The Basin

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 is approximately 4,350 as of November 2025. This represents an increase of 5 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,345 people. The growth was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,345 reported by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 3 validated new addresses registered after the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 760 persons per square kilometer, which aligns with averages observed across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth accounted for approximately 54.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is utilizing 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 employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth in statistical areas analyzed by AreaSearch. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, The Basin is expected to expand by 128 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 2.8% 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 has averaged approximately five new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 27 homes were approved, with a further six approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost of new properties is $430,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. This financial year, $1.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, The Basin has significantly less development activity, with 73.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Activity is also lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character and appealing to those seeking family homes with space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1264 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, The Basin is expected to grow by 123 residents through to 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

The Basin has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project expected to impact this region: 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 is skilled with notable representation in the construction sector. Its unemployment rate was 3.6% as of September 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.6%. As of September 2025, 2,462 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.0% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation in The Basin was 69.2%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading employment industries among residents included construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Construction showed strong specialization with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Professional & technical services were under-represented at 6.0% compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census data analysis. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 1.6%, labour force grew by 0.7%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 3.0% and labour force growth of 3.3%, with a rise in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from VIC to November 25 showed employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, adding 41,950 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May-25 indicated a projected expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.1% over ten years for The Basin, based on industry-specific projections applied to its local employment mix.

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 indicates The Basin SA2's median income among taxpayers is $54,820, with an average of $66,132. This figure is slightly above the national average. Greater Melbourne, for comparison, has a median income of $54,892 and an average of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $61,486 and the average around $74,174 by September 2025. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in The Basin cluster at the 62nd percentile nationally. Income distribution data reveals 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 highly in terms of disposable income, placing them at the 73rd percentile nationally. Additionally, 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). In comparison, Melbourne metro had 83.4% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Basin was 36.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 53.4% and rented ones at 10.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,950, below Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent figure 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 comprise 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%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which matches 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 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 13.5% and certificates at 26.6%. Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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 in operation. These are served by a mix of buses along three different routes. The weekly passenger trips total 536 across all these routes.

Residents have good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 263 meters to the nearest stop. Each day, there are on average 76 trips across all routes, which amounts to approximately 35 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

The Basin's health metrics are close to national benchmarks, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, impacting around 2,279 people, which is just above the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and asthma were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 9.4% and 8.5% of residents respectively. About 68.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.4% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (706 people), which is lower than the 19.5% in Greater Melbourne. Overall, this indicates a health profile broadly in line with that of the general population.

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, with 84.0% of its population born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 38.2% of people in The Basin. However, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 0.1%.

In ancestry, the top groups were English (31.2%), Australian (27.4%), and Scottish (8.8%). Notably, Dutch (2.8%) and Welsh (0.8%) were overrepresented, while Sri Lankan was underrepresented at 0.7% compared to regional averages of 1.8%, 0.4%, and 1.4% respectively.

The Basin's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in The Basin is 39 years, which is 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 people aged 55-64 (13.5% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (8.6%). Post-2021 Census data shows 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. Notably, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 40%, reaching 333 people from 237. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 68% of this growth. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 0-4 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.