Wyndham is proving a drawcard for residents in other municipalities and states.
New figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that Wyndham had the second-highest “net migration gain” in the nation in the 2015-16 financial year.
Net migration refers to the movement of people from one region to another within Australia, including interstate migration.
In the 2015-16 financial year, 18,014 “net migrants” moved into Wyndham.
In the same period, more than 12,830 people moved out of Wyndham and into other Victorian or Australian municipalities.
This resulted in 5183 new residents for Wyndham in the category of net migration.
Out of the entire nation, the Ormeau-Oxenford area of the Gold Coast placed first on the net migration gains list, with 5299 new residents.
Wyndham city economy, innovation and liveability director Kate Roffey said the area had become one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Australia, partially because it was home to many new suburban developments that provided affordable housing in proximity to both Melbourne’s CBD and Geelong.
“Young families, in particular, have chosen to move to Wyndham because they like the lifestyle it offers, with everything from the convenience of the city to the relaxation of a country setting within reach,” Ms Roffey said.
Ms Roffey said Wyndham’s population growth came with “a lot of significant challenges” particularly in providing social and transport infrastructure.
“By way of example, at our current rate of population growth we will need four new government schools every three years, a new community facility every one to two years, and 16 hectares of open space, like parks and sporting grounds,” she said.
“We also need major upgrades to our roads and public transport networks to accommodate the extra stress being placed on them.
“Currently, there is a significant time lag in infrastructure development across all municipalities in Australia … it is important that we have co-ordinated infrastructure planning with all levels of government.”
