Berwick
VICBerwick is a declining suburb in VIC with 50,298 residents.
- SAL code
- 20224
- SA2
- 212021293
- Population
- 50,298
Berwick, VIC had 50,298 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area roughly steady over the last five years. The predominant age group is 35-44 years, and the median age sits at 38. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,000 a month. Around 74.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 46.2%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 89.2% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 169 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Berwick, VIC at a glance
Berwick is an established outer-southeast Melbourne suburb ~41 km from the CBD in the City of Casey, on the Pakenham line. Mostly detached family houses with a small but growing townhouse share, anchored by the heritage High Street village and Wilson Botanic Park. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Berwick suits established families who want detached living with most things in walking distance of the kids. Streets are dominated by 3- and 4-bedroom houses on standard lots, with newer townhouse pockets infilling around the village fringe. High Street is the social heart — heritage shopfronts, cafes, the Berwick Inn — backed by Eden Rise Village (Coles + Aldi) and the larger Westfield Fountain Gate ~6 minutes' drive west. Wilson Botanic Park is the standout green space (39 hectares on a former basalt quarry), with Berwick Springs Wetlands and Pioneers Park rounding out the recreation map. Berwick Station sits on the Pakenham line in zone 2; Federation University and Chisholm Institute have campuses on the eastern edge. Selective Nossal High School (median VCE study score 37 in 2025, Schoolsfinders) anchors the public-school draw, with St Margaret's, Berwick Grammar and Beaconhills as the private-school options. In short: a settled, school-strong suburb with village character, but you're paying outer-Melbourne distance for it.
For investors
Berwick is a slow-and-steady growth market with moderate yield. Median house $900,500 against $620/week rent gives a 3.49% gross yield; units $697,500 / $560/week / 4.09% (Your Investment Property + htag, Jan 2026). 12-month house growth +3.51%, units +5.28%; quarterly +1.18% / +2.80%. 856 house sales and 132 unit sales in the past 12 months — a deep, liquid market. Days-on-market 20 (houses), 30 (units). Vacancy sits around 2.28% (PropertyUpdate / PRD early 2026).
Strengths
- Deep, liquid transaction market: ~988 combined house + unit sales in 12 months means easy entry and exit (YIP, Jan 2026).
- Schooling anchor: Nossal High (selective) tied for top-12 VCE in Victoria in 2025, plus Federation Uni + Chisholm campuses on-suburb.
- Pakenham-line train access (zone 2) plus Monash Freeway / Princes Highway gives realistic commute optionality.
- Steady unit growth (+5.28% YoY) and a 4.09% unit yield — better cashflow than the house segment for the same suburb postcode.
Trade-offs
- House yield is thin at 3.49% — capital-growth-dependent rather than cashflow-positive (YIP, Jan 2026).
- House capital growth +3.51% YoY underperformed the unit segment and ran below the broader Melbourne metro band over the same window.
- 41 km from Melbourne CBD: peak-hour Pakenham-line + Monash Freeway loads make this a long commute, not a short one.
- Days-on-market 30 for units suggests softer buyer urgency in the apartment / townhouse stratum.
What's coming
City of Casey's 2025/26 capital works program totals $124.0M, with $11.3M earmarked for parks, open spaces and streetscapes (Casey 2025/26 Budget). Berwick-specific items include the Eddie Barron Reserve playground renewal and ongoing council advocacy to VicRoads for High Street and South Gippsland Highway speed and amenity upgrades. The draft Berwick Village Major Activity Centre Structure Plan (endorsed for consultation May 2025) is scheduled for council adoption at the March 2026 meeting and sets the redevelopment frame for High Street and the surrounding precincts (Berwick Star News, May 2025).
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a settled outer-southeast suburb with strong schools, a real village heart and big parks, if you can wear the distance. For investors: a liquid, low-vacancy market — units are the better yield play, houses lean on long-run capital growth.
Population
?50,298
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-0.3%
3yr: +2.5% · 10yr: +0.1%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,113/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
38
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?8/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?2.8%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
12
9 primary, 5 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?35
15 long day, 15 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?169
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?197
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Berwick - North (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Berwick suburb alone is ~50,298 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 19,094 to 23,637 over 24 years, averaging 0.9% per year.
Schools
12 in suburbSector
9 public · 3 private
Type
7 primary · 3 secondary · 2 K-12
Total enrolment
10,504(11 of 12 reporting)
Avg per school
955
Government school catchment
Catchment data is not yet available for VIC.
Source when available: Victorian Department of Education / Vicmap School Zones.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.5%Almost entirely detached houses (89.2%), owner-occupied (74.7%), built for families (45% are 4 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: VIC DTP Designated Bushfire Prone Area
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Overlay (flood codes)
As of Apr 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Planning zones
26 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 41.1% | 13.65 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 9.2% | 3.04 km² |
| LDRZ1 | Low Density Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 8.4% | 2.78 km² |
| UGZ14 | UGZ14Other | 7.9% | 2.64 km² |
| GWAZ4 | Green Wedge A Zone Schedule 4Rural | 4.3% | 1.41 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 4.2% | 1.39 km² |
| GRZ2 | General Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 4.0% | 1.34 km² |
| GWZ4 | Green Wedge Zone Schedule 4Rural | 4.0% | 1.31 km² |
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 3.1% | 1.03 km² |
| CDZ2 | Comprehensive Development Zone Schedule 2Business | 2.9% | 0.95 km² |
| UGZ9 | UGZ9Other | 2.3% | 0.75 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 1.1% | 0.36 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 1.0% | 0.33 km² |
| UFZ | Urban Floodway ZoneWaterway | 1.0% | 0.33 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.7% | 0.24 km² |
| FZ1 | Farming Zone Schedule 1Rural | 0.6% | 0.22 km² |
| NRZ2 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 2Residential | 0.6% | 0.21 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.6% | 0.20 km² |
| RCZ | Rural Conservation ZoneRural | 0.5% | 0.17 km² |
| RGZ2 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 2Residential | 0.5% | 0.17 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.5% | 0.16 km² |
| FZ2 | Farming Zone Schedule 2Rural | 0.5% | 0.16 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 0.5% | 0.15 km² |
| PUZ3 | Public Use Zone Schedule 3Special use | 0.3% | 0.10 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 0.1% | 0.05 km² |
| PCRZ | Public Conservation and Resource ZoneEnvironmental | 0.1% | 0.04 km² |
Source: VIC DTP Vicmap Planning Zones (ZONE_VIC/2026-04-29/08783d2926383881) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.