{"id":590,"date":"2026-05-27T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/?p=590"},"modified":"2026-05-25T17:16:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T07:16:45","slug":"geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The latest census paints a picture of a <strong>city<\/strong> that keeps gathering <strong>momentum<\/strong>. On Victoria\u2019s western edge, a once-quiet port has become a <strong>magnet<\/strong> for families, students, and start-ups chasing <strong>space<\/strong> without sacrificing connection.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Locals say the change feels <strong>visible<\/strong>. New estates roll over gentle <strong>hills<\/strong>, cranes stitch fresh skylines, and Saturday caf\u00e9s hum with a <strong>mix<\/strong> of accents and ambitions that feel unmistakably <strong>new<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>A steady climb, not a spike<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Officials describe the trend as a <strong>climb<\/strong>, not a <strong>surge<\/strong>. Rather than boom-and-bust, recent years show <strong>consistent<\/strong> increases, the kind that help planners <strong>breathe<\/strong> while still stretching local <strong>capacity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a <strong>marathon<\/strong>, not a sprint,\u201d said one regional <strong>demographer<\/strong>. \u201cThe numbers rise <strong>reliably<\/strong>, which is exactly how you build <strong>confidence<\/strong> into long-term <strong>plans<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Why people keep coming<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The drawcards are <strong>familiar<\/strong>, but the balance has <strong>shifted<\/strong>. Commuters prize the <strong>rail<\/strong> link and road access to bigger <strong>markets<\/strong>. Families want <strong>schools<\/strong>, parks, and a coastline that still feels <strong>nearby<\/strong>. Graduates follow <strong>health<\/strong>, construction, agri-tech, and creative-sector <strong>roles<\/strong> that no longer require a Melbourne <strong>address<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Key drivers often mentioned:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul><\/p>\n<li>Relative housing <strong>value<\/strong> and more predictable <strong>lifestyles<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Expanding <strong>infrastructure<\/strong> and university-linked <strong>opportunities<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>Proximity to surf, wineries, and regional <strong>amenities<\/strong> without city <strong>prices<\/strong><\/li>\n<p>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Housing: growth with guardrails<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>With more residents come more <strong>roofs<\/strong>. The growth corridors\u2014especially around <strong>Armstrong<\/strong> Creek and Lara\u2014keep absorbing <strong>demand<\/strong>, shaping whole neighborhoods at <strong>speed<\/strong>. Builders are focusing on medium-density <strong>formats<\/strong> near transit and services, reflecting a shift from pure house-and-land <strong>packages<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Developers talk about \u201cright-sized <strong>density<\/strong>,\u201d pairing townhouses and small-lot homes with walkable <strong>streets<\/strong>, pocket parks, and local <strong>shops<\/strong>. One project manager put it <strong>simply<\/strong>: \u201cPeople want low <strong>maintenance<\/strong> without losing backyard <strong>moments<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>The affordability equation<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Relative value remains a clear <strong>pull<\/strong>, though price gaps to Melbourne have <strong>narrowed<\/strong>. Buyers still find better dollars-per-square-metre <strong>ratios<\/strong>, especially outside premium coastal <strong>pockets<\/strong>. Renters, too, seek <strong>stability<\/strong> in suburbs where supply has somewhat <strong>caught<\/strong> up\u2014though not evenly across all <strong>postcodes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s still more <strong>attainable<\/strong> here,\u201d said a local <strong>agent<\/strong>. \u201cBut the easy bargains of five years ago are <strong>gone<\/strong>; people act <strong>quickly<\/strong> when the right home hits the <strong>market<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Trains, roads, and the school run<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Transport and services are the growth story\u2019s <strong>hinge<\/strong>. Peak-hour trains remain <strong>busy<\/strong>, with corridor upgrades rolling out <strong>incrementally<\/strong>. Road pinch points around key arterials see <strong>congestion<\/strong>, particularly during school <strong>runs<\/strong> and holiday <strong>weekends<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Investment is following the <strong>people<\/strong>. New and upgraded <strong>schools<\/strong>, early-learning centres, and sporting hubs dot emerging <strong>suburbs<\/strong>. Health capacity is <strong>expanding<\/strong>, though the workforce pipeline\u2014nurses, GPs, allied <strong>health<\/strong>\u2014needs continued <strong>attention<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>The economic mix gets richer<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>A wider economic <strong>base<\/strong> gives the region extra <strong>resilience<\/strong>. Manufacturing still matters, but advanced <strong>fabrication<\/strong>, logistics, and clean-tech have carved out <strong>space<\/strong>. The university\u2019s footprint powers research and <strong>skills<\/strong>, while hospitality and tourism benefit from weekend <strong>flows<\/strong> to the coast.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Small businesses talk about \u201cregional <strong>scale<\/strong> with city-like <strong>access<\/strong>.\u201d That means shorter <strong>commutes<\/strong>, friendlier commercial <strong>rents<\/strong>, and client networks that bridge Geelong, Melbourne, and the Bellarine\u2019s visitor <strong>economy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Community fabric and identity<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Population change touches the everyday <strong>texture<\/strong> of a place. New faces fill junior <strong>sport<\/strong>, language classes, and community <strong>gardens<\/strong>. Long-time residents weigh cherished <strong>rhythms<\/strong>\u2014quiet streets, easy parking\u2014against the energy that new <strong>arrivals<\/strong> bring.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can feel a broader <strong>mix<\/strong>,\u201d said a neighbourhood <strong>volunteer<\/strong>. \u201cThe challenge is keeping that country-town <strong>warmth<\/strong> while growing into a true regional <strong>city<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Planning for the next decade<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Planners are leaning into three <strong>priorities<\/strong>: density around transit, greener <strong>infrastructure<\/strong>, and housing diversity that serves different life <strong>stages<\/strong>. The first means more homes near stations and frequent <strong>buses<\/strong>. The second means shade, stormwater <strong>resilience<\/strong>, and walking <strong>amenities<\/strong>. The third means townhomes, accessible <strong>apartments<\/strong>, and aging-in-place <strong>design<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The watchword is <strong>balance<\/strong>. More people need not mean urban <strong>sprawl<\/strong>, if design codes reward smart <strong>infill<\/strong>, reuse, and main-street <strong>revival<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>What residents should watch<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<ul><\/p>\n<li>Infrastructure delivery <strong>timelines<\/strong> versus population <strong>growth<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>How new precincts integrate with existing <strong>suburbs<\/strong> and services <strong>maps<\/strong><\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<li>The labour market\u2019s ability to fill care, construction, and tech <strong>roles<\/strong><\/li>\n<p>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>A city growing into itself<\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The census doesn\u2019t just tally <strong>heads<\/strong>; it tracks a region growing into its <strong>ambitions<\/strong>. With each measured <strong>step<\/strong>, the city adds capacity, confidence, and a deeper sense of what makes it <strong>distinct<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Growth always asks for <strong>trade-offs<\/strong>, but it also funds the very <strong>amenities<\/strong> people move to enjoy. If the trajectory stays <strong>steady<\/strong>, the coming years could feel less like a <strong>rush<\/strong> and more like a careful building of place\u2014block by <strong>block<\/strong>, service by <strong>service<\/strong>, and story by <strong>story<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"class_list":["post-590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong\u02bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong\u02bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Ponds | Shopping Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thepondsshoppingcentre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elliot Wainford\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elliot Wainford\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elliot Wainford\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\"},\"headline\":\"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\"},\"wordCount\":768,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Uncategorized\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\",\"name\":\"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Shop At The Ponds\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/\",\"name\":\"The Ponds | Shopping Centre\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\",\"name\":\"Elliot Wainford\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Elliot Wainford\"},\"description\":\"Elliot Wainford is an economist specializing in consumer behavior, retail pricing dynamics, and local market ecosystems. He analyzes how small commercial hubs shape regional growth, employment, and household spending patterns. His work blends applied microeconomics with practical insights for merchants and community planners.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong\u02bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","og_url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong\u02bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/","og_site_name":"The Ponds | Shopping Centre","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thepondsshoppingcentre","article_published_time":"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Elliot Wainford","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elliot Wainford","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/"},"author":{"name":"Elliot Wainford","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755"},"headline":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise","datePublished":"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/"},"wordCount":768,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg","articleSection":["Uncategorized"],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/","name":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-27T02:00:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/geelongcabcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise-590.jpg","width":1536,"height":1024,"caption":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/geelong%ca%bcs-population-grows-again-as-the-latest-census-confirms-a-steady-rise\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Shop At The Ponds","item":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Geelong\u02bcs population grows again as the latest census confirms a steady rise"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/","name":"The Ponds | Shopping Centre","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755","name":"Elliot Wainford","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png","caption":"Elliot Wainford"},"description":"Elliot Wainford is an economist specializing in consumer behavior, retail pricing dynamics, and local market ecosystems. He analyzes how small commercial hubs shape regional growth, employment, and household spending patterns. His work blends applied microeconomics with practical insights for merchants and community planners.","sameAs":["https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":642,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590\/revisions\/642"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}