Town-by-Town snapshot – Armstrong Creek

The size of Armstrong Creek (East of Surf Coast Highway) is approximately 18.7 square kilometres and has 4 parks covering nearly 0.8% of total area.

The population of Armstrong Creek in 2011 was 353 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 4,237 showing a population growth of 1,100.3% in the area during that time.

Significant growth has occurred since the last Census with Warralily, Villawood (excluding Armstrong), Ashbury and Charlemont Rise alone contributing over 10,000 residents to the area’s population.

The City’s 2020 population forecast for Armstrong Creek was 8,848 and is forecast to grow to 25,274 by 2041.

The vision for the Armstrong Creek growth area is to provide housing for between 55,000 to 65,000 people which is estimated to be around 22,000 residential homes, and to provide 22,000 jobs, with a focus on high technology jobs and developing synergies with Deakin University.

There are two dedicated employment precincts in the growth area, the North East Industrial Precinct and the Western Industrial Precinct.

The Major Activity Centre will also provide a large scale of employment across Armstrong Creek along with schools and community facilities.

The vision also places a high priority on the area to be developed as a sustainable community, with a focus on walkability, public transport provision and sustainable water use.

Serviced by the Marshal and Waurn Ponds Station, a rail connection to Torquay is also referenced through the framework plan that makes provision for a land corridor which runs from the existing Warrnambool- Melbourne line to the south of the growth area, which will ultimately allow for a rail connection to Torquay.

The Department of Transport have however indicated that, initially, any public transport link to Torquay will be via a high quality rapid bus service in the short term.

Both councils and the department are working together to ensure that the appropriate planning for this link is coordinated across municipal boundaries.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Armstrong Creek is 30-39 years with households in Armstrong Creek being primarily couples with children and are likely to be repaying $1,800 – $2,399 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Armstrong Creek work in a professional occupation.

In 2011, 88.5% of the homes in Armstrong Creek were owner occupied compared with 73.1% in 2016.

Population: 11,000

Male: 49.4%

Female: 50.6%

Median age: 28

5 year population change: 1,100%

Median house price: $542,500

Change in Median Price: (5yrs) is 24.7%

Median asking rent per week: $420

Average length of ownership: 5

Owner occupiers: 75%

Renters: 25%

Historic median house price:

September 2019: $542,500

September 2018: $520,000

September 2017: $460,000

September 2016: $440,000

September 2015: $440,000

House sales per annum:

Period ending September 2019: 152

Period ending September 2018: 171

Land median sale price:

September 2019: $275,000

September 2018: $228,000

Land sales per annum:

Period ending September 2019: 87

Period ending September 2018: 491