Suburb Property Profile: Wantirna, VIC 3152
Located approximately 23–24km east of Melbourne's CBD, Wantirna sits within the City of Knox. First settled by European colonists in 1840 when Madeline Scott established the "Bushy Park" cattle run on the banks of Dandenong Creek, the suburb's name is derived from a local Aboriginal expression meaning "a gurgling stream." Wantirna developed through the 1970s and 80s into an established family suburb, with its accessibility rising further after EastLink opened in 2008. Here's our comprehensive guide to the area.
Location Demographics
The population of Wantirna sits at 14,237 according to the 2021 Census. The suburb has a high proportion of families and older residents, with a median age above the Melbourne metropolitan average, and relatively high home-ownership rates reflecting long-term settlement and low residential turnover.
Travel & Infrastructure
EastLink runs through Wantirna with interchanges at Boronia Road and Burwood Highway, giving residents fast road access across Melbourne's east, including to the Mornington Peninsula, Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley. Wantirna doesn't have its own train station, but is served by local bus services, with Westfield Knox operating as a major transport hub for onward bus connections.
Shopping
Westfield Knox (formerly Knox City Shopping Centre), just over the border in neighbouring Wantirna South, is one of the largest shopping centres in Australia, with over 380 stores. Its Knox O-Zone precinct, added during a major refurbishment, offers a cinema complex, restaurant strip and entertainment options alongside the everyday retail.
Schools & Recreation
Templeton Primary School serves local families directly in Wantirna. The Knox School and Waverley Christian College — both popular independent options often associated with the area — are technically located in neighbouring Wantirna South, with Waverley Christian College catering from Prep to Year 12 and enrolling well over 1,800 students. Swinburne's eastern campus on Stud Road provides a further tertiary option nearby.
Local Amenities
Wantirna is well served by parks and reserves, including Lewis Park, Egan Lee Reserve, Llewellyn Reserve and Walker Park, alongside Koomba Park, a stretch of native bushland between Dandenong Creek and the EastLink tollway that's popular for walking and cycling. The Blind Creek Trail adds a further option for outdoor recreation close to home.
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Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is the Editor in Chief at iBuildNew, where he leads the editorial team and oversees the country's most comprehensive news coverage dedicated to the new home building industry. With more than a decade of experience in residential real estate journalism, Joel brings deep insight into Australia's evolving home building and construction landscape.
