Vipul and Meenakshi (mother) with kids Viraaj, 4 Ayaan, 3. The City of Wyndham has had the biggest increase in kids aged 0-4 of any location in Victoria over the past decade. Picture: Jason Edwards
Wyndham was the fastest growing region in Australia over the past three years, despite Covid lockdowns that drove migration away from Victoria.
The area, stretching from Laverton North to Tarneit and Truganina, and also including Werribee, Wyndham Vale and Point Cook, added 34,500 to its population between 2019-2022 for a December 2022 estimate of 308,900 residents, KPMG research shows.
Casey South was the third fastest growing in the nation, behind Blacktown North in Sydney, adding 29,400 new residents in that time to an estimated population of 237,100.
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The four-bedroom house at 18 Reddington Way, Wyndham Vale, is for sale for $565,000-$595,000.
For its analysis, KPMG International used statistical area three (SA3) regions, which are roughly aligned to local government areas and are a good size for picking up trends.
KPMG demographics expert Terry Rawnsley said Melbourne’s “greenfield” areas had grown significantly during the past three years but it had slowed from the previous period.
“The growth areas have offered new residents affordable housing compared to most established parts of Melbourne,” he said.
In the case of Wyndham, some intergenerational migrant families took the opportunity to spread out, he said, and others were attracted to buy in the region during Covid conditions.
“There was a bit of a ripple effect of people coming out of the Brimbank SA3 region around Sunshine (which) actually had a bit of a decline in Covid,” he said.
“People coming out of those crowded intergenerational homes, they already live in the west, they’re familiar with the area and Wyndham is more affordable.
“Other people who were renting during Covid, when the city lost its vibrancy and interest rates dropped down, might have said ‘I’ll take my previous two-bedroom apartment rent and get a mortgage on a three-bedroom house in Wyndham”.
International borders were also open for the final year of the analysed period.
PropTrack economist Angus Moore said Melbourne’s fringes were where new homes were built so their populations would grow naturally, but Covid also played a significant role.
The three-bedroom, house at 18 Vecot St, Tarneit, is for sale for $460,000-$490,000.
“People were moving out of inner city areas towards regional or outer suburban areas to find a bit more space at home,” he said.
“People consistently wanted bigger dwellings through the pandemic so they could have a home office or have more space if they were locked down.
Barry Plant Tarneit director Rick O’Halloran said there was so much population coming into the area it “gives us a market at all times”, as declining conditions hit real estate broadly.
Melton – Bacchus Marsh and Tullamarine – Broadmeadows were also in the national top 10.
In regional Victoria, ‘Surf Coast – Bellarine Peninsula’ had the largest growth at 13,100 new residents to 97,200, followed by Geelong with 8400 to 216,000.
Pandemic favourite the Mornington Peninsula, as well as Sunbury and Macedon Ranges were in the top 10fastest growing areas in Victoria.
Fastest growing Australian regions 2019-2022
Wyndham (Vic) up 34,500
Blacktown (NSW) 30,100
Casey (Vic) 29,400
Ormeau (Qld) 24,500
Bringelly (NSW) 21,700
Melton (Vic) 20,500
Tullamarine (Vic) 18,800
Rouse Hill (NSW) 17,500
Swan (WA) 15,600
Springfield (Qld) 14,300
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