Chirnside Park readies itself for tipping point as house prices hits almost $1 million

Nestled between Wonga Park and outer eastern suburbs like Lilydale and Croydon, Chirnside Park prides itself on its “city meets country” character.

But a 2024 plan to transform the area into a hub of activity for the eastern suburbs could shift the township into a key regional connection.

As the community stands on the verge of change, what could the future look like?

🐑 🛍️ Rams to retail: Chirnside Park’s history begins with its namesake – sheep farmer Thomas Chirnside – and his family, who held most of the land from 1838 to 1950.

• Subdivision was approved in 1956, with development centred around a stone homestead, country club and now-closed golf course.

• Major developments followed, including Chirnside Park Shopping Centre and Oxley Christian College in 1979.

👀 Prices under the microscope: The median house price between April 2025 and March 2026 in Chirnside Park was $950,000 – up 13.1 percent year-on-year and not far behind the Melbourne median of $980,000.

• Median rent over the past 12 months reached $665 a week, a 5.6 percent increase and $85 more than the median weekly rent in Melbourne as of the September 2025 quarter.

📈 Build it…and they will come? According to the 2021 Census, 11,779 people lived in Chirnside Park – a 19.3 percent increase since 2016, with growth mostly driven by families with young children aged up to nine and adults aged between 35 and 49.

• Estimates place the current population at 13,008, with projections of 14,280 by 2046.

🔭 Future scope: Yarra Ranges Council is currently developing a draft Chirnside Park Structure Plan with a 20-year vision to transform the suburb into a higher-density “Activity Centre”.

• The State Government first named Chirnside Park as a “Major Activity Centre” in 2002.

❓ What’s that? Major Activity Centres are areas identified as preferred locations for increased housing growth and diversity, as well as retail, commercial activity, community services, employment and public transport hubs.

💭 Dreams realised: The council has already achieved a number of goals outlined in a 2010 plan, including:

• The completion of the “Green Spine” – a two-kilometre long concrete shared path connecting Manchester Road to Brushy Creek;

• The construction of an urban park at Belsay Reserve; and

• The completion of $10 million worth of upgrades to the Chirnside Park Shopping Centre, including new flooring, ceilings and modern mall furniture.

✍️ High hopes: The new plan will outline ways to overcome a number of challenges threatening the area’s ability to grow, including housing affordability pressures, a lack of tree canopy and an over-reliance on cars due to the suburb having no train station.

• Potential opportunities listed in initial documents include identifying appropriate locations for higher housing densities, encouraging the development of Kimberley Drive as a “main street”, introducing targets for increased canopy cover and advocating for more frequent and flexible bus services.

• The plan also outlines the strategic development opportunities at four large undeveloped or underutilised pieces of land – 270 and 335 Maroondah Highway, 325 Manchester Road and 1 East Ridge Drive.

⏭️ What’s next? Councillors are set to vote on releasing the draft plan to the community for feedback later this month, before approving the final plan later in the year and implementing it in 2027.

• The draft plan will draw on 487 community submissions, highlighting preferences for low-rise housing, retaining open space, and supporting local businesses.

• Other concerns included parking, traffic and design quality issues often associated with high-density developments and the red tape and cost pressures the plan may place on small businesses.

Thumbnail Image Credit: Rob Deutscher