McKellar
ACT 2617 · Unincorporated ACT
2,740 (2021) → 2,645 est. (2025) · Moderate Growth
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
McKellar is a moderate growth suburb in Unincorporated ACT, ACT 2617, about 9km from Canberra CBD. Recent property sales in McKellar are too limited to report a reliable median price. The suburb has no schools recorded, a transport score of 59/100, and is about 114km inland. McKellar has an overall score of 71/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 64/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
ATO 2023-24, postcode 2617 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.
Top countries of birth: China (2.59%), England (2.37%), India (2.12%), Italy (1.46%), Vietnam (1.46%)
Top languages: Mandarin (2.77%), Italian (2.37%), Spanish (2.04%), Vietnamese (2.04%), Croatian (1.79%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: ACT Policing (suburb-level) · Updated 2024
Schools
Strong school options
Well above average — good-quality schools within reach and a healthy range of options to choose from.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1061 (above the national average of 1000).
No schools inside the suburb boundary — the schools below are in adjoining suburbs (counted within 10km for the education score).
Nearby (within 10km)
- Miles Franklin Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1kmICSEA 1077
- Evatt Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.2kmICSEA 1047
- St Monica's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1.5kmICSEA 1080
- Giralang Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1070
- Melba Copland Secondary School Copland Campus Years 7 - 9Secondary · Government · 1.7km
- Mount Rogers Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.2kmICSEA 1056
- University of Canberra High School KaleenSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1056
- University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake GinninderraSecondary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1066
- Florey Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 1042
- Melba Copland Secondary School Copland Campus Years 10 - 12Secondary · Government · 2.6kmICSEA 1041
- Maribyrnong Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 3kmICSEA 1100
- St Michael's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3kmICSEA 1094
Source: ACARA MySchool · Updated 2025
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Employment & Economy
Top local industries
Source: DEWR SALM / ABS Census 2021 · Updated SALM Mar 2026 / 2021 Census
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
In this suburb
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap · Healthdirect NHSD (via Geoscience Australia)
Fitness
Fitness paradise
Top 20% nationally — gyms, leisure centres, pools and sports fields all close by. Easy to stay active without travelling far.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Quiet area
Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.
Government liquor register data is not yet available for ACT. Venue counts are estimated from OpenStreetMap within 2km of the suburb centre.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: OpenStreetMap
Childcare
Some choices available
Around the national average — a reasonable mix of childcare options, though popular services may have waiting lists.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register · Updated July 2026
Places of Worship
Mapped places of worship within 3km of the suburb centre, grouped by religion where recorded. Community mapping may not capture every congregation.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
Moderate GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Unincorporated ACT
Compare McKellar with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about McKellar
Is McKellar safe?
McKellar has a residential safety score of 64/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 1,752 per 100,000 across all categories.
How far is McKellar from Canberra CBD?
McKellar is about 8.5 km from Canberra CBD, an estimated 38 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in McKellar?
McKellar has 0 schools. Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in McKellar?
McKellar has a transport score of 59/100 and 24 bus stops.