Reservoir VIC 3073
Located in Victoria, Reservoir sits 13 km from Melbourne CBD, around 27 minutes by car. The suburb has 51,096 residents, a median age of 38, and a median household income of $80,132 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the middle range nationally. Population grew 1.2% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $360 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,986. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Of 17 schools within the suburb boundary, 4 rank above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Reservoir a good suburb?
Reservoir scores a B (61/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on prices and safety.
Mixed results
17 schools · 4 above peer schools
Walkable and central
Walkability 95/100 · 13 km · 27 min drive to Melbourne
Above the state median
Median $920K
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 78/100 · Flood 43/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 38 · 51,096 residents
Liveability Rating
61 / 100 · Ranked #259 in VICEach bar is Reservoir's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Reservoir?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
61 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataReservoir's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $920,000, about 6% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$920,000
5% above its 8 neighbours (median $875,000)
Based on 818 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 455 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 6 sales $483K
- 2 bed 142 sales $812K
- 3 bed 468 sales $900K
- 4 bed 153 sales $1.11M
- 5 bed 23 sales $1.34M
- 6 bed 6 sales $1.18M
Units
$588,750
20% above its 8 neighbours (median $490,000)
Based on 460 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 24 days — median across 199 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 1 bed 83 sales $430K
- 2 bed 287 sales $588K
- 3 bed 85 sales $750K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Reservoir are currently listed at around $865,000 on average. Based on 431 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$865K
431 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$575K
118 units listed in the last 6 months.
549 of the suburb's 20,261 dwellings (2.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Reservoir rent for around $650 a week on average, based on 330 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$650/wk
8% above its 6 neighbours (median $600/wk)
330 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$500/wk
9% below its 6 neighbours (median $550/wk)
107 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
437 rentals advertised against an estimated 7,659 rented homes (5.7%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025125 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 24% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3073.
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$650/week ($34,000 a year) on a $865,000 median
$500/week ($26,000 a year) on a $575,000 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
37 active Airbnb listings: 17 whole homes and 20 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 Reservoir safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Reservoir sits in the high band, with 4,149 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 19% on the prior year.
4,149 offences
19.3% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025122 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 4 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
17 schools serve Reservoir, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment and Reservoir High School lead the pack.
- • 3,975 students across 13 schools (avg 306)
- • Sectors: 9 Government, 5 Catholic, 3 Independent
- • ICSEA 935-1078, median 1032 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Reservoir High School (629 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
- 4.9 kmMelbourne (Bundoora) CampusLa Trobe University · 223 courses
- 4.9 kmBundoora Campus, Plenty Road, Bundoora Vic 3083Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology · 111 courses
- 9.7 kmThe University of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne · 404 courses
2.3% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Reservoir is exceptionally walkable on foot — at 95/100, daily errands don't require a car at all. Within the suburb there are 10 supermarkets, 58 parks and 35 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Reservoir.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 997.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 910.4 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 562.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.3 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 2 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 Reservoir.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 9%
- Premises covered
- 26,272
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
Darebin: 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 112 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 8 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Reservoir is home to about 51,100 residents, with a median age of 38, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $80,000 a year, with unemployment at 5.9%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
51,096
Median Age
38
Median Household Income
$80,132/yr
Census Median Rent
$360/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,986/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$38,532/yr
Unemployment Rate
5.9%
Unoccupied Dwellings
9.6%
Total Dwellings
20,261
Owner-Occupier Rate
62.2%
Houses
63.2%
Rental Stress
23.4%
Mortgage Stress
29.7%
Work From Home
32.5%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
946 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 89 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 7,383 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 59.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 53.9%
- Employment Rate
- 56.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 50.8%
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.
3,592 residents (7.0%) 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 47,991 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
21% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (5,024 of 24,395).
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 9,155 people work here; 24,395 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 62% 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 $1,764 a year through Darebin based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 74%
- Infrastructure and transport 10%
- Parks and recreation 9%
- Industrial 6%
- Commercial 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: Darebin
In the year to August 2026, 1,213 new dwellings were approved across Darebin. That mix is 212 houses and 1,001 units.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 373 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 22 homes
- Projects firmly planned 24 homes
- Projects likely to go ahead 113 homes
- Projects possible in the longer term 214 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
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 3.9 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³).
From the Macleod monitoring station, 4.6 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 9.0 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 95 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 15.8 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 3.4% of addresses
- 986 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 534 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 13 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.5°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
19 facilities within 5 km- 2.0 kmAdhesive ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Methyl ethyl ketone · Toluene (methylbenzene)
- 2.1 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 2.4 kmPolymer Foam Product ManufacturingTop reported: Dichloromethane · Toluene-2,4-diisocyanate
- 2.5 kmPoultry ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.5 km
EV adoption
In postcode 3073, 303 of 33,407 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (1,030 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 4.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3073, 4,432 rooftop-solar systems totalling 24.6 MW have been installed since 2001, against 22,212 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 269 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.
22 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3073 in 2025-26, rank 48 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 387, in 2007-08.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
20 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
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 $920,000 this is $170,000 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 Ged Kearney Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ged Kearney | 78.5% | 21.5% | +2.8 |
| 2022 | Ged Kearney | 75.5% | 24.5% | +0.8 |
| 2019 | Ged Kearney | 76.3% | 23.7% | -4.2 |
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 Nathan Lambert Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Nathan Lambert ALP | 52.1% | 69.7% | 30.3% |
| 2018 | Robin Scott ALP | 52.0% | 78.5% | 21.5% |
| 2014 | Robin Scott ALP | 52.7% | 74.7% | 25.4% |
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 Reservoir?
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 51,096 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.
Featured in
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
Preston VIC 3072
Bundoora VIC 3083
Thomastown VIC 3074
Fawkner VIC 3060
Coburg North VIC 3058
Heidelberg West VIC 3081
Compare Reservoir to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Reservoir
Is Reservoir a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Reservoir is high (78/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Reservoir?
Reservoir has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (43/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Reservoir a good place to live?
Reservoir has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (61/100), 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 Reservoir?
Reservoir, VIC had a population of 51,096 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Reservoir, VIC?
The postcode for Reservoir, VIC is 3073.
How far is Reservoir from Melbourne?
Reservoir is 13 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 27 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Reservoir?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Reservoir was $80,132 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 Reservoir?
The median advertised rent in Reservoir is $650 a week for houses (330 listings) and $500 a week for units (107 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Reservoir?
The median age of residents in Reservoir was 38 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Reservoir?
There are 17 schools inside the Reservoir boundary: 4 above, 4 at, and 3 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Reservoir walkable?
Reservoir scores 95/100 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 air quality in Reservoir?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Reservoir (Macleod) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 3.9 µg/m³. That puts Reservoir below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Reservoir?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Reservoir, Essendon Airport (9 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 6.5°C, 534 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 13 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Reservoir?
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 Reservoir belong to?
Reservoir sits within the Darebin local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Reservoir?
The average residential rates bill through Darebin is $1,764 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Reservoir?
Across Darebin, 1,213 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Reservoir in?
Reservoir sits within the federal Division of Cooper, currently held by Ged Kearney (Australian Labor Party).
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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.