suburb.guide

VIC · Yarra Ranges Council

Ferny Creek, 3786

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,363

Growth (1 yr)

+0.1%

Growth (5 yr)

-3.6%

Median age

45

Median income

$2,393/wk

Employment rate

64.6%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$1,045,000

Languages at home

6.4%non-English

Most common: Mandarin, Japanese, Cantonese

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

38.6/100
Below average

797th in VIC

Verified 89% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Excellent transport
  • Education hub
  • High desirability
What Ferny Creek is known for: Excellent transport, Education hub, High desirability

Suburb profile

Set among the hills of Yarra Ranges Council, Ferny Creek is a smaller community with bushland views and a cooler, leafier feel. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street. Fitness and outdoor sport options are a real part of local life, not just a distant club trip away.

Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here, with buses covering longer trips across the wider area. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.

Reported crime has been rising recently. Steady development is bringing new homes and gradual renewal to parts of the suburb.

Against similar metro suburbs, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum lag behind, despite relative strength in community and employment, plus schools and education. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Ferny Creek snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

$1.04M

+2.5% change

Median rent

—

No data available

Population (ERP)

1,363

+0.1% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

7.3%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#35

among Metro Melbourne · Mature

Safety

47th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

44th

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

63rd

percentile among schools with ICSEA

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
38.6/100 — Below average
National rank
4028th in Australia
State rank
797th in VIC
Peer rank
#35 among Metro Melbourne · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#374 among Metro Melbourne suburbs
Data confidence
89%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$1,045,000
Median price change
+2.5%

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)

Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

1,363(June 2025)

+0.1% annual · -3.6% over 5 years · 44th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.1%
5-year growth
-3.6%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
-51
Growth rank in VIC
44th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,350), extrapolated at -0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,524
Median age
45
Median household income / week
$2,393
Dwelling vacancy
7.3%
Unoccupied private dwellings
42 of 578
Median monthly mortgage
$2,167
Employment rate
64.6%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
530 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
67
Against the person
3
Against property
17
Rate per 1,000 residents
49.2
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 508 residents
State safety percentile
46.9th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+67.5%

Most common offence types

  • B21 Criminal Damage2
  • B321 Residential Non-Aggravated Burglary2
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle5
  • C32 Drug Possession3
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order43

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
1,046.5
Median ICSEA percentile
63th
School list
  • Ferny Creek Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1111 · 87th percentile · LBOTE 5% · 127 students · Top SEA quarter 42% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
  • Sherbrooke Community SchoolCombined · Government · ICSEA 982 · 39th percentile · LBOTE 1% · 95 students · Top SEA quarter 9% · 1.6 km awayView on My School →

Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)

School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

10 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Fernbrook Rd/Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd
  • Mast Gully Rd/Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd
  • Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd/Old Main Rd
  • Seaview Ave/Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd
  • Sherbrooke Rd/Mt Dandenong Tourist Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Public transport stop coverage

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

80 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

1 restaurants · 1 bakeries · 25 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Reasonable bus and transport access — 10 public transport stops
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 26 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
19/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
1.31
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.66
Food & drink(2)
  • Proserpina BakehouseBakery

    261 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Ferny Creek

  • BYORestaurant
Community(1)
  • Ferny Creek Primary SchoolSchool

    34 School Road

Sport & outdoors(27)
  • Dunns HillPark
  • Sports field
  • Swimming pool (25)
Transport(7)

7 bus stops

Other(14)
  • Bench
  • Bicycle Parking
  • Bicycle Repair Station
  • Conifer Gardens NurseryGarden Centre
  • Information (28)
  • ngurrak barring | RidgeWalkInformation
  • Resilience - Coranderrk, a home for Victoria's First Nations peopleInformation
  • Resilience - Displacement and dispossessionInformation
  • Resilience - The woiwurrung women of goranwarrabilInformation
  • Parking (3)
  • Australia PostPost Box
  • TelstraTelephone
  • Ferny Creek General StoreVacant

    195 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Ferny Creek

  • Yes

    256 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Ferny Creek

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Dunns HillPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
8
Parks (OSM)
1

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)

Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
Hospital (3.1 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
40
Participants per 1,000 residents
29.3

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
24° / 13°
Rainfall
155 mm · ~19 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 11°
Rainfall
186 mm · ~23 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
14° / 6°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
18° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

28 planning-related records

2021· 15 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Buildings and works to extend existing dwelling
    38 HILTON ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2021

  • Building and works to extend an existing dwelling and construct an outbuilding and a carport
    4 OLD MAIN ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to extend/alter existing dwelling
    14 SEABREEZE AVENUE FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2021

  • Buildings and works to an outbuilding (carport)
    25 ONE TREE HILL ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Withdrawn
  • Buildings and works to alter and extend an existing dwelling
    46 HILTON ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Lapsed

  • April 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    2 WEBBS ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Lapsed

  • March 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    1 WOODS LANE FERNY CREEK 3786Withdrawn
  • Building and works to extend an existing dwelling and construct an outbuilding
    4 Old Main RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Construct a deck, outbuilding, retaining wall, fence and domestic swimming pool, carry out earthworks greater than 600mm, and removal of vegetation
    183 MT DANDENONG TOURIST ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • February 2021

  • Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling and vegetation removal
    10 MACNAMARA STREET FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    42 One Tree Hill RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling
    4 Old Main RoadWithdrawn
  • Buildings and works to extend existing dwelling
    2 BELGRAVE-FERNY CREEK ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling and retaining wall greater than 1 metre
    24 Hilton RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2021

  • Buildings and works to construct a boundary fence
    55 Hilton RoadNOD issued by a delegate
2020· 13 proposals

  • December 2020

  • Buildings and works to alter and extend existing dwelling, vegetation removal, and reduction of car parking spaces
    24 BELGRAVE-FERNY CREEK ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Withdrawn

  • September 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    29 Belgrave-Ferny Creek RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling
    48 HILTON ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    6A Breen TerracePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct a studio
    6 Clarke RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • July 2020

  • Use and Development of a dwelling, construction of an outbuilding, retaining walls, and swimming pool, earthworks greater than 1 metre, vegetation removal and variation of an easement.
    164 MT DANDENONG TOURIST ROAD FERNY CREEK 3786Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • June 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    24 Breen TerracePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • May 2020

  • Use and development of a dependent persons unit
    3 Jacka StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and development of a dependent persons unit and associated tree pruning
    17 One Tree Hill RoadLapsed

  • April 2020

  • Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling
    14 Seaview AvenueNOD issued by a delegate
  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    211 Mt Dandenong Tourist RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2020

  • Building and works to construct an outbuilding and removal of one tree
    37 One Tree Hill RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • January 2020

  • Buildings and works to construct an outbuilding
    6A Breen TerracePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Bushfire hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Casey
Member of Parliament
Aaron VIOLI (Liberal)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
122,351
Turnout (2025)
94.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-1.5 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 52.9%Labor 47.1%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 4.1 km away).

Coalition 32.5%Labor 67.5%

20.4 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.7 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Ferny CreekLabor 67.1% · Coalition 32.9% TPP (2025)1.0 km away
  • SassafrasLabor 65.1% · Coalition 34.9% TPP (2025)2.5 km away
  • Upper Ferntree Gully (Casey)Labor 69.4% · Coalition 30.6% TPP (2025)2.8 km away
  • UpweyLabor 70.5% · Coalition 29.4% TPP (2025)3.0 km away
  • KallistaLabor 69.4% · Coalition 30.6% TPP (2025)3.5 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Yarra Ranges Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.