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Table of Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 1
Past, Current and Future Development .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
A: Introduction .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
B: History & Development................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Yalukit-willam Clan................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
European settlers ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Post World War II development....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
C: The Current Environment ............................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Land uses ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Natural features .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Residential development ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Community centres and halls .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Children’s services .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Schools ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Recreational facilities and open space ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Retail centres .................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Doctors ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Dentists ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Pharmacies ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Local Newspapers .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Public Transport .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
D: What’s ahead for Altona North and Brooklyn .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Residential development ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Council works ................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
School facilities ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Public transport ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Kororoit Creek Catchment Coordination Project ....... Error! Bookmark not defined.
References ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Data Profile ............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
A. Population Characteristics .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Population numbers ........................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Family types .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Household types ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Overseas born residents ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
People with disabilities .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Participation in education ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Internet connected .......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
B.
Labour Force Characteristics...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Labour force participation................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Employment sector ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Occupations .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Unpaid work .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
C.
Financial Wellbeing .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Income ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Income quartiles.............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Centrelink payments and allowances .............................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
SEIFA index of disadvantage .......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Gaming losses ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
D. Housing ...................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Dwelling numbers ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
State Government owned housing .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Residential aged care facilities ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Building permits .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Housing tenure ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Housing prices ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Housing debt................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Rental prices ................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Rental payments ............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Housing Stress ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
E.
Transport .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Car Ownership ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Journey to Work .............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
F.
Population Forecasts .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Population ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Age groups ..................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
References ......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Consultations ........................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Introduction ........................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Methodology ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
The Findings....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Consultation Questions ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Tables and Graphs
Table 1: Population numbers .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 2: Family structure .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 3: Household types ................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 4: Year of arrival in Australia ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 5: Main countries of birth........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 6: Non-English speaking background ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 7: Proficiency in English ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 8: Core activity need for assistance .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 9: Attendance at education institute .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 10: Highest level of schooling completed .................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 11: Type of internet connection ................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 12: Employment status ............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 13: Employment by Industry ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 14: Occupations of employed persons ...................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 15: Carer of an aged person or a person with a disability ........ Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Table 16: Volunteer activity ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Table 17: Gross weekly individual income .......................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 18: Gross individual income quartiles ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 18a: Definition of income quartiles ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 19: Centrelink Payments ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 20: Electronic gaming machines ............................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 21: Dwelling type ...................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 22: Public housing properties.................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 23: Aged care facilities 2007 ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 24: Housing tenure of households ............................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 25: Recent house sales - median prices ................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 26: Housing loan repayment quartiles ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 26a: Housing loan quartile definitions ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 27: Housing rental payment quartiles ........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 27a: Housing rental quartile definitions ..................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 28: Vehicles per household....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 29: Travel to work ..................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 30: Total population .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 31: Households and dwellings .................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Graph 1: Population 2006 and 2001 ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Graph 2: Age structure of Altona North and Brooklyn and Hobsons Bay . Error! Bookmark
not defined.
Graph 3: Housing repayments ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Graph 4: Rental payments .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
Graph 5: Age Structure ....................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Graph 6: Households and families ...................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Altona North and Brooklyn Neighbourhood Profile
Executive Summary
The Altona North and Brooklyn neighbourhood is bounded by the Princes Highway to the
north and Kororoit Creek to the west and south. Major roads along the eastern boundary
include Blenheim Road, Hansen and New Street, then west along the Westgate Freeway
and into Cemetery Road.
The area incorporates a mix of land uses, predominantly residential and industrial. Major
residential development dates from the 1950s, with much of the housing constructed during
the 1960s and 1970s. The area played an important role in housing post-World War II
migrants and a migrant hostel in Millers Road continued to operate up until the early 1970s.
People who participated in community consultation sessions described Altona North and
Brooklyn as a good place to live and an area that is still affordable and reasonably well
serviced. Long term residents spoke about noticeable improvements in the standard of
housing and shopping options since they first arrived. Others people commented that “it’s an
old area that needs “a few touch ups”
Population numbers
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At the 2006 Census, there were approximately 12,500 people living in Altona North and
Brooklyn. The total population declined by 3.6 per cent (462 people) since the previous
Census in 2001.
Population forecasts indicate the current population will increase to just under 16,000 by
2020. The expected rate of growth is around three times the rate for Hobsons Bay.
Rezoning of industrial land to residential use is expected to be a major contributor to this
growth.
Age structure
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Since the 2001 Census, the number of children and young people living in Altona North
and Brooklyn has declined, whereas those aged over 70 years have increased.
Forecasts predict that while the numbers of aging will continue to grow, the numbers of
people below the age of 35 years are also expected to increase.
Overseas born residents
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Approximately 40 per cent of Altona North and Brooklyn residents were born overseas.
The main countries of birth are Italy, Vietnam, Greece, Lebanon and Malta.
More than 80 per cent of residents speak a language other than English compared to
around 62 per cent of Hobsons Bay residents.
Residents needing assistance

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There are 663 people who require assistance with core activities involving self care,
communication and mobility.
Just over 500 people aged between 26 and 65 years receive a disability payment, or just
under five per cent of the Altona North population.
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Altona North and Brooklyn Neighbourhood Profile
Education
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There are five primary schools in the area, together with two secondary colleges.
Just over 18 per cent of Altona North and Brooklyn residents are enrolled in education,
compared to around 22 per cent for Hobsons Bay.
Ten per cent fewer people in Altona North have completed Year 12 compared to
Hobsons Bay and eight per cent more left school before or on completing Year 8.
In relation to their future plans, young people in Years 8 and 9 who participated in the
consultations spoke about wanting to leaving school soon and getting a job or wanting to
finish Year 12. No students had any plans for further study.
Labour Force
 The largest employment sectors for the area’s workers are manufacturing and retail
(17.3 per cent and 12.4 per cent respectively).
 Forty five per cent of Altona North and Brooklyn residents (over 15 years) are in the
labour force, 14 per cent lower than for Hobsons Bay. Of these, almost nine per cent are
unemployed, compared to the Hobsons Bay rate of around six per cent.
 Altona North and Brooklyn has a much higher rate of people not in the labour force
compared to Hobsons Bay (47.5 per cent and 34.8 per cent respectively). A contributing
factor is due to the high proportion of people of retirement age who live in Altona North
and Brooklyn.
Income
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
At the 2006 Census, approximately 73.7 per cent of Altona North and Brooklyn residents
had incomes below the average weekly income of around $815.
In addition, just over 50 per cent of Altona North and Brooklyn residents had a gross
income below $400 per week, compared to the Hobsons Bay rate of 42 per cent.
Housing
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Around three quarters of the area’s total dwelling stock is detached housing. Almost 50
per cent of households in Altona North and Brooklyn are home owners, 10 per cent
above the Hobsons Bay rate.
Since the 2001 Census, ownership rates have declined by 11 per cent while the
proportion of people who are purchasing their homes increased by 6 per cent.
Participants in the consultations spoke about the relative affordability of housing in the
area. However, there were concerns that the situation is changing and that “in the last 12
months, house prices have increased dramatically”.
Transport & traffic
 Public transport consists of bus services, with the closest railway stations located at
Newport and Altona.
 People in the consultation were generally happy with the bus service but noted the lack
of weeknight and weekend services as something they would like improved.
 People of all ages who participated in the consultations indicated they walk regularly
around the area. However, they commonly expressed concern about the large amount of
traffic and the fumes from trucks, especially around main roads and major intersections.
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Altona North and Brooklyn Neighbourhood Profile
Future developments proposed for the area
 Much of the new residential development in the area is expected to be infill development.
Land around the Don Smallgoods site in Blackshaws Road was recently rezoned from
industrial to residential use. Over the next five to ten years, this land will potentially add
around 1600 new dwellings and increase the population by more than 3,400 people.
 Hobsons Bay City Council is investigating the development of a new library in Altona
North and Brooklyn, to be co-located with the Bayside Secondary College in Millers Rd.
In the consultations, residents spoke about having to travel to access library services
and the benefits of having a local library.
 An extensive upgrade of Paisley Park is underway. Together with the opening of the new
Bayfit leisure centre, new work in 2008 will include a nearby playground and pathways.
Further works will see a play zones and barbeque facilities and landscaping.
Improvements to existing sports facilities are also planned.
 The redevelopment of the Bayside Secondary College site commenced at the beginning
of 2008. Associated with the redevelopment will be a merger of the Altona Gate Primary
School and Bayside College, with the campus becoming a Prep to Year 9 school.
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Altona North and Brooklyn Neighbourhood Profile
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Altona North and Brooklyn Neighbourhood Profile