WYNDHAM’S population is soaring at a staggering rate, with new census data showing it is the only local government area outside Western Australia to make the top 10 list of Australia’s fastest growing populations.
Ranked ninth, the area’s population has recorded a surge of 43.4per cent since 2006 – from 112,698 to 161,577.
Iron ore rich East Pilbara in WA’s north-west posted the largest population increase of 82.6per cent.
In Wyndham, the fastest-growing suburbs were Truganina, jumping from 2082 residents to 9138 (up 338per cent) and Tarneit, which increased its number of residents from 6669 to 21,690 (225per cent).
Raw numbers were highest in Point Cook, where the suburb welcomed more than 18,250 new residents since the last count.
Ollie Chilton and her family moved to the suburb’s Saltwater Coast estate two years ago from Newport.
With inner Melbourne’s house prices skyrocketing, Ms Chilton said housing estates in Point Cook were growing rapidly.
She said the drawcard was the chance to build big on affordable land in a community of young families.
“We have a 650-square metre-block, four bedrooms, it’s modern and we built ourselves to meet what we wanted.
“It’s still quite accessible to the city, it’s a new community with great facilities so the speed of development out here has been huge.”
More than 19,000 new houses were built in Wyndham between 2006-11 and the population was largely young families.
The 2011 census figures show that 9.7per cent of Wyndham residents were aged 30-34, 9.2per cent were aged up to four, and 31.6per cent were of school age.
Wyndham mayor Kim McAliney said the census results warranted greater government investment because frustrations festered over the city’s growth in population outstripping infrastructure, road congestion, overcrowding on public transport and waiting times in hospitals. “We’re floundering while 12,500 people keep moving in each year,” she said.
“Roads projects take two to three years to complete, so 40,000 will move in before we finish a road project.
“It’s really being felt. I’ve never seen it so tough.”
Cr McAliney said planning by the state government was geared towards promoting affordable housing in growth areas, but it wasn’t funding the infrastructure that needed to follow.
