Eltham (Vic.)
VICEltham (Vic.) is a declining suburb in VIC with 18,847 residents.
- SAL code
- 20865
- SA2
- 209031209
- Population
- 18,847
- LGA
- Nillumbik
Eltham (Vic.), VIC had 18,847 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 1.8% 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 $2,250 a month. Around 86.1% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 43.9%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 86.0% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 76 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
Eltham (Vic.), VIC at a glance
Eltham is an established outer north-eastern Melbourne suburb ~20 km from the CBD in the Shire of Nillumbik, sitting inside Melbourne's green-wedge belt. Housing skews older detached on bushy lots with mature tree canopy; medium-density infill is creeping in along the Hurstbridge rail corridor. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Eltham reads more bush-suburb than commuter cul-de-sac: tree-lined streets, walking and bike trails, and Montsalvat — Australia's longest-running artists' colony — anchor a distinct local identity. Most stock is detached weatherboard or brick on generous lots, with a smaller pocket of newer townhouses around the activity centre. Eltham station on the Hurstbridge line runs direct to the city (~45 min), and the Eltham Town Square sits a short walk away with cafes, a cinema, the library and a Coles/Woolworths pair. Diamond Creek and Greensborough Plaza are ~5-10 min by car; the Eastern Freeway via Fitzsimons Lane is the main car commute. Eltham High, Catholic Ladies' College and Eltham College carry strong local reputations. In short: a leafy, arts-flavoured pocket with genuine green-wedge character and a direct rail line into the CBD.
For investors
Eltham is a capital-city houses market with thin yield. Median house $1,250,000 against $710/wk rent gives ~2.96% gross yield; units sit at $865,000 / $660/wk for ~4.06% (Your Investment Property + htag.com.au, 2026). House growth was a slim +0.97% over the past 12 months, but units ran +9.49% on a smaller base. 200 house sales and 74 unit sales in the past 12 months; days-on-market ~26 (houses) and ~26 (units); vacancy ~1.9% across the 3095 postcode.
Strengths
- Direct Hurstbridge-line rail to the CBD plus an established Eltham Town Square — durable amenity moat for owner-occupier demand.
- Unit segment doing the heavy lifting: +9.49% YoY price growth and ~4.06% gross yield (htag/YIP 2026) — the value-add lane for this market.
- Reasonable transaction depth for an outer-suburb market (~274 combined sales in 12 months) — easier entry/exit than a thinner pocket.
- Green-wedge planning controls cap broadscale sprawl, supporting long-run scarcity of detached stock.
Trade-offs
- House yields ~2.96% sit well below the Melbourne metro median — negative-gearing territory, not cashflow.
- House capital growth flat at +0.97% over 12 months — the Eltham 'house' premium has stalled while units re-rated.
- Days-on-market ~26 is double the tightest Perth comparators — leasing and resale turnover are slower than headline metro markets.
- Fitzsimons Lane / Main Road corridor works run through to mid-2027 — short-term commute and access disruption around the Eltham Activity Centre.
What's coming
Nillumbik Shire's 2025/26 capital works program is deliberately moderated, prioritising asset renewals. The Eltham Urban Congestion Fund project continues to roll out pedestrian and traffic improvements around the Activity Centre, and the federal-state Fitzsimons Lane and Main Road corridor upgrade is in delivery through to mid-2027 — easier commuting once it lands, disruption until then.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a leafy, arts-flavoured suburb with a direct CBD train and genuine green-wedge character. For investors: a low-yield houses market where the unit segment is doing the work.
Population
?18,847
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-1.8%
3yr: +0.7% · 10yr: -0.8%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,391/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
43
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?10/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?2.0%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
5
3 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?15
6 long day, 4 OSHC
Parks & green space
?76
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?55
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?10
Nillumbik · Feb 2026
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 — Eltham (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Eltham (Vic.) suburb alone is ~18,847 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 24,279 to 23,669 over 24 years, averaging -0.1% per year.
Schools
5 in suburbSector
3 public · 2 private
Type
3 primary · 2 secondary
Total enrolment
3,651
Avg per school
730
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 (86%), owner-occupied (86.1%), built for families (42% are 3 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
19 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 23.5% | 3.89 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 19.5% | 3.23 km² |
| LDRZ | Low Density Residential ZoneResidential | 15.4% | 2.56 km² |
| RCZ3 | Rural Conservation Zone Schedule 3Rural | 14.3% | 2.38 km² |
| PCRZ | Public Conservation and Resource ZoneEnvironmental | 8.7% | 1.45 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 7.5% | 1.24 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 1.8% | 0.30 km² |
| ACZ1 | Activity Centre Zone Schedule 1Business | 1.7% | 0.29 km² |
| IN3Z | Industrial 3 ZoneIndustrial | 1.4% | 0.23 km² |
| UFZ | Urban Floodway ZoneWaterway | 1.3% | 0.21 km² |
| RCZ4 | Rural Conservation Zone Schedule 4Rural | 1.0% | 0.16 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.8% | 0.13 km² |
| MUZ | Mixed Use ZoneResidential | 0.8% | 0.13 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 0.7% | 0.11 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 0.6% | 0.10 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 0.4% | 0.06 km² |
| PUZ5 | Public Use Zone Schedule 5Special use | 0.3% | 0.04 km² |
| NRZ3 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 3Residential | 0.2% | 0.03 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 0.2% | 0.03 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.