As we await the data from last years census to be released in the coming months, a look back at the 2016 census shows that the most Greek of suburbs in Australia is Earlwood in Sydney’s south west, with 4,020 people of Greek ancestry. For Melbourne, if you guessed “Oakleigh”, you would have been wrong. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), that honour falls to Reservoir.

Australian Bureau of Statistics map of the top Greek suburbs in each Australian state and territory based on findings from the Census of Population and Housing, 2016.

The ABS last year published a map highlighting the suburbs with the largest populations of people with Greek ancestry in each state based: “on place of usual residence, excludes overseas visitors” which were taken from ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2016.

To be more precise, Reservoir hosts 3,700 Greek Australians with 2,618 living in Oakleigh of whom 1,172 live in Oakleigh proper, 1,038 in Oakleigh and Huntingdale and 408 in Oakleigh South.

A total of 12,800 Greek Australians live in the City of Monash of which Oakleigh is a part. In the Darebin municipality which incorporates Reservoir, there are 10,000 Greek Australians.

In order of numbers, the most populous Greek suburbs in Australia’s states are:

Earlwood (New South Wales) 3,700;

Reservoir (Victoria) 3,700;

Prospect (South Australia) 940;

Carindale (Queensland) 750;

Dianella, (Western Australia) 660;

Leanyer (Northern Territory) 310;

Sandy Bay (Tasmania) 270; and

Kaleen (Australia Capital Territory) 170.

What some Neos Kosmos readers said on Facebook:
“Reservoir has more Greeks than Oakleigh, yet Oakleigh is the heart of the Melbourne Greek community,” noted Nektarios Hondros.
“The Italians did well with Lygon street. The Asian community did well with the CBD. And those that let the Greek precinct become an outpost in Oakleigh will wonder where the Greek precinct is in a few more years as it disappears into the abyss,” said George Yiorgos Tstitsi.
Mary Panotis wrote: “It would take a total stranger to believe that Earlwood has ONE coffee shop. ONE. and where’s Reservoir again?? Seriously alien writer…”
“Maybe a high number of Greeks don’t actually live in Oakleigh but that’s where they congregate!, not-ed Cornelia Carra.
“I thought resa had more Italians,” said a surprised Alexandra Tsokas.