Regional snapshot
Melbourne’s West covers 1369 square kilometres and comprises the local government areas of Brimbank, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Moonee Valley, Hobsons Bay and Wyndham.
As the fastest growing region in Melbourne, the West has:
- a population of just over 819,000 (around 20% of the population of metropolitan Melbourne)
- the fastest growing workforce of all Melbourne regions, averaging 3.6 per cent per year over the last five years
- 20 per cent of Melbourne’s population and an increase of 296,000 since 1991
- steady growth in all age groups, with fastest growth in the child-bearing 30 to 54 years group
- unemployment consistently above the Melbourne average; official unemployment is 30,700, but with excess disability added the unemployed number is around 39,000
- over 381,000 residents not in the labour force
- an average per capita disposable income of $29,800; the local government areas have a $13,000 spread from highest per capita disposable income to lowest
- the highest proportion of income coming from government benefits when compared with other Melbourne regions
- 79,000 people receiving some form of Commonwealth assistance (excluding age pensions), indicating that just under 10 per cent of the population is financially vulnerable
- over 36% of the population born overseas
- 21.3% of the population with a bachelor degree or higher qualification
- 399,000 employed people or 48 per cent of the total population – less than Melbourne’s average of 51 per cent
- large employing industry sectors, which are construction (33,377), manufacturing (33,940), retail (32,691), health and community services (27,892), and transport, postal and warehousing (24,034)
Major issues for the region are:
- improving educational outcomes and increasing resident skill levels
- planning for unprecedented population growth in the outer areas of the region
- improving transport infrastructure to cope with future demands
- growing regional employment and business capacity
- improving economic, social and health outcomes for residents
