28% of all Victorians were born overseas as reported at the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2016 (data released in 2017), an increase on 26% reported in the previous 2011 census. And so, it is interesting to see where these new Victorians are coming from.
This interactive shows the total number of people by postal areas* in Victoria that were born in countries other than Australia. Victorians come from over 200 different countries– however note that the top 35 countries (representing the most data in terms of significant population) are included in this visualisation.
In this chloropleth map – postal area (POA) defined regions are colour-coded by the population of persons by country of birth selection in that region, showing the distribution of countries by birth across the state. The colour of the postcode reflects the largest group within that postcode (hover over to view the top 5).
Note that the postal areas (POAs) are an approximation of postcodes in this representation and is a slightly different data structure used by the ABS from the previous 2011 census data. Previously, Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1s) were used where geographic regions across the nation are defined as areas having populations between 200 to 800 people. A more detailed explanation on this methodology is provided here. (this can be footnote in blog)
Summary findings
The largest number of people who immigrated to Victoria come from the British Isles – which is also the same across Australia. Overall in Australia, the top five nations of immigration are the UK, NZ, China, India and the Phillipines.
Immigrants from the UK and China are heading out southeast (with their largest new populations represented in Botanic Ridge and Brandon Park respectively), whilst those from NZ, India and the Phillipines are moving out west – (Hoppers Crossing and Burnside).
Bangholme (POA 3175), located 31 km south-east from the centre of Melbourne, had the highest number of people born elsewhere (10430), reflecting the growing population moving to the fringe regions of Greater Melbourne.
The Philippines immigrant population is clustered around Hoppers Crossing, Burnside and Cororoc (all next to each other) whilst the other communities are more dispersed throughout Melbourne and Victoria – with large relative populations on both sides of Port Phillip Bay.
Victoria has four of Australia’s top five fastest growing suburbs – South Morang, Cranbourne East, Craigieburn-Mickleham and Point Cook, which also have marked immigration populations seen by selecting the ‘Born Elsewhere’ filter in the chart.
The second chart here shows the distribution of countries (from the 35 countries represented in the data) that people have come from as a proportion of the total population of each POA. Type in the Postcode/POA of your suburb of interest to see populations of people who have immigrated here, and where they came from.
Within central Melbourne (POA 3000) the top 5 countries of immigrants come from China, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and Korea, which differs vastly from the state average, and the national average where Britain and New Zealand feature in the top 2.
