Yarra Ranges Shire
Yarra Ranges Shire ranks 79th of 79 overall in VIC, with lifestyle & amenity the area most needing attention.
"Melbourne's mountain suburb — Dandenong Ranges townships and outer-eastern growth"
Victoria · metro council · Pop. 162,000
Data last updated: 2024-25 · Data confidence: high
Overall Score
34 out of 100
#31 of 31 metro councils in VIC
#79 in Victoria
Score Breakdown
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Sustainability | 43/100 |
| Community Services | 30/100 |
| Lifestyle & Amenity | 23/100 |
| Core Operations | 40/100 |
What This Means For You
Among metropolitan councils, Yarra Ranges Shire performs strongest in financial sustainability (better than 43% of peers), with room to improve in resident satisfaction and governance transparency (currently at the 23th percentile).
What Makes This Place Unique
Melbourne's mountain suburb — Dandenong Ranges townships and outer-eastern growth
Yarra Ranges covers an enormous area from Lilydale and Mooroolbark through the Dandenong Ranges villages (Olinda, Sassafras, Belgrave) to the Upper Yarra farming areas. It's a council of two halves: suburban growth in the west and mountain/rural lifestyle in the east. The ranges give it a character no other Melbourne council can claim.
Known For
- Dandenong Ranges — Olinda, Sassafras, Belgrave, and the mountain village lifestyle
- Puffing Billy Railway — heritage steam train through mountain ash forests
- Healesville Sanctuary — world-leading Australian wildlife centre
- Yarra Valley wine region — the eastern reaches of the shire
Living Here
Yarra Ranges is where Melbourne meets the mountains. The ranges villages offer a unique lifestyle — cooler climate, tall forests, community markets — but with longer commutes and bushfire risk. The western suburbs (Lilydale, Mooroolbark) are more conventional suburban but still benefit from ranges proximity.
Hidden Gem
RidgeWalk trail through the Dandenong Ranges — a walking track linking villages through mountain ash forest, accessible by Puffing Billy or car.