Yarra Junction is a semi-rural locality near Melbourne, in Yarra Ranges Council. It is set against the Yarra Ranges.
Everyday destinations are relatively walkable, well above typical levels for semi-rural and lifestyle localities. Local amenities are a relative strength. School access is an exceptional strength. Housing is a little more affordable than typical for similar places, with median house prices 14% below the peer median. The main trade-offs are lower socio-economic advantage and higher crime, with reported crime 56% above the peer median.
Overall, Yarra Junction suits people prioritising walkability and more affordable housing over socio-economic advantage.
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
Semi-rural locality · compared with semi-rural and lifestyle localities in Victoria (228)
Strengths
Everyday destinations are relatively walkable
Housing is a little more affordable than typical for similar places
School access is a relative strength
Local amenities are a relative strength
Weaknesses
Socio-economic advantage is well below comparable places
Reported crime is somewhat elevated against comparable places
What stands out
Yarra Ranges
Who it suits
Stars are audience-fit ratings derived from Suburb.Guide data, not demographic counts or user reviews.
Families★☆☆☆☆
Professionals★☆☆☆☆
Retirees★★☆☆☆
Students★★☆☆☆
Budget buyers★★★☆☆
Housing, growth and risk
How Yarra Junction compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$770k
+7.7% change
Median rent (Census)
$300/wk
2021 Census median weekly rent
Population (ERP)
2,726
+0.4% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
5.0%
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
#99
among Country & regional · Established
Crime rate
59th
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
50th
percentile in VIC
Rented dwellings
19%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
48th
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
43.0/100 — Average
National rank
3626th in Australia
State rank
846th in VIC
Peer rank
#99 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#444 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
95%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
+0.4% annual · +0.5% over 5 years · 50th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.4%
5-year growth
+0.5%
Change in 1 year
+10
Change in 5 years
+13
Growth rank in VIC
50th 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 (~2,750), extrapolated at +0.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
2,875
Median age
43
Median household income / week
$1,302
Dwelling vacancy
5%
Unoccupied private dwellings
55 of 1,102
Median monthly mortgage
$1,800
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$300
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
38.4% / 42.9% / 18.7%
Employment rate
52%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
16.4% / 0.2% / 64.3%
Walked or cycled to work
3.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
833 / 121 / 37 (+ 52 other)
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.
11.9% of adults have a university degree, compared with 29.2% across Victoria. 24.1% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified11.9% · 29.2% VIC
Diploma qualified9.2% · 9.8% VIC
Trade / vocational24.1% · 14.2% VIC
Year 12 or below54.8% · 46.8% VIC
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Engineering and related technologies17.1%
Society and culture15%
Management and commerce13.5%
Architecture and building12.3%
Education12.3%
Health10%
How these groups are defined
Measure
Definition
University qualified
Bachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualified
Advanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocational
Certificate III + IV
Year 12
Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12
Year 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)
$52,445
46th percentile in VIC · -11% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$56,462
40th percentile in VIC · -13% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
9.0%
18th percentile in VIC · -35% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$78,323
48th percentile in VIC · +24% vs Australia
Residents with business income
10.0%
35th percentile in VIC · -4% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 3797 — 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
2,169
Taxpayers reporting net rent
188
Median net rent
$1,402
Taxpayers reporting business income
219
Taxable income vs state median
-2%
Salary / wages vs state median
-3%
Rental investment vs state median
-31%
Super vs state median
-3%
Business income vs state median
-9%
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
Seasonal & agricultural work
4.1% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 1.8× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.1% across Victoria.
Agriculture, forestry & fishing
4.1%
35th percentile in VIC · +78% vs Australia
Resident workers (2021)
50
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462
Postcode 3797
Occupation mix in this industry
2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.
Managers20
Technicians and trades workers13
Labourers11
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 3797 (Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.
Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)
Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Melbourne - Outer East (SA4 211), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.
Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412514
Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1213457
Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212444
Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 8419212
Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841583
Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 721146
Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841333
Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 121412
Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841610
Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841110
Melbourne - Outer East is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.
Census employed residents counted in G54: 1,211 · AFF share +95% vs the state.
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0
Community & culture
3.2% speak a language other than English at home; 13.4% born overseas
Language at home
2,573 English only · 84 other
Non-English at home
3.2%
Born overseas
352 (13.4%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
38 (1.3%)
Australian citizens
2,537
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
6
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Vietnamese9 · 28.1%
Spanish8 · 25%
Mandarin5 · 15.6%
Polish4 · 12.5%
Greek3 · 9.4%
Macedonian3 · 9.4%
Religion
53.1%No religion
No religion is the most common response at 53.1%, while Christianity accounts for 34.8%.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
53.1%
38.8%
Christianity
34.8%
40.9%
Other / not stated
12%
20.3%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
12.6%
20.5%
Anglican
9.5%
6.5%
Christian (not further defined)
3.2%
2.5%
Uniting Church
2.4%
2.4%
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 increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
179
Against the person
51
Against property
52
Rate per 1,000 residents
65.7
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 56 residents
State crime-rate percentile
59.2th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+1.1%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
89
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
32.65
Most common offence types
A232 Non-Fv Common Assault11
B21 Criminal Damage21
E21 Breach Family Violence Order35
D12 Prohibited And Controlled Weapons Offences13
E19 Other Justice Procedures Offences13
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
Upper Yarra Secondary CollegeSecondary · Government · ICSEA 975 · 35th percentile · LBOTE 3% · 736 students · Top SEA quarter 5% · 0.2 km awayView on My School →
Little Yarra Steiner SchoolCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1067 · 75th percentile · LBOTE 14% · 278 students · Top SEA quarter 26% · 0.5 km awayView on My School →
St Joseph's SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1002 · 48th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 87 students · Top SEA quarter 4% · 0.8 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
Gladysdale Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Hoddles Creek Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Upper Yarra Secondary CollegeGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
Wesburn Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Yarra Junction Primary SchoolGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_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
Victorian designated neighbourhood zones — Victorian Department of Education · current · Updated · Open catchment polygons where published
Reasonable bus and transport access — 15 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
23/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.35
Community(4)
Cire Community School Yarra Junction CampusSchool
39-41 Little Yarra Road
Little Yarra Steiner SchoolSchool
205 Little Yarra Road
St Joseph's Primary SchoolSchool
40 Milners Road
Upper Yarra Secondary CollegeSchool
81-89 Little Yarra Road
Sport & outdoors(5)
BBQ (2)
Warburton Rail TrailCycling route
Yarra Junction Railway Station Historic and Cultural Features ReserveNature reserve
Blue Lotus GardenPark
2628 Warburton Highway
Camping & holiday parks(3)
Britannia Ridge Caravan ParkCaravan park
160 Tarrango Road
Brittania Ridge Caravan ParkCaravan park
160 Tarrango Road, Yarra Junction
Doon Reserve Caravan ParkCaravan park
Transport(2)
2 bus stops
Other(3)
Parking (3)
Picnic Table (2)
ADANAC CYCRecreation Ground
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
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
Hospitals & GP clinics in suburb
2
Nearest hospital
Healesville & District Hospital (18.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
Emergency department in suburb
Not in suburb
GP clinics in suburb
1
GPs tagged bulk billing (OSM)
0 of 1
Aged-care services
1
Residential aged-care places
100
GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).
Soul PattisonPharmacy
Yarra Junction Medical CentreClinic
Aged-care services
Estia Health Yarra ValleyYARRA JUNCTIONResidential
Australian Government–subsidised services from the AIHW GEN list (30 June 2025), assigned to this suburb by location.
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)
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.
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
25° / 12°
Rainfall
197 mm · ~25 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
Usual max / min
20° / 9°
Rainfall
228 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Usual max / min
13° / 5°
Rainfall
261 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Usual max / min
18° / 7°
Rainfall
304 mm · ~38 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
86 planning-related records
2021· 35 proposals
September 2021
Use and development of an education centre including childcare centre (Lot 1 on Title Plan 601607W) , building and works associated with existing an education centre (Land in Plan of Consolidation 370040K), car parking reduction, alteration to access to Transport Zone 2 and vegetation removal
43 LITTLE YARRA ROAD YARRA JUNCTION 3797NOD issued by a delegate
Development of the land for three (3) additional dwellings behind the existing, additions to the existing dwelling, four (4) lot staged subdivision, the creation of easements and associated vegetation removal
11 HODDLE STREET YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to extend an existing dwelling
24 DOUGLAS PARADE YARRA JUNCTION 3797Lapsed
Buildings and works to extend and existing dwelling
3 MARCHESE CLOSE YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
July 2021
Buildings and works to construct two dwellings
2/30 YARRA STREET YARRA JUNCTION 3797NOD issued by a delegate
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
54 LITTLE YARRA ROAD YARRA JUNCTION 3797NOD issued by a delegate
June 2021
Consent to build within tree protection zone as required under Section 173 Agreement AR7470195
1 Majalis PlacePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
8 MARCHESE CLOSE YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct a retaining wall on the boundary
13 Sugargum ClosePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Consent to 173 agreement AQ403832V to alter the approved development under permit YR-2016/942
33A Hoddle StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2021
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
6 MARCHESE CLOSE YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Two lot subdivision
3 MILNERS ROAD YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
33A Hoddle StreetPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
April 2021
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
8 Sugargum ClosePermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Building and works to construct a dwelling
33B HODDLE STREET YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Buildings and works to construct a dwelling
16 SUGARGUM CLOSE YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Two lot subdivision
12 HERBERT STREET YARRA JUNCTION 3797Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)
Heritage listings as established streetscape
Data sources & freshness
State heritage register — State heritage authority · 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
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 8.6 km away).
Coalition 54.6%Labor 45.4%
1.7 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -1.1 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
Yarra JunctionLabor 47.1% · Coalition 52.9% TPP (2025)2.1 km away
WesburnLabor 45.2% · Coalition 54.8% TPP (2025)3.5 km away
GladysdaleLabor 37.8% · Coalition 62.2% TPP (2025)3.9 km away
Hoddles CreekLabor 37.8% · Coalition 62.2% TPP (2025)4.7 km away
Launching PlaceLabor 39.5% · Coalition 60.5% TPP (2025)5.2 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.
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%)