Ferny Creek vs Sherbrooke

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Ferny Creek: a median of $1.19 million, against $980,000 in Sherbrooke, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Sherbrooke tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Ferny Creek carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 62/100)
  • Sherbrooke has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Sherbrooke

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($980,000 vs $1,185,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sherbrooke

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($355/wk vs $400/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Ferny Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (47.4 km vs 49.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Ferny Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 62/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Sherbrooke

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.9% vs 0.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Ferny Creek and Sherbrooke drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Walkability 36 / 29
Ferny Creek — Walkability: 36/100 Sherbrooke — Walkability: 29/100
Safety 73 / 38
Ferny Creek — Safety: 73/100 Sherbrooke — Safety: 38/100
Low fire risk 17 / 80
Ferny Creek — Low fire risk: 17/100 Sherbrooke — Low fire risk: 80/100
Low flood risk 100 / 70
Ferny Creek — Low flood risk: 100/100 Sherbrooke — Low flood risk: 70/100

Demographics

Ferny Creek has more residents (1,524 vs 294); Ferny Creek rents higher ($400/wk vs $355/wk).

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Population 1,524
+81% vs other
 294
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.4% +10.9%
Median age 45 47
Median household income $124,436/yr $125,216/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+11% vs other
 $355/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
0-4 5.0% / 4.4%
Ferny Creek — 0-4: 5.0% Sherbrooke — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 12.4% / 13.9%
Ferny Creek — 5-14: 12.4% Sherbrooke — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 6.4% / 6.5%
Ferny Creek — 15-19: 6.4% Sherbrooke — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 5.4% / 3.4%
Ferny Creek — 20-24: 5.4% Sherbrooke — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 7.3% / 9.2%
Ferny Creek — 25-34: 7.3% Sherbrooke — 25-34: 9.2%
35-44 12.3% / 6.1%
Ferny Creek — 35-44: 12.3% Sherbrooke — 35-44: 6.1%
45-54 17.1% / 16.0%
Ferny Creek — 45-54: 17.1% Sherbrooke — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 15.8% / 15.3%
Ferny Creek — 55-64: 15.8% Sherbrooke — 55-64: 15.3%
65-74 11.4% / 12.6%
Ferny Creek — 65-74: 11.4% Sherbrooke — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 5.0% / 6.8%
Ferny Creek — 75-84: 5.0% Sherbrooke — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 1.0% / 1.0%
Ferny Creek — 85+: 1.0% Sherbrooke — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Ferny Creek 60.6% couple families
Ferny Creek — Couple Families: 60.6% Ferny Creek — Lone Person: 28.4% Ferny Creek — One Parent Families: 8.5% Ferny Creek — Group Household: 1.4% Ferny Creek — Other Families: 1.1%
Sherbrooke 58.2% couple families
Sherbrooke — Couple Families: 58.2% Sherbrooke — Lone Person: 28.4% Sherbrooke — One Parent Families: 9.0% Sherbrooke — Group Household: 4.5% Sherbrooke — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Ferny Creek 5.8% renting
Ferny Creek — Owned Outright: 37.2% Ferny Creek — Mortgage: 57.0% Ferny Creek — Renting: 5.8%
Sherbrooke 8.7% renting
Sherbrooke — Owned Outright: 46.2% Sherbrooke — Mortgage: 45.2% Sherbrooke — Renting: 8.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Bachelor Degree 19.6% / 17.7%
Ferny Creek — Bachelor Degree: 19.6% Sherbrooke — Bachelor Degree: 17.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.9% / 13.3%
Ferny Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9% Sherbrooke — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.3%
Certificate III & IV 11.5% / 9.5%
Ferny Creek — Certificate III & IV: 11.5% Sherbrooke — Certificate III & IV: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 7.9% / 11.9%
Ferny Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 7.9% Sherbrooke — Postgraduate Degree: 11.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.2% / 4.4%
Ferny Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2% Sherbrooke — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
England 5.8% / 5.4%
Ferny Creek — England: 5.8% Sherbrooke — England: 5.4%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.7%
Ferny Creek — New Zealand: 1.7% Sherbrooke — New Zealand: 1.7%
Germany 1.0% / 1.7%
Ferny Creek — Germany: 1.0% Sherbrooke — Germany: 1.7%
South Africa 0.4% / 1.4%
Ferny Creek — South Africa: 0.4% Sherbrooke — South Africa: 1.4%
Indonesia — / 1.4%
Ferny Creek — Indonesia: not among its largest Sherbrooke — Indonesia: 1.4%
Scotland 0.9% / —
Ferny Creek — Scotland: 0.9% Sherbrooke — Scotland: not among its largest
Malaysia 0.7% / —
Ferny Creek — Malaysia: 0.7% Sherbrooke — Malaysia: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Ferny Creek 99.8% houses
Ferny Creek — Houses: 99.8% Ferny Creek — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Sherbrooke 100.0% houses
Sherbrooke — Houses: 100.0% Sherbrooke — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Median house price $1,185,000 $980,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $970,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 12 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Ferny Creek has more rural and farming land (55% vs 11%).

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Parks and recreation 40% 84%
Rural and farming 55% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 3%
Other and special use 0% 3%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
New dwellings approved 416
across Yarra Ranges
same for both
Approvals change year on year -57%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Houses 5.7%
$1,200/wk on $1.1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
House price Higher than 83% of VIC —
Income Higher than 93% of VIC
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 36% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 91% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 100% of VIC —

Liveability

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Grade A —
Score 70/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sherbrooke carries more flood risk (30 vs 0); Ferny Creek carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 20).

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Bushfire High
83/100
 Low
20/100
Crime Low
27/100
 Moderate
62/100
Flood None
0/100
 Low
30/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Ferny Creek

  • Ferny Creek Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Sherbrooke

  • Kallista Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Cafes & restaurants 1 2
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 1 0
Waterways 7 11

Mobility

Sherbrooke sits further from the CBD (49.9 km vs 47.4 km).

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Walkability score 36/100 29/100
Distance to Melbourne 47.4 km 49.9 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 54 min 57 min
Public transport score 72/100
Bus
 34/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 25.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 28 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.6%
postcode 3786
 1.7%
postcode 3789
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 34
postcode 3786
 20
postcode 3789

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Car (driver) 53.7% / 58.7%
Ferny Creek — Car (driver): 53.7% Sherbrooke — Car (driver): 58.7%
Worked from Home 40.0% / 33.9%
Ferny Creek — Worked from Home: 40.0% Sherbrooke — Worked from Home: 33.9%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 5.0%
Ferny Creek — Car (passenger): 3.3% Sherbrooke — Car (passenger): 5.0%
Walked Only 1.0% / 2.5%
Ferny Creek — Walked Only: 1.0% Sherbrooke — Walked Only: 2.5%
Bus 1.1% / —
Ferny Creek — Bus: 1.1% Sherbrooke — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (58.7%).

Setting

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Elevation 551 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 490 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 26.4 km 27.4 km

NBN connectivity

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Connectivity score 81/100 96/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 60%
656 premises
 80%
137 premises

Climate

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Average residential rate $2,161/yr
same for both
Council Yarra Ranges
same for both

Federal electorate

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Division Casey
same for both
Member Aaron Violi
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Ferny Creek Sherbrooke
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Ferny Creek

Acreage Outer Professionals

Sherbrooke

Acreage Outer Professionals Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Ferny Creek

Ferny Creek vs Upwey Ferny Creek vs The Basin Ferny Creek vs Tecoma Ferny Creek vs Sassafras Ferny Creek vs Tremont

Other comparisons with Sherbrooke

Sherbrooke vs Belgrave Sherbrooke vs Tecoma Sherbrooke vs Olinda Sherbrooke vs Selby Sherbrooke vs Kallista Sherbrooke vs Sassafras
Full data on Ferny Creek Full data on Sherbrooke
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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