Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Donnybrook

Donnybrook sits on Melbourne’s outer northern fringe where country paddocks meet pockets of new housing and a small village centre. Housing ranges from older farmhouses to recent subdivisions, and open fields and remnant native vegetation shape the landscape. The suburb suits people who want larger blocks or contemporary estate living while keeping green space and a quieter pace.

Home to about 2,100 people with a median age of 30, Donnybrook is a suburb of families and is predominantly owner-occupied (around 79.0% of dwellings). Local life centres on schools, sporting clubs and community groups; there is a primary school, a Donnybrook campus of Hume Anglican Grammar, and the murnong Community Centre with a small branch library. Commuting relies on Donnybrook station, which has been upgraded, bus links including Route 525, Route 524 extensions and an express shuttle (Route 501), and staged upgrades to Donnybrook Road are under way.

Buying a house in Donnybrook at the current median price of $660,000 works out to about 5.8 times a typical local household's annual income at the last Census (weekly household income $2,207, annualised to $114,764). Renting a house at around $500 a week would take roughly 22.7% of that weekly household income, a moderate share. On these figures, buying sits somewhat above what local households earned at the last Census while renting looks more manageable; whether that feels expensive will depend on your own income and circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

The available figures for Donnybrook are focused on houses. Median house values edged up 1.6% over the past 12 months, while the rent those houses earn fell 2.9% in the same period. In other words, there has been a small amount of capital growth for houses this year alongside a moderate decline in rental income.

If rental income is your priority, the fall in house rents is the number that matters; if you are focused on capital growth, the slight rise in house values is the key figure. Whether that balance suits your plans depends on your goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.