Population growth in Victoria is fastest in nation

Victoria has again topped the nation’s population growth, with most of that in Melbourne. But there’s one western suburbs region that’s leading the charge to 9 million people.

Victoria is still leading the nation in the population stakes, adding almost 140,000 people in 2018.

Most of the growth is occurring in Melbourne, which is tipped to reach the nine million mark by 2046, according to the ABS’s latest Australian Demographic Statistics report.

The western suburbs’ City of Melton has revealed that it has 52 births a week, the equivalent of more than two-and-a-half prep classes.

The municipality’s population is set to soar from 164,984 to about 500,000 over the next 30 years.

“This level of growth is no surprise to council, which is why we have been advocating to state and federal governments for road upgrades, health services, additional schools, and transport improvements,” said Melton mayor Bob Turner.

The state’s population grew by 2.2 per cent last year to reach 6.52 million, outstripping Queensland’s growth rate of 1.8 per cent and NSW’s 1.6 per cent.

Melbourne is seeing most of the growth in the state. Picture: Allan Lee/AFP

Victoria’s growth was mainly driven by net immigration of 86,000, while it also had a net gain of 13,200 people due to interstate movement.

The ABS estimates that given continuing high migration and fertility levels, Melbourne’s population will rise from about five million now to nine million by 2046, and 10.5 million by 2056.

The report said that Australia’s population grew by 404,800, or 1.6 per cent, to reach 25.18 million by the end of 2018.

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As of mid-2018, there were 17.65 million Australian-born residents, followed by 991,530 England-born people, 650,700 China-born residents and 592,310 born in India.

The English migrant community fell by 6080 in 2017-18, while the number of Chinese migrants rose by 44,390 and the number of Indian arrivals by 54,240.

Among other migrant groups there were 568,290 New Zealand-born, 277,510 Philippines-born, and 256,310 from Vietnam.

The number of Italian-born people, who dominated post-war migration influxes, fell by 14,030 to 186,640.

Similarly, the Greek-born suffered a drop of 11,010 people to 108,830.

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