Hillside (Melton - Vic.)
VICHillside (Melton - Vic.) is a declining suburb in VIC with 17,331 residents.
- SAL code
- 21193
- SA2
- 213041575
- Population
- 17,331
- LGA
- Melton
Hillside (Melton - Vic.), VIC had 17,331 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 2.0% decline over the last five years. The predominant age group is 45-54 years, and the median age sits at 36. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,900 a month. Around 83.3% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 52.4%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 88.1% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 32 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
Hillside (Melton - Vic.), VIC at a glance
Hillside is an established residential suburb ~24 km north-west of Melbourne CBD in the City of Melton, bordering Sydenham and Taylors Hill. Streetscapes are mostly modern brick-and-tile family homes from the 1990s-2000s on standard lots, well treed, with Kororoit Creek reserves running through the suburb. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council context.
For homebuyers
Hillside suits buyers who want a settled outer-NW suburb with parks on the doorstep and the Watergardens hub a short drive away. Housing is dominated by 3- and 4-bedroom detached homes from the 1990s-2000s, most on ~500-650m² lots, with the Kororoit Creek corridor and a string of local reserves anchoring outdoor recreation. Banchory Grove (Woolworths-anchored) handles day-to-day shopping; Watergardens Town Centre in Taylors Lakes (~5 min) covers the larger run with ~197 shops. There's no station in Hillside itself — Watergardens (Sunbury line) is the closest at ~10 min by car, with bus routes 460 and 463 feeding in. Primary schools include Sydenham-Hillside PS, Parkwood Green PS and Cana Catholic; secondary students are zoned to Springside West Secondary College or Copperfield College. In short: a practical, family-oriented suburb with park access and Watergardens within easy reach, but reliant on cars and feeder buses for rail.
For investors
Hillside is a capital-growth-leaning house market with modest yields. Median house ~$818,750 against $530/wk rent gives a gross yield of ~3.33%; units sit nearer 4.22% on $465/wk rent (htag.com.au May 2026). 12-month house growth ~+4.97%. Around 187 house sales in the past 12 months, days-on-market ~24-30, and inventory ~0.7 months — a tight, low-turnover market. Vacancy ~2.04% (neutral band).
Strengths
- Tight inventory (~0.7 months) and 24-30 day DOM signal a well-held, supply-constrained market.
- Steady capital growth (~+4.97% YoY houses) without speculative pricing.
- Established stock and dominant owner-occupier base support neighbourhood stability and tenant quality.
- Watergardens Town Centre + Sunbury-line rail within 10 minutes by car broadens tenant pool.
Trade-offs
- Gross house yield ~3.33% (htag May 2026) is below most outer-Melbourne benchmarks — not a cashflow play.
- No rail station inside the suburb — commuters depend on bus 460/463 to Watergardens or driving.
- Low turnover (~187 house sales/yr) limits entry windows and comparable sales evidence.
- Limited dwelling diversity (mostly detached houses) restricts value-add or multi-unit strategies.
What's coming
Melton City Council's 2025/26 Budget delivers a record $225.8M capital works program — $32.9M roads, $54.6M recreation/community facilities, $12.3M parks and streetscapes. Headline projects include the $45.3M Cobblebank Community Services Hub (completion late 2026) and the $27.8M Plumpton Aquatic and Leisure Centre (commencing construction). Most spend lands further west of Hillside but lifts the LGA's amenity baseline.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a settled, park-rich family suburb with Watergardens nearby and reliable schools. For investors: a slow-and-steady growth play with tight stock — not a yield story.
Population
?17,331
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
-2.0%
3yr: -0.3% · 10yr: -2.0%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,190/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
36
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?7/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.6%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
No data for this suburb
Parks & green space
?32
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?40
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?434
Melton · Feb 2026
Median House Sale Price
Source: Valuer-General Victoria (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments
Population over time — Hillside (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Hillside (Melton - Vic.) suburb alone is ~17,331 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 8,166 to 16,173 over 24 years, averaging 2.9% per year.
Schools
2 in suburbSector
1 public · 1 private
Type
2 primary
Total enrolment
999
Avg per school
500
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 0.1%Almost entirely detached houses (88.1%), owner-occupied (83.3%), built for families (47% 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
10 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 59.1% | 4.85 km² |
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 25.0% | 2.05 km² |
| GWZ | Green Wedge ZoneRural | 8.9% | 0.73 km² |
| UFZ | Urban Floodway ZoneWaterway | 2.5% | 0.20 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 2.1% | 0.17 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 0.7% | 0.06 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.7% | 0.06 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 0.4% | 0.03 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 0.4% | 0.03 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.2% | 0.02 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.