Mooroolbark
VICMooroolbark is a stable suburb in VIC with 23,059 residents.
- SAL code
- 21755
- SA2
- 211051281
- Population
- 23,059
- LGA
- Yarra Ranges
Mooroolbark, VIC had 23,059 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 2.0% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 37. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,000 a month. Around 78.0% 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 95.5% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 62 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
Mooroolbark, VIC at a glance
Mooroolbark sits ~31 km east of Melbourne CBD in Yarra Ranges Shire, at the foothills of the Dandenongs on the Lilydale rail line. The streetscape is mature post-war and 1970s detached housing on generous lots, mixed with newer infill near the rebuilt station. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market + lifestyle context.
For homebuyers
Mooroolbark suits people who want a green, settled outer-east lifestyle without going fully semi-rural. Most stock is 3- and 4-bedroom detached houses on standard or oversized blocks, with the Dandenong Ranges as a daily backdrop. Brice Avenue and Manchester Road form the local shopping spine (Coles, cafes, gyms, services), and Chirnside Park Shopping Centre is a few minutes drive; Stockland Lilydale and Eastland are within 10-15 minutes. The rebuilt Mooroolbark Station (Lilydale line, completed 2021 under LXRP, 595 car bays) anchors the commute. Schools include Bimbadeen Heights PS, Pembroke PS, Mooroolbark East PS, Rolling Hills PS, plus Mooroolbark College, Yarra Hills SC and the independent Billanook College. Red Earth Park, Esther Park and Hookey Park give kids and dogs room to roam. In short: a green, family-leaning suburb with the train, the Dandenongs, and three big shopping hubs all within easy reach.
For investors
Mooroolbark is a tight-supply, low-yield houses market. Median house price ~$890,000 with 12-month growth ~+2.4-2.6% (htag / Your Investment Property May 2026); units ~$701,000-$770,000 with growth ~+3.1-4.7%. Median weekly rent ~$551 (houses) for a gross yield ~2.91%; units ~$590/wk at ~4.56%. Days-on-market ~15 for houses, ~20 for units. ~308 house and ~77 unit sales in the past 12 months; vacancy ~1.4%.
Strengths
- Tight rental market — vacancy ~1.4% with stock-on-market just 0.21% / 0.64 months inventory (htag May 2026).
- Liquid resale — ~385 dwellings traded in the past 12 months, houses moving in ~15 days.
- Established Lilydale-line commute via the 2021-rebuilt station; three shopping hubs within 10 minutes.
- Unit segment delivers a more workable ~4.56% gross yield versus ~2.91% on houses (Your Investment Property May 2026).
Trade-offs
- House gross yield ~2.91% — cashflow-negative for most geared buyers at current rates.
- House growth has cooled to ~+2.4-2.6% YoY (htag May 2026), well below outer-west / north corridors.
- Limited stratified stock (only ~77 unit sales in 12 months) caps scaling into the higher-yield segment.
- Mooroolbark is one of Yarra Ranges' designated growth areas, so future infill near the activity centre could lift supply over time.
What's coming
Yarra Ranges' 2025/26 Budget commits $58m to capital works, including footpath upgrades on Windsor Park Rise and a $258k playspace renewal at Bimbadeen Reserve. The Mooroolbark Activity Centre Structure Plan (updated 2022) continues to guide a 10-15 year transformation of the Brice Avenue precinct following the 2021 level-crossing removal. The McDermott Avenue Reserve master plan is also progressing through community consultation.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a green, train-served outer-east suburb with strong everyday amenity. For investors: a tight, low-vacancy market where unit yields beat houses and capital growth is steady rather than fast.
Population
?23,059
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+2.0%
3yr: +3.5% · 10yr: +7.9%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,994/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
37
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?6/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?5.5%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
10
8 primary, 4 secondary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?20
5 long day, 7 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?62
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?63
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?53
Yarra Ranges · 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
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from VIC police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Mooroolbark (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Mooroolbark suburb alone is ~23,059 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 19,556 to 24,395 over 24 years, averaging 0.9% per year.
Schools
10 in suburbSector
7 public · 3 private
Type
6 primary · 2 secondary · 2 K-12
Total enrolment
4,760
Avg per school
476
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 1.0%Almost entirely detached houses (95.5%), owner-occupied (78.0%), built for families (50% 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
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRZ1 | Neighbourhood Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 59.7% | 7.46 km² |
| GWAZ1 | Green Wedge A Zone Schedule 1Rural | 11.8% | 1.48 km² |
| GRZ1 | General Residential Zone Schedule 1Residential | 7.2% | 0.90 km² |
| LDRZ | Low Density Residential ZoneResidential | 6.1% | 0.77 km² |
| PPRZ | Public Park and Recreation ZoneRecreation | 4.4% | 0.56 km² |
| PUZ2 | Public Use Zone Schedule 2Special use | 2.3% | 0.29 km² |
| TRZ3 | TRZ3Special use | 2.2% | 0.28 km² |
| SUZ7 | Special Use Zone Schedule 7Special use | 1.3% | 0.16 km² |
| PUZ1 | Public Use Zone Schedule 1Special use | 1.2% | 0.15 km² |
| TRZ2 | TRZ2Special use | 1.1% | 0.14 km² |
| PUZ6 | Public Use Zone Schedule 6Special use | 1.0% | 0.13 km² |
| TRZ1 | TRZ1Special use | 0.6% | 0.08 km² |
| C1Z | Commercial 1 ZoneBusiness | 0.6% | 0.07 km² |
| C2Z | Commercial 2 ZoneBusiness | 0.2% | 0.02 km² |
| PUZ3 | Public Use Zone Schedule 3Special use | 0.1% | 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.