Moving to Cockatoo VIC 3781
What the official numbers say about living in Cockatoo — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Budget around $737,500 for a median house (based on 2024 sales). Sale prices moved up about 102% between 2014 and 2024.
Renting? The census median is $370 a week, against a median household income of $1,991 a week.
About 91% of homes are owner-occupied and 8% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Cockatoo grew 0% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,400 → 4,408 people).
Around 80% of households are families, averaging 2.8 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Netherlands; most spoken languages besides English: German, Spanish, Polish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Cockatoo scores a little above the national average (decile 6 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (76% of workers), while 22% work from home.
Nearest railway halt: Fielder, 1.5 km south-east.
Nearest airport: Moorabbin Airport, 35.1 km west.
The Melbourne CBD is roughly 49 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 4 schools · 1 cafe or restaurant · 5 parks — see them all on the Cockatoo profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Cockatoo Primary School 400 m · Emerald Secondary College 3.5 km · Gembrook Primary School 4.7 km · Emerald Primary School 4.7 km
Parks and reserves: First Avenue Reserve 900 m · Cockatoo Recreation Reserve 1 km · Mountain Road Recreation Reserve 1.2 km · Dunstan Road Reserve 2.4 km · Belgrave-Gembrook Road Linear Reserve 3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Cockatoo, most often seen first: Crimson Rosella · Brown Thornbill · Helmeted Honeyeater · Laughing Kookaburra · Grey Fantail · Eurasian Blackbird.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Cockatoo, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cockatoo here | 4,408 | $737,500 | 6/10 | 45% |
| Emerald | 5,890 | $902,500 | 8/10 | 58% |
| Gembrook | 2,559 | $890,000 | 7/10 | 68% |
| Beaconsfield Upper | 2,997 | $1,010,000 | 10/10 | 56% |
| Monbulk | 3,651 | $790,000 | 7/10 | 37% |
| Kallista | 1,418 | $865,000 | 9/10 | 54% |
| Selby | 1,626 | $850,000 | 9/10 | 69% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Cardinia — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of La Trobe — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 3781 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Cockatoo profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
A house in Cockatoo has a median sale price of $737,500 (2024 sales). Renters pay a median $370 a week, and about 8% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 0% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,400 people to 4,408. It sits about 49 km from the Melbourne CBD in a straight line. Local government is Cardinia council, and the federal seat is La Trobe.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Cockatoo vs Emerald · Cockatoo vs Gembrook.
Nearby guides: Emerald · Gembrook · Beaconsfield Upper · Monbulk · Kallista · Selby.
Keep an eye on Cockatoo
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