Kangaroo Ground vs Watsons Creek

Watsons Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 44 in Kangaroo Ground. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kangaroo Ground, most households are couple families. In Watsons Creek, about half of households are couple families. Kangaroo Ground is closer to the city centre: 34 km, against 38.6 km. On these figures, Kangaroo Ground tends to suit couples, while Watsons Creek suits families with children.

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

Kangaroo Ground

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 93/100)

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

First-home buyers

Watsons Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (18% vs 26%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Kangaroo Ground

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($383/wk vs $542/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Kangaroo Ground

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 10/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (34 km vs 38.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (46 min vs 52 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kangaroo Ground

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (21/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 9%)
  • carries lower crime risk (56/100 vs 93/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
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.

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Walkability 21 / 10
Kangaroo Ground — Walkability: 21/100 Watsons Creek — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 44 / 7
Kangaroo Ground — Safety: 44/100 Watsons Creek — Safety: 7/100
Low fire risk 14 / 3
Kangaroo Ground — Low fire risk: 14/100 Watsons Creek — Low fire risk: 3/100
Low flood risk 68 / 100
Kangaroo Ground — Low flood risk: 68/100 Watsons Creek — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kangaroo Ground has more residents (1,208 vs 58); Watsons Creek rents higher ($542/wk vs $383/wk).

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Population 1,208
+95% vs other
 58
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.3% +13.7%
Median age 44 35
Median household income $151,268/yr $195,000/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $383/wk $542/wk
+42% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
0-4 3.5% / 8.6%
Kangaroo Ground — 0-4: 3.5% Watsons Creek — 0-4: 8.6%
5-14 13.4% / 13.8%
Kangaroo Ground — 5-14: 13.4% Watsons Creek — 5-14: 13.8%
15-19 10.2% / —
Kangaroo Ground — 15-19: 10.2% Watsons Creek — 15-19: not among its largest
20-24 6.5% / 6.9%
Kangaroo Ground — 20-24: 6.5% Watsons Creek — 20-24: 6.9%
25-34 7.0% / 12.1%
Kangaroo Ground — 25-34: 7.0% Watsons Creek — 25-34: 12.1%
35-44 10.2% / 13.8%
Kangaroo Ground — 35-44: 10.2% Watsons Creek — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 16.3% / 17.2%
Kangaroo Ground — 45-54: 16.3% Watsons Creek — 45-54: 17.2%
55-64 15.9% / 17.2%
Kangaroo Ground — 55-64: 15.9% Watsons Creek — 55-64: 17.2%
65-74 10.5% / 8.6%
Kangaroo Ground — 65-74: 10.5% Watsons Creek — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 5.5% / —
Kangaroo Ground — 75-84: 5.5% Watsons Creek — 75-84: not among its largest
85+ 0.9% / —
Kangaroo Ground — 85+: 0.9% Watsons Creek — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kangaroo Ground 67.7% couple families
Kangaroo Ground — Couple Families: 67.7% Kangaroo Ground — Lone Person: 18.8% Kangaroo Ground — One Parent Families: 10.9% Kangaroo Ground — Group Household: 2.6%
Watsons Creek 50.0% couple families
Watsons Creek — Couple Families: 50.0% Watsons Creek — Lone Person: 25.0% Watsons Creek — One Parent Families: 25.0% Watsons Creek — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kangaroo Ground 7.0% renting
Kangaroo Ground — Owned Outright: 46.3% Kangaroo Ground — Mortgage: 46.6% Kangaroo Ground — Renting: 7.0%
Watsons Creek 0.0% renting
Watsons Creek — Owned Outright: 38.5% Watsons Creek — Mortgage: 61.5% Watsons Creek — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
England 4.1% / 8.6%
Kangaroo Ground — England: 4.1% Watsons Creek — England: 8.6%
China 0.7% / —
Kangaroo Ground — China: 0.7% Watsons Creek — China: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.7% / —
Kangaroo Ground — New Zealand: 0.7% Watsons Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest
Italy 0.7% / —
Kangaroo Ground — Italy: 0.7% Watsons Creek — Italy: not among its largest
South Africa 0.7% / —
Kangaroo Ground — South Africa: 0.7% Watsons Creek — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.6%).

Qualifications

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

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Bachelor Degree 19.5% / 19.0%
Kangaroo Ground — Bachelor Degree: 19.5% Watsons Creek — Bachelor Degree: 19.0%
Certificate III & IV 10.8% / 13.8%
Kangaroo Ground — Certificate III & IV: 10.8% Watsons Creek — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Postgraduate Degree 8.2% / 5.2%
Kangaroo Ground — Postgraduate Degree: 8.2% Watsons Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 5.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 5.2%
Kangaroo Ground — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% Watsons Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / —
Kangaroo Ground — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Watsons Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kangaroo Ground 100.0% houses
Kangaroo Ground — Houses: 100.0%
Watsons Creek 100.0% houses
Watsons Creek — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Median house price $1,970,000 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Environmental 92% 88%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 6%
Parks and recreation 4% 6%
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

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
New dwellings approved 98
across Nillumbik
same for both
Approvals change year on year +8%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 99% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of VIC Higher than 70% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 89% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of VIC Higher than 34% of VIC

Liveability

Kangaroo Ground is more walkable (21 vs 10).

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Grade B —
Score 55/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Kangaroo Ground carries more flood risk (32 vs 0); Watsons Creek carries more crime risk (93 vs 56).

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Bushfire High
86/100
 High
97/100
Crime Moderate
56/100
 High
93/100
Flood Low
32/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kangaroo Ground

  • Kangaroo Ground Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Watsons Creek

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Cafes & restaurants 4 1
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 4 1

Mobility

Watsons Creek sits further from the CBD (38.6 km vs 34 km).

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Walkability score 21/100 10/100
Distance to Melbourne 34 km 38.6 km
+14% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 46 min 52 min
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 3097
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 3097
same for both

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.

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Car (driver) 47.9% / 70.4%
Kangaroo Ground — Car (driver): 47.9% Watsons Creek — Car (driver): 70.4%
Worked from Home 42.3% / 29.6%
Kangaroo Ground — Worked from Home: 42.3% Watsons Creek — Worked from Home: 29.6%
Walked Only 4.5% / —
Kangaroo Ground — Walked Only: 4.5% Watsons Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 3.2% / —
Kangaroo Ground — Car (passenger): 3.2% Watsons Creek — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Train 1.5% / —
Kangaroo Ground — Train: 1.5% Watsons Creek — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (70.4%).

Setting

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Elevation 197 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 112 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 29.9 km 33.9 km

NBN connectivity

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Connectivity score 32/100 28/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 2%
381 premises
 0%
19 premises

Climate

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
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)

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Average residential rate $2,696/yr
same for both
Council Nillumbik
same for both

Federal electorate

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Division Jagajaga Casey
Member Kate Thwaites Aaron Violi
Party Australian Labor Party Liberal

First Home Owner Grant

Kangaroo Ground Watsons Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kangaroo Ground

Acreage Outer Premium Quiet

Watsons Creek

Family Outer Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kangaroo Ground

Kangaroo Ground vs Wonga Park Kangaroo Ground vs Hurstbridge Kangaroo Ground vs North Warrandyte Kangaroo Ground vs Research Kangaroo Ground vs Wattle Glen Kangaroo Ground vs Panton Hill

Other comparisons with Watsons Creek

Watsons Creek vs Panton Hill Watsons Creek vs Christmas Hills
Full data on Kangaroo Ground Full data on Watsons Creek
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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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