% compared to the regional average of 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.2%), Australian (27.4%), and Scottish (8.8%). These percentages were substantially higher than the regional averages of 22.7%, 21.3%, and unknown for Scottish respectively. There were also notable divergences in the representation of Dutch (2.8% vs regional 1.8%), Welsh (0.8% vs regional 0.4%), and Sri Lankan (0.7% vs regional 1.4%) ethnic groups.

The Basin's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in The Basin is 39 years, which is slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, The Basin has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 55-64 (13.5% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (8.6%). Post-2021 Census data shows that the population aged 15-24 grew from 11.4% to 14.3%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.8% to 5.5%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group declined from 12.1% to 8.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in The Basin. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 40%, reaching 333 people from 237. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 68% of the population growth, while the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.