3218.0 - Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2009-10 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 31/03/2011   
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VICTORIA


State summary

Population change in Melbourne

Population change in regional Victoria

Population decline

Population density

Centre of population

Local government area populations

STATE SUMMARY

Victoria's estimated resident population at 30 June 2010 was 5.55 million people, an increase of 99,300 people since June 2009. Victoria's growth rate of 1.8% in 2009-10 was less than the average annual growth rate of 1.9% for the five years to June 2010.

SLA POPULATION CHANGE, Victoria - 2009-10
Diagram: SLA POPULATION CHANGE, Victoria—2009-10


POPULATION CHANGE IN MELBOURNE

At June 2010, there were an estimated 4.08 million people residing in Melbourne SD, an increase of 79,000 people or 2.0% since June 2009. Melbourne was the capital city SD with the largest growth in 2009-10 and has been for the last nine years.

Melbourne SD accounted for 79.6% of Victoria's population growth between June 2009 and June 2010, and was home to 73.5% of the state's population in 2010.


Growth in the outer suburbs

The largest population growth in Victoria continued to occur in the outer suburban fringes of Melbourne SD. In 2009-10, Wyndham (C), located to the south-west of Melbourne's city centre, had the largest growth of Victorian LGAs, increasing by 12,600 people. Just under one-half (49.6%) of this growth occurred in the SLA of Wyndham (C) - North. Whittlesea (C), located to the north of Melbourne city, had the second largest growth, increasing by 8,900 people, followed by Casey (C) to the south-east of Melbourne city, which increased by 8,100 people.

In 2009-10, Wyndham (C) also had the fastest annual growth rate (8.8%) of all Victorian LGAs. Other LGAs on the suburban fringes of Melbourne that grew quickly in 2009-10 included Melton (S) (7.1%), Cardinia (S) (6.7%), and Whittlesea (C) (6.1%).

Whittlesea (C) - North and Wyndham (C) - North had the largest population growth of all SLAs in Victoria in 2009-10, up 8,400 and 6,300 people respectively. Whittlesea (C) - North accounted for 94.1% of the growth in the LGA of Whittlesea (C) and also had the fastest annual growth rate of any SLA in Victoria, increasing by 21.8%. Wyndham (C) - South had the second fastest growth rate (16.2%).


Growth in the inner city

Melbourne (C) had the eighth largest increase in population of all LGAs in Victoria in 2009-10 (up 3,400 people) and continued to experience relatively fast growth at a rate of 3.6%. However, this was lower than the average annual rate of 4.6% for the five years to June 2010. Within Melbourne city, the SLA of Melbourne (C) - Remainder grew by 1,800 people (3.0%), Melbourne (C) - Southbank-Docklands increased by 1,000 people (5.9%) and Melbourne (C) - Inner increased by 520 people (3.5%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN REGIONAL VICTORIA

In the year to June 2010, the population of the balance of Victoria increased by 20,300 people (1.4%) to reach 1.47 million people.

All SDs experienced population growth in 2009-10, with the exception of Wimmera SD which remained stable. The fastest growth occurred in Gippsland (2.3%), Central Highlands (1.9%) and Barwon (1.8%). Barwon, Gippsland and Central Highlands also had the largest population growth increasing by 5,000, 4,100 and 2,900 people respectively.

Within regional Victoria, the LGA of Greater Geelong (C), located south-west of Melbourne, had the largest increase in population (3,600 people) in the year to June 2010. This was followed by Ballarat (C) (2,000 people), in Victoria's west and Greater Bendigo (C) in central Victoria (1,800).

Population growth continued to occur along the coast in 2009-10. The LGA of Bass Coast (S) experienced the fastest growth in regional Victoria, increasing by 4.6%. The SLA of Bass Coast (S) Bal contributed 74.5% of the growth within the shire. This SLA is home to the Wonthaggi desalination plant construction site. The next fastest-growing LGA in regional Victoria was Baw Baw (S) to the east of Melbourne (3.8%). The majority of this growth was in the SLA of Baw Baw (S) - Pt B West (75.9%), centred on the town of Warragul. The third fastest-growing LGA was Surf Coast (S) (2.7%), situated south-west of Geelong, with all growth attributable to the SLA of Surf Coast (S) - East.

In 2008-09, Murrindindi (S) LGA experienced a decline in population due to the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires of February 2009 in which nearly 1,400 homes were destroyed. In that period, the population fell by 1,000 people (7.1%). In 2009-10, the population increased by 120 people (0.9%) to 13,500, reflecting rebuilding within the area.

LGAs WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, Victoria

ERP at 30 June
Population Change
2010p
2009r-2010p
LGA
no.
no.
%

LARGEST GROWTH

Wyndham (C)
156 600
12 600
8.8
Whittlesea (C)
155 100
8 900
6.1
Casey (C)
255 700
8 100
3.3
Melton (S)
107 200
7 100
7.1
Cardinia (S)
73 300
4 600
6.7

FASTEST GROWTH

Wyndham (C)
156 600
12 600
8.8
Melton (S)
107 200
7 100
7.1
Cardinia (S)
73 300
4 600
6.7
Whittlesea (C)
155 100
8 900
6.1
Bass Coast (S)
31 000
1 400
4.6



POPULATION DECLINE

In the year to June 2010, around 15% of Victoria's LGAs declined or had no change in their populations. Almost all of these LGAs were in regional Victoria to the west of Melbourne city and none declined by more than 80 people.


POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2010, the population density of Victoria was 24 people per square kilometre (sq km), the second highest of all states and territories after the Australian Capital Territory (150). The population density of Melbourne SD was 530 people per sq km, which was higher than Australian capital cities combined (370 people per sq km).

Within Melbourne SD, the SLAs with the greatest population densities at 30 June 2010 were Melbourne (C) - Inner (8,000 people per sq km) and nearby Port Phillip (C) - St Kilda (6,400). The neighbouring Stonnington (C) - Prahran (5,400) was the third most densely populated SLA.

The most densely populated SLAs in the capital city also experienced some of the largest increases in density between June 2009 and 2010. Melbourne (C) - Inner increased in density by 270 people per sq km, the greatest of all SLAs. The next largest increases occurred in Melbourne (C) - Southbank-Docklands (220 people per sq km) and Stonnington (C) - Prahran (90).

The lowest population densities in the Melbourne SD at June 2010 were in the outlying SLAs of Cardinia (S) - South (18 people per sq km), Nillumbik (S) Bal (31) and Yarra Ranges (S) - North (35).

POPULATION DENSITY BY SLA, Melbourne SD - June 2010
Diagram: POPULATION DENSITY, Melbourne SD—June 2010


CENTRE OF POPULATION

At June 2010, Victoria's centre of population was within the Moreland (C) LGA in the suburb of Hadfield. In the five years to June 2010, the centre moved approximately 0.7 kilometres south, towards Melbourne's central business district.

The centre of population of Melbourne SD at June 2010 was just west of the Monash Freeway, in the suburb of Glen Iris.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA POPULATIONS

For a full list of LGA populations, see the Downloads tab.