Docklands
VICDocklands is a growing suburb in VIC with 15,495 residents.
- SAL code
- 20766
- SA2
- 206041118
- Population
- 15,495
- LGA
- Melbourne
Docklands, VIC had 15,495 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 14.8% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 32. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,000 a month. Around 30.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 67.1%. Most dwellings are flats or apartments, making up 98.0% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 21 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
Docklands, VIC at a glance
Docklands is a purpose-built waterfront precinct ~2 km west of Melbourne's CBD, in the City of Melbourne. The skyline is almost entirely high-density apartment towers ringing Victoria Harbour, with Marvel Stadium, NewQuay and The District anchoring the entertainment side. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Docklands is apartment living at its most urban — almost no houses, a wall of mid- and high-rise around Victoria Harbour, and the CBD a 10-minute walk or one tram stop away. The whole suburb sits inside the Free Tram Zone, with routes 11, 48, 70, 75 and 86 looping through; Southern Cross Station is on the eastern edge for regional + Metro trains. NewQuay's promenade carries the cafes and bars; The District Docklands handles cinema, gym, Costco and weekend markets; Marvel Stadium pulls AFL crowds 20-plus weekends a year. Library at The Dock and the Community Hub at The Dock anchor the civic side, and Docklands Primary School (opened 2021) now serves close to 400 students. Green space is limited to Docklands Park and the harbour edge — this is a walkable, water-facing precinct, not a backyard suburb. In short: a CBD-adjacent waterfront apartment lifestyle with strong amenity and transport, but make peace with high-rise density and event-night noise.
For investors
Docklands is a unit-only, yield-focused inner-city play. Median unit sale ~$609,888 against ~$680/week rent gives a ~6.04% gross yield (propertyvalue.com.au / Your Investment Property May 2026). 12-month unit growth +6.02% but quarterly -0.63% — a market that has lifted off a low base but is still wobbling. Around 440 units sold in the past 12 months; days-on-market sits at ~49. Greater Melbourne vacancy is ~1.5-2.0% (early 2026), but Docklands historically runs looser than the metro median.
Strengths
- Solid gross yield (~6.0% on units) — among the higher cashflow plays in inner Melbourne.
- Deep, liquid market — ~440 unit sales in 12 months and 10% of all Inner-City apartment turnover in 2025 (Urban Property Australia Q4 2025).
- CBD-walkable + Free Tram Zone + Southern Cross access — tenant pool spans CBD professionals, students and event/hospitality workers.
- Entry price ~$610K opens up inner-Melbourne exposure well below the metro house median.
Trade-offs
- Capital growth has lagged — some unit values still ~5% below 2020 peaks (Urban Property Australia 2025); recent quarter -0.63%.
- Persistent supply pressure: 51% of all Inner-City apartments currently under construction are in Docklands (Urban Property Australia Q4 2025), much of it build-to-rent that competes for the same tenant pool.
- Days-on-market ~49 (propertyvalue.com.au) — slow vendor exits compared with established metro suburbs.
- Owners-corp fees on high-rise stock can be heavy — net yield is materially lower than the 6% gross headline.
What's coming
City of Melbourne's $300M Greenline Project is delivering a 4 km Yarra-Birrarung promenade between Birrarung Marr and the Bolte Bridge; Birrarung Marr Site 1 was completed Dec 2025, and the Docklands end at Collins Wharf is being delivered with Lendlease, plus the North Wharf maritime precinct with Riverlee's Seafarers development. Build-to-rent supply continues to land via Development Victoria's Docklands precinct.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a CBD-edge waterfront apartment lifestyle with strong amenity but limited green space. For investors: a yield + liquidity play with real supply and growth headwinds — cashflow over capital gain.
Population
?15,495
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+14.8%
3yr: +16.7% · 10yr: +83.3%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,957/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
32
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?7/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?2.3%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?6
3 long day, 1 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?21
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?44
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?696
Melbourne · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on rental bond lodgements recorded by the state government.
Median House Sale Price
No data for this suburb
VGV suppresses suburbs with too few sales per quarter
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Docklands (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Docklands suburb alone is ~15,495 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 154 to 19,139 over 24 years, averaging 22.3% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbSector
1 public
Type
1 primary
Total enrolment
606
Avg per school
606
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 0.6%Almost entirely apartments (98%), rental-heavy (67.1% renting), built for families (55% are 2 bed).
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
16 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| DZ7 | DZ7Business | 17.8% | 0.56 km² |
| PZ | PZOther | 16.2% | 0.51 km² |
| DZ6 | DZ6Business | 15.7% | 0.50 km² |
| DZ2 | DZ2Business | 10.8% | 0.34 km² |
| CCZ1 | CCZ1Business | 7.7% | 0.24 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 6.5% | 0.21 km² |
| DZ3 | DZ3Business | 6.1% | 0.19 km² |
| DZ1 | DZ1Business | 5.2% | 0.16 km² |
| DZ4 | DZ4Business | 4.3% | 0.14 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 3.1% | 0.10 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 1.8% | 0.06 km² |
| DZ5 | DZ5Business | 1.7% | 0.05 km² |
| CCZ4 | CCZ4Business | 1.7% | 0.05 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 0.8% | 0.02 km² |
| SUZ4 | Special Use Zone Schedule 4Special use | 0.5% | 0.02 km² |
| SUZ6 | Special Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.2% | 5,780 m² |
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.