By Alesha Capone
As Wyndham’s population continues to soar, the council has called on the state and federal governments to invest more funding into local education, roads and public transport.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently released its Estimated Resident Population report, which showed that Wyndham’s population grew by 4.7 per cent – or 12,687 new residents – to reach 283,294 people in 2020, despite the pandemic and reduced immigration.
Wyndham was home to 270,607 residents in 2019.
According to the ABS figures, Wyndham experienced the largest population increase in the state, with the City of Casey in Melbourne’s south-east placing second, with 10,638 new residents.
Mayor Adele Hegedich said Wyndham’s fast-growing population was one of the reasons it needed greater investment from the state and federal governments.
“Our population has already boomed, and we can’t sit idle while our population continues to grow at such a fast rate,” Cr Hegedich said.
She said the council would like the government to fund four new Regional Rail Link stations at Sayers, Black Forest and Davis roads and Truganina.
“Wyndham is also seeking funding for stage one of Wyndham Westlink, which would include construction of a four-lane Ison Road bridge over the railway line, the duplication of Ballan Road and other key road projects.”
Cr Hegedich also called on the state government to fund more schools.
“More than 100 babies are currently being born each week in Wyndham, which means we need to plan for at least three new classrooms every week just to keep pace with this ongoing boom,” she said.
A state government spokesperson said: “We’re investing like never before in our west, especially in the Wyndham community, one of the fastest growing regions in all of Victoria, and making unprecedented investments in infrastructure, education and health – initiatives that Victorians voted for”.
The state government has invested $1.5 billion in the Footscray Hospital and the construction of a new community hospital Point Cook; $75 million for planning to begin the Western Rail Plan including electrification of the Wyndham Vale line; and an $1.8 billion Western Roads upgrade package.
