Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Located in Victoria, Ferntree Gully sits 38 km from Melbourne CBD, around 40 minutes by car. The suburb has 27,398 residents, a median age of 40, and a median household income of $92,040 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 40% nationally. The suburb grew 3.7% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $386 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,918. Ferntree Gully is characterised by high bushfire risk and high crime risk. Of 11 schools within the suburb boundary, 4 rank above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Ferntree Gully a good suburb?
Ferntree Gully scores a B (55/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools, transit, and community, weaker on safety.
Above the state average
11 schools · 4 above peer schools · Top 23% in VIC
Very walkable
Walkability 91/100 · 38.1 km · 40 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $933K
High bushfire risk
Fire 71/100 · Crime 64/100 · Flood 46/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 40 · 27,398 residents
Liveability Rating
55 / 100 · Ranked #363 in VICEach bar is Ferntree Gully's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Ferntree Gully?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
55 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataFerntree Gully's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $933,000, about 4% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$933,000
16% below its 5 neighbours (median $1,115,000)
Based on 453 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 23 days — median across 287 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 23 sales $769K
- 3 bed 244 sales $880K
- 4 bed 151 sales $1.03M
- 5 bed 23 sales $1.17M
- 6 bed 6 sales $1.18M
Units
$685,000
4% above its 4 neighbours (median $659,000)
Based on 149 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 22 days — median across 92 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 71 sales $622K
- 3 bed 67 sales $737K
- 4 bed 6 sales $845K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Ferntree Gully are currently listed at around $892,000 on average. Based on 148 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$892K
148 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$682K
38 units listed in the last 6 months.
186 of the suburb's 10,280 dwellings (1.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Ferntree Gully rent for around $660 a week on average, based on 95 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$660/wk
In line with its 3 neighbours (median $650/wk)
95 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$572/wk
20 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
115 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,231 rented homes (5.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025111 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 27% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3156.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$660/week ($34,000 a year) on a $892,000 median
$572/week ($30,000 a year) on a $682,000 median
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
17 active Airbnb listings: 12 whole homes and 5 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.1% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Ferntree Gully safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Ferntree Gully sits in the moderate band, with 1,437 incidents recorded in 2026 — up about 6% on the prior year.
1,437 offences
6.4% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202564 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Eleven schools serve Ferntree Gully, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Fairhills High School and Heritage College Knox lead the pack.
- • 3,289 students across 11 schools (avg 299)
- • Sectors: 7 Government, 2 Independent, 2 Catholic
- • ICSEA 994-1075, median 1031 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: St Joseph's College (991 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Ferntree Gully is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 91/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 8 supermarkets, 27 parks and 35 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Ferntree Gully.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 462.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 345.2 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 183.5 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.5 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 9 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Ferntree Gully.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 11%
- Premises covered
- 12,673
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Knox: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 63 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Ferntree Gully is home to about 27,400 residents, with a median age of 40, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $92,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
27,398
Median Age
40
Median Household Income
$92,040/yr
Census Median Rent
$386/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,918/mo
Avg Household Size
2.6
Median Personal Income
$41,132/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
4.6%
Total Dwellings
10,280
Owner-Occupier Rate
78.3%
Houses
88.0%
Rental Stress
21.8%
Mortgage Stress
25.0%
Work From Home
26.6%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
197 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 95 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 2,176 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 71.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 78.0%
- Employment Rate
- 61.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 46.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
687 residents (2.5%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 25,768 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
9% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (1,220 of 13,971).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 6,679 people work here; 13,971 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.5 jobs per working resident. At least 52% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,732 a year through Knox based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 72%
- Infrastructure and transport 11%
- Parks and recreation 5%
- Other and special use 4%
- Commercial 4%
- Industrial 3%
- Rural and farming 1%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Knox
In the year to August 2026, 577 new dwellings were approved across Knox. That mix is 344 houses and 233 units. Approvals are down 13.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 624 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 16 homes
- Projects firmly planned 450 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 10 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 148 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
This station does not measure fine particles (PM2.5).
PM10 averaged 15.5 µg/m³. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 2.
From the Mooroolbark monitoring station, 12.9 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Scoresby Research Institute, 2.6 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 108 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 22.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 777 mm
- 105 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.9°C
- 10 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.3°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
7 facilities within 5 km- 3.4 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.5 kmConfectionery ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.9 kmHuman Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Mercury & compounds
- 4.2 km
- 4.5 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 3156, 365 of 31,344 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.7% (841 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3156, 5,394 rooftop-solar systems totalling 32.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 14,451 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 339 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3156 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 326, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
12 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 15 across postcode 3156.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $933,000 this is $183,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Mary Doyle Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Mary Doyle | 53.4% | 46.6% | +6.0 |
| 2022 | Alan Tudge | 47.2% | 52.8% | -7.3 |
| 2019 | Alan Tudge | 39.9% | 60.1% | +2.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Jackson Taylor Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jackson Taylor ALP | 54.2% | 54.2% | 45.8% |
| 2018 | Jackson Taylor ALP | 50.4% | 50.4% | 49.6% |
| 2014 | Heidi Victoria LP | 51.2% | 45.4% | 54.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Ferntree Gully?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 27,398 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Melbourne There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Melbourne suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Rowville VIC 3178
Boronia VIC 3155
Knoxfield VIC 3180
Lysterfield VIC 3156
Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156
Tremont VIC 3785
Compare Ferntree Gully to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Ferntree Gully
Is Ferntree Gully a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Ferntree Gully is moderate (64/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Ferntree Gully?
Ferntree Gully has a high recorded bushfire history (71/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (46/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Ferntree Gully a good place to live?
Ferntree Gully has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (55/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Ferntree Gully?
Ferntree Gully, VIC had a population of 27,398 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Ferntree Gully, VIC?
The postcode for Ferntree Gully, VIC is 3156.
How far is Ferntree Gully from Melbourne?
Ferntree Gully is 38 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 40 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Ferntree Gully?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Ferntree Gully was $92,040 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Ferntree Gully?
The median advertised rent in Ferntree Gully is $660 a week for houses (95 listings) and $572 a week for units (20 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Ferntree Gully?
The median age of residents in Ferntree Gully was 40 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Ferntree Gully at risk of bushfire?
Ferntree Gully has a high recorded bushfire history (71/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Ferntree Gully?
There are 11 schools inside the Ferntree Gully boundary: 4 above, 4 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Ferntree Gully walkable?
Ferntree Gully scores 91/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it exceptionally walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Ferntree Gully?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Ferntree Gully, Scoresby Research Institute (2.6 km away), summer days average 26.9°C, winter nights 6.3°C, 777 mm of rain a year over 105 rainy days, and 10 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Ferntree Gully?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Ferntree Gully belong to?
Ferntree Gully sits within the Knox local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Ferntree Gully?
The average residential rates bill through Knox is $1,732 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Ferntree Gully?
Across Knox, 577 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 13.5% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Ferntree Gully in?
Ferntree Gully sits within the federal Division of Aston, currently held by Mary Doyle (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.