Camberwell (Vic.)
VICCamberwell (Vic.) is a declining suburb in VIC with 21,965 residents.
- SAL code
- 20453
- SA2
- 207011149
- Population
- 21,965
Camberwell (Vic.), VIC had 21,965 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 2.4% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 45-54 years, and the median age sits at 43. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $3,000 a month. Around 71.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 42.5%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 60.7% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 27 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
Camberwell (Vic.), VIC at a glance
Camberwell is a prestige inner-eastern Melbourne suburb ~10 km from the CBD in the City of Boroondara. Tree-lined streets, Victorian and Edwardian period homes, and the Camberwell Junction retail spine on Burke Road define the character; about 60% of dwellings are separate houses, 40% units. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Camberwell suits people who want established Melbourne with everything within walking distance. Streets are lined with mature plane trees, heritage gardens and intact Victorian / Edwardian houses; redevelopment is heavily controlled by Boroondara's heritage overlays. Camberwell Junction (Burke Road) is the retail anchor with 400+ shops, the Rivoli Cinemas, the Camberwell Fresh Food Market and the Sunday Market (370+ stalls). Five stations sit inside the suburb — Camberwell, East Camberwell, Riversdale, Willison and Hartwell — on the Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines, ~15 min to Flinders Street. Recreation runs through Camberwell Gardens, Fordham Gardens and Frog Hollow Reserve. Schools are a major draw: Camberwell Grammar, Camberwell Girls Grammar, Methodist Ladies' College (Kew, adjacent), Siena College and Strathcona are all in or beside the suburb, with strong public options at Camberwell Primary and Canterbury Girls Secondary. In short: an established, period-character inner-east suburb where you pay a premium for heritage streetscapes, schools and a 15-minute train to the CBD.
For investors
Camberwell is a capital-growth-not-yield market on premium dollars. Median house ~$2.6M against $950/wk rent gives a ~2.09% gross yield; units median ~$650/wk rent at ~3.48% (Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month house growth -1.10%, units -2.44%; quarterly units +0.50%. Days-on-market 34 (houses) / 38 (units). 253 house + 187 unit sales in 12 months — a deep market for a high-priced suburb. Vacancy 1.29%.
Strengths
- Deep transaction market (~440 sales/yr across houses + units) for a $2M+ suburb — easier exit than most prestige peers.
- Five-station train footprint and the Camberwell Junction retail spine mean tenant demand is broad and durable.
- School-belt premium: catchment proximity to Camberwell Grammar, CGGS, MLC and Strathcona supports rents and resale.
- Heritage overlays cap new supply — the existing stock is effectively the supply, which protects long-run scarcity value.
Trade-offs
- Gross yield ~2.09% (houses) is among the lowest in metro Melbourne — this is a holding-cost play, not cashflow.
- 12-month capital growth -1.10% (houses) / -2.44% (units) per Your Investment Property May 2026 — recent prints are negative; entry timing matters.
- High median (~$2.6M) means a small buyer pool, longer hold periods and material stamp duty drag.
- Heritage controls limit value-add via subdivision or rebuild — you're buying the existing house, not the redevelopment optionality.
What's coming
Boroondara's 2025-26 Adopted Budget commits $8.90M over four years to a new Camberwell Junction Public Plaza (event stage, public toilets, precinct upgrade) and is part of a $27M+ four-year sporting-pavilion program that includes Hartwell South Reserve in Camberwell. The Junction precinct upgrade is the headline livability driver to watch over 2026-29.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: established inner-east heritage living with a 15-minute CBD train and elite-school access. For investors: a low-yield, scarcity-driven capital-growth play — not a cashflow one.
Population
?21,965
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-2.4%
3yr: +3.8% · 10yr: -0.6%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,457/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
43
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?10/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?2.7%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
4
2 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?13
9 long day, 2 OSHC
Parks & green space
?27
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?74
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 — Camberwell (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Camberwell (Vic.) suburb alone is ~21,965 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 20,073 to 22,052 over 24 years, averaging 0.4% per year.
Schools
5 in suburbSector
3 public · 2 private
Type
3 primary · 2 secondary
Total enrolment
2,966
Avg per school
593
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 0.2%Predominantly detached houses (60.7%), owner-occupied (71.7%).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
VIC 29%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
This suburb falls outside every bushfire polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
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. Source when available: Vicmap Planning — Bushfire Prone Area + Vicmap flood overlays.
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
13 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ3 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 3Residential | 28.0% | 2.12 km² |
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 26.9% | 2.04 km² |
| HCTZ2 | HCTZ2Other | 20.1% | 1.52 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 5.8% | 0.44 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 4.6% | 0.35 km² |
| HCTZ1 | HCTZ1Other | 4.2% | 0.32 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 3.8% | 0.29 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 2.0% | 0.15 km² |
| GRZ5 | General Residential Zone Schedule 5Residential | 1.5% | 0.12 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 1.2% | 0.09 km² |
| GRZ4 | General Residential Zone Schedule 4Residential | 0.8% | 0.06 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 0.6% | 0.04 km² |
| RGZ1 | Residential Growth Zone Schedule 1Residential | 0.5% | 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.