VIC · Brimbank Council
Sydenham, 3037
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Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Excellent transport
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Sydenham is a well-connected established suburb in Brimbank with everyday amenities close at hand. The city and surrounding suburbs are both within comfortable reach, which keeps daily life flexible. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with plenty of young families in the mix. Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Green space is a real strength, with parks and playgrounds woven through the suburb.
Getting around the metro area is straightforward, with transport tying neighbouring communities together. Homes offer solid value for the lifestyle on offer.
On the desirability index, the suburb rates good overall, led by parks and green space and schools and education, while local dining and lifestyle amenities and growth momentum sit closer to the middle of the pack for similar metro suburbs.
Population
- Population
- 10,578
- Median age
- 37
- Median household income / week
- $1,813
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 173 of 3,636
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,680
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 327 / 1,157 / 66
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
- Total offences (2026)
- 544
- Against the person
- 97
- Against property
- 310
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 51.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 109 residents
- State safety percentile
- 48.5th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -15.9%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- B21 Criminal Damage39
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theft33
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehicle96
- B49 Other Theft72
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order76
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Year ending March release
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 1,028
- Catholic Regional College SydenhamSecondary
- Emmaus Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary
- Sydenham Primary SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
49 public transport stops in this suburb
- Bike & Ride 2
- Decision point 3
- Decision point 4
- Watergardens Station
- Watergardens Station
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).
7 planning-related records
2021· 3 proposals
September 2021
- Buildings & Works to an Education Centre and PPAR-Other buildings & wo BUILDINGS AND WORKS TO AN EXISTING EDUCATION CENTRE380 SYDENHAM ROAD SYDENHAM 3037Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2021
- Emmaus Catholic Primary School - Construction of a new middle school learning centre and works to an existing multi purpose building370 SYDENHAM ROAD SYDENHAM 3037Lapsed
March 2021
- Catholic Regional College St Albans - Construction of a double storey educational building and reduction in statutory bicycle parking requirement380 SYDENHAM ROAD SYDENHAM 3037Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
2020· 4 proposals
December 2020
- Multi Unit Residential Development and PPAR-Multi dwelling CONSTRUCTION OF FOUR (4) DOUBLE STOREY DWELLINGS59 VICTORIA ROAD SYDENHAM 3037Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Multi Unit Residential Development and PPAR-Multi dwelling CONSTRUCTION OF ADDITIONS (CARPORT) AND ALTERATIONS TO THE EXISTING DWELLING AND CONSTRUCTION OF ONE (1) DOUBLE STOREY DWELLING TO THE REAR64 STAGECOACH CRESCENT SYDENHAM 3037Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2020
- Multi Unit Residential Development and PPAR-Multi dwelling CONSTRUCTION OF TWO (2) DOUBLE STOREY DWELLINGS17-19 CHANDOS STREETPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
May 2020
- Multi Unit Residential Development and PPAR-Multi dwelling CONSTRUCTION OF FIFTY FOUR (54) DOUBLE STOREY DWELLINGS342 SYDENHAM ROADPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · Period: 2020–2022 · Updated on site · Public MapServer last updated Feb 2024 — applications through FY 2022–23 only; newer PPARS data requires council/API access
Parks & reserves
12 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Argyll Street ReservePark
- Delbridge Drive ReservePark
- Esplanade ReservePark
- Nottingham Way ReservePark
- Orchid Square ReservePark
- Overton Lea ReservePark
- Pioneer ParkPark
- Profita Avenue ReservePark
- Rose Hedge ReservePark
- Stagecoach ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 13
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- AM Dental Clinics SydenhamMelton Highwaydentist
- AlternativeMelton Highwayalternative
- Back In MotionMelton Highwayphysiotherapist
- Capital RadiologyMelton Highwayradiology
- Care Plus Pharmacypharmacy
- Community Hub Medical CentreMelton Highwayclinic
- Hobson Healthcare SydenhamMelton Highwayclinic
- My Smile DentalMelton Highwaydentist
- Sach Holistic WellnessMelton Highwayalternative
- Simply Orthodonticsdentist
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
9 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Goodstart Early Learning SydenhamCommunity Hubkindergarten
- Guardian Childcare Education SydenhamSydenham Roadkindergarten
- Inspira Kids Early Learning Centrekindergarten
- Kids Kingdom Learning Centrekindergarten
- Play N Learn Early Learning Centrekindergarten
- Smart Kinder ChildcareSalisbury Courtkindergarten
- Sydenham Central Early Learning KindersMelton Highwaykindergarten
- Sydenham Children's HubCommunity Hubkindergarten
- childcareSydenham Roadchildcare
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
Childcare centre count
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 16
- Parks (OSM)
- 16
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 61.4/100 — Good
- State standing
- Top 13% of Victoria's suburbs
- National rank
- 616th in Australia
- State rank
- 157th in VIC
- Peer rank
- #63 among Metro Melbourne · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #116 among Metro Melbourne suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- B21 Criminal Damagecrime39
- B41 Motor Vehicle Theftcrime33
- B42 Steal From A Motor Vehiclecrime96
- B49 Other Theftcrime72
- E21 Breach Family Violence Ordercrime76
- Goodstart Early Learning SydenhamchildcareCommunity Hubkindergarten
- Guardian Childcare Education SydenhamchildcareSydenham Roadkindergarten
- Inspira Kids Early Learning Centrechildcarekindergarten
- Kids Kingdom Learning Centrechildcarekindergarten
- Play N Learn Early Learning Centrechildcarekindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · Updated on site · Year ending March release
More in Brimbank Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.