suburb.guide

VIC · Kingston Council

Waterways, 3195

Est. population · Jun 2025

2,471

Growth (1 yr)

+0.0%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.3%

Median age

41

Median income

$3,013/wk

Employment rate

68.7%

University qualified

37.5%

Work from home

30.1%

Median house price · 4th Quarter 2025

$1,665,000

Languages at home

45.3%non-English

Most common: Mandarin, Vietnamese, Khmer

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

48.2/100
Average

Top 47% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 95% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Multicultural
  • Outer suburban
What Waterways is known for: Multicultural, Outer suburban

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Suburb Guide, “Waterways, VIC Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/vic/waterways

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Suburb profile

Waterways is an outer metropolitan suburb of Melbourne, in Kingston Council. The Mornington Peninsula is part of the surrounding geography.

Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group, placing it among the highest-ranked outer metropolitan suburbs, and university qualifications are among the highest in the peer group, with university qualifications 57% above the peer median. Space is a strength, but car dependence is high. The main trade-offs are limited amenity for the price, weaker population growth and limited school access, with school access 50% below the peer median.

Overall, Waterways suits people prioritising socio-economic advantage and university qualifications over amenity for the price.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Outer metropolitan suburb · compared with outer metropolitan suburbs in Victoria (148)

Strengths

  • Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group
  • University qualifications are among the highest in the peer group

Weaknesses

  • Buyers pay a premium despite relatively limited amenity access
  • Population has been growing more slowly than in comparable places, or declining
  • School access is a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Mornington Peninsula
  • Space is a strength, but car dependence is high

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Waterways compares

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

Median house price

$1.67M

+71% change

Median rent

$620/wk

Population (ERP)

2,471

+0.0% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

3.8%

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

#23

among Metro Melbourne · Emerging

Crime rate

24th

percentile in state (higher = more crime)

Pop. growth

44th

percentile in VIC

Rented dwellings

11%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

10/10

national SEIFA decile

School ICSEA

81st

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
48.2/100 — Average
State standing
Top 47% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
2375th in Australia
State rank
587th in VIC
Peer rank
#23 among Metro Melbourne · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#253 among Metro Melbourne suburbs
Data confidence
95%

Data sources & freshness

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

Housing

All types (Sep 2025 (council median))
$620
Median house price (4th Quarter 2025)
$1,665,000
Median price change
+70.8%

Median weekly rent from Victorian government rent reports. Council median fallback may apply where suburb rent is unavailable.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

2,471(June 2025)

+0.0% annual · -1.3% over 5 years · 44th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.0%
5-year growth
-1.3%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
-33
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 (~2,450), extrapolated at -0.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
2,422
Median age
41
Median household income / week
$3,013
Dwelling vacancy
3.8%
Unoccupied private dwellings
28 of 740
Median monthly mortgage
$2,500
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$623
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
30.1% / 58.8% / 11.1%
Employment rate
68.7%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
30.1% / 1.6% / 55.2%
Walked or cycled to work
0.4%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
623 / 86 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted 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

Qualifications

37.5% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 8.6% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified37.5% · 29.2% VIC
  • Diploma qualified10.1% · 9.8% VIC
  • Trade / vocational8.6% · 14.2% VIC
  • Year 12 or below43.8% · 46.8% VIC

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce30.6%
  • Engineering and related technologies15.4%
  • Health13%
  • Society and culture10.7%
  • Education7.4%
  • Information technology6.2%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$66,895

90th percentile in VIC · +14% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$72,762

92nd percentile in VIC · +12% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
18.0%

89th percentile in VIC · +30% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$120,298

89th percentile in VIC · +90% vs Australia

Residents with business income
9.0%

19th percentile in VIC · -13% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3195 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
24,353
Taxpayers reporting net rent
4,415
Median net rent
-$3,941
Taxpayers reporting business income
2,241
Taxable income vs state median
+25%
Salary / wages vs state median
+25%
Rental investment vs state median
+39%
Super vs state median
+50%
Business income vs state median
-18%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in VIC, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

45.3% speak a language other than English at home; 44.7% born overseas

Language at home
1,300 English only · 1,076 other
Non-English at home
45.3%
Born overseas
1,064 (44.7%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
9 (0.4%)
Australian citizens
2,156
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
25

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Mandarin101 · 21.5%
  • Vietnamese71 · 15.1%
  • Khmer42 · 8.9%
  • Greek35 · 7.4%
  • Cantonese34 · 7.2%
  • Hindi27 · 5.7%
  • Turkish19 · 4%
  • Afrikaans16 · 3.4%

Religion

42.5%Most common religion · Christianity

Christianity is the most common response at 42.5%, while 32.3% reported no religion. Buddhism is more prevalent locally than across the state.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion32.3%38.8%
Christianity42.5%40.9%
Hinduism5.3%3.3%
Islam2.6%4.2%
Buddhism11.4%3.1%
Other / not stated5.8%9.7%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic21.1%20.5%
Anglican6.4%6.5%
Eastern Orthodox5.3%3.3%
Christian (not further defined)2.8%2.5%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

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

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
71
Against the person
18
Against property
34
Rate per 1,000 residents
28.7
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 135 residents
State crime-rate percentile
23.7th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate)
-38.3%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
36
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
14.57

Most common offence types

  • A231 Fv Common Assault10
  • B311 Residential Aggravated Burglary8
  • B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle6
  • B41 Motor Vehicle Theft6
  • E21 Breach Family Violence Order18

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Schools & preschools

Schools within 2 km
2
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
1,088.5
Median ICSEA percentile
81th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
2
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
2
School list
  • Aspendale Gardens Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1095 · 83th percentile · LBOTE 20% · 592 students · Top SEA quarter 35% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
  • Lighthouse Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1082 · 79th percentile · LBOTE 86% · 827 students · Top SEA quarter 31% · 1.9 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
  • Aspendale Gardens Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Keysborough Gardens Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
  • Mordialloc CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
  • Parkdale Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment

Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.

Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)

Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

5 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Governor Rd/Burdekin Bvd
  • Governor Rd/Burdekin Bvd
  • Princetown Dr/Waterside Dr
  • Princetown Dr/Waterside Dr
  • The Waterways Bvd/Springvale Rd

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

39 mapped amenities

1 cafes · 3 playgrounds · 11 swimming pools

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 8 parks mapped in suburb, 3 playgrounds nearby
  • Strong local sport and recreation — 14 sport and outdoor facilities nearby
Walkability proxy
10/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.41
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.41
Parks per 1,000 residents
3.3
Food & drink(1)
  • Nest at Waterways CafeCafe

    Waterside Drive, Waterways

Sport & outdoors(31)
  • Black Swan LaneCycling route
  • Howards Road TrailCycling route
  • Longbeach TrailCycling route
  • Mordialloc - Waterways - BraesideCycling route
  • Mordialloc Creek TrailCycling route
  • Mordialloc Freeway TrailCycling route
  • Red Gum TrailCycling route
  • Serpentine CourtCycling route
  • Nature reserve
  • Braeside Linear ReservePark
  • Park (7)
  • Playground (3)
  • Swimming pool (11)
Transport(1)

1 bus stops

Other(5)
  • Access
  • Bench
  • Garden
  • Parking (2)
  • Shelter

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

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

Parks & reserves

2 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Braeside Linear ReservePark
  • Park or reserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
5.8%
Woodland / forest cover
0.7%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
9
Parks (OSM)
8
Typical summer maximum
24°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Como Private Hospital (5.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
56
Participants per 1,000 residents
22.7

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 (12%)

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).

15 planning-related records

2021· 5 proposals

  • September 2021

  • Extension to existing dwelling
    22 ISLAND POINT AVENUE WATERWAYS 3195In progress

  • June 2021

  • Build small verandah over rear sliding door
    13 PARAGON WAY WATERWAYS 3195In progress

  • May 2021

  • Develop the land for the construction of One (1) Dwelling
    9 PORTLAND PLACE WATERWAYS 3195Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • April 2021

  • Develop the land for the construction of one (1) dwelling
    8 MULGA LANE WATERWAYS 3195Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • March 2021

  • To construct buildings and works two-storey dwelling on this site
    1 The OutlookPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 10 proposals

  • November 2020

  • The construction of buildings and works (comprising a single dwelling) on this site, in accordance with the attached endorsed plans
    6 Shoalwater DrivePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • September 2020

  • To construct buildings and works two-storey dwelling on the site, in accordance with plans to be submitted pursuant to Condition 1 hereof
    3 Moonrise ClosePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • SINGLE DWELLING
    9 Coorong CircleWithdrawn
  • To construct buildings and works on this site, in accordance with the attached endorsed plans
    21 The Waterways BoulevardPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • The development of one (1) dwelling in the Design and Development Overlay - Schedule 6
    2 Sunset ClosePermit issued by a delegate of the RA

  • August 2020

  • The Development of alterations and additions to the existing dwelling (Verandah)
    3 Moonrise CloseWithdrawn
  • The development of alterations and additions to the existing dwelling
    21 The Waterways BoulevardWithdrawn
  • The development of alterations and additions to the existing dwelling (verandah over existing decking)
    28 Dresden DriveWithdrawn
  • The development of alterations and additions to the existing dwelling (verandah)
    9 Coorong CircleWithdrawn
  • The Development of additions (a Verandah) to the existing dwelling
    6 Shoalwater DriveWithdrawn

Data sources & freshness

Roadworks & transport

2 active roadworks / incidents

  • Maintenance Works activities occurring between 18/07/2025 and 30/01/2027 during the following times: Weekdays 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Weekends 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Impact to traffic will be lanes closed both directions. Altered speed limit during operation will be 40 and the traffic delay is expected to be 0 to 5 min.GOVERNOR-MORNINGTON PENINSULA OUT RAMP ON, MORNINGTON PENINSULA OUT-GOVERNOR RAMP OF17 Jul 2025 – 29 Jan 2027
  • Maintenance Works activities occurring between 18/07/2025 and 30/01/2027 during the following times: Weekdays 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, Weekends 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM. Impact to traffic will be lanes closed outbound. Altered speed limit during operation will be 40 and the traffic delay is expected to be 0 to 5 min.GOVERNOR-MORNINGTON PENINSULA OUT RAMP ON, MORNINGTON PENINSULA OUT-GOVERNOR RAMP OF17 Jul 2025 – 29 Jan 2027

Data sources & freshness

  • Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping. Flood cover uses inundation overlay polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Isaacs
Member of Parliament
Mark DREYFUS (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
120,753
Turnout (2025)
92.9%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+4.8 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 35.7%Labor 64.3%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 3.5 km away).

Coalition 37.2%Labor 62.8%

1.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +5.9 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Aspendale CentralLabor 62.9% · Coalition 37.1% TPP (2025)1.3 km away
  • Aspendale GardensLabor 62.2% · Coalition 37.8% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
  • Keysborough WestLabor 60.2% · Coalition 39.8% TPP (2025)2.0 km away
  • AspendaleLabor 64.7% · Coalition 35.3% TPP (2025)2.7 km away
  • EdithvaleLabor 63.4% · Coalition 36.6% TPP (2025)2.8 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 (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

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

More in Kingston Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

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