A decade after its first homes were built, Woodlea is being held up as a case study in how early investment and community engagement can shape life in Melbourne’s fast-growing west.
New independent research shows residents of the master-planned community, delivered by Victoria Investments & Properties and Mirvac, report high levels of local pride, strong engagement and above-average satisfaction with parks and open spaces.
The findings come from the Good Neighbours Western Suburbs Survey, which gathered insights from more than 800 residents across 17 western growth suburbs, including Aintree, Rockbank, Thornhill Park, and Caroline Springs.
The research looked into pride, safety, transport, infrastructure and community participation in rapidly expanding neighbourhoods.
At the heart of Woodlea, Aintree recorded the highest level of pride in the region, with 69 per cent of respondents saying they feel proud of where they live, outperforming neighbouring suburbs right across the western corridor.
Woodlea project director Matthew Dean said the results reflected a long-term focus on delivering key amenities early.
“From the beginning, the vision for Woodlea was not just to sell lots, but to build a complete community,” he said.
“People can see the place taking shape around them, and that builds trust and pride.”
Parks and open spaces emerged as a clear strength and across the broader survey, green spaces were consistently rated as one of the best-delivered aspects of local neighbourhoods.
For Woodlea residents, 79 per cent said parks and open spaces were “done well”, compared with 56 per cent across the wider western corridor.
Frontier Adventure Park was the most frequently mentioned local destination in the survey, while the newly opened Hazelwood Adventure Park also rated highly for its family-friendly design and wetland views.
The research also found Woodlea residents report higher-than-average engagement, with more than 29 per cent attending community events.
However, the report also highlighted ongoing challenges across Melbourne’s west, including traffic congestion, slow delivery of road upgrades, public transport access and safety concerns.
Good Neighbours Movement co-founder Kate Stewart said Woodlea’s experience offered lessons nationally.
“The findings show that early delivery and genuine commitment can build pride and connection,” she said, “but region-wide issues still require collaboration between developers, councils and government.”
