How zones work
Government schools give priority to children who live nearby. Live inside the zone (Victoria), the local intake area (NSW) or the catchment (Queensland), and your child has a right to a place. Outside it, a place depends on room at the school.
Zones only apply to government schools. Private and Catholic schools set their own enrolment rules, and selective and specialist schools take students by test or program, not by address.
Check the address in your state
Victoria: Find my School
Search the address on Find my School. Every child has a legislated right to a place at their designated neighbourhood school. In Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong it’s usually the nearest government school in a straight line, and elsewhere the nearest by the shortest practical route.
Zones are reviewed every year: the 2027 zones came out in March 2026, with one new zone and 11 changed. The department says it can’t endorse advice from real estate agents or other websites, so check the official tool yourself.
New South Wales: School Finder
Search on the department’s School Finder. All primary schools and most high schools have a local intake area, and children who live in it are entitled to enrol. Places for students from outside are limited and depend on space. Intake areas can change, and the department warns against relying on them for buying or renting decisions without checking with the school.
Queensland: EdMap
Search by address on EdMap. Your local school is the one closest by the shortest, most direct road route to its main entrance. Schools that are near capacity have an Enrolment Management Plan (shown in red on EdMap) that limits out-of-catchment places. Catchments can vary by year and year level.
Before you sign
- Check for the right year. Look up the zone for the year your child will start, not just this year.
- Call the school. Confirm the address is in their zone and ask what proof they’ll want.
- Know the proof rules. Schools usually accept a rates notice, lease, exchanged contract or utility bill; schools near capacity can ask for more, like NSW’s 100-point address check or a 12-month lease.
A zone can move after you buy. In Victoria, a child who’s already enrolled doesn’t have to change schools if it does.
How MapView helps
MapView’s School Zones topic shows the primary and secondary catchments an address sits in, drawn on the map, with the distance to each school, so you can compare homes on your shortlist at a glance.
Common questions
If I buy in the zone, is my child guaranteed a place?
For government schools, living in the zone gives your child the right to a place: in Victoria at their designated neighbourhood school, in NSW at the school for their local intake area, and in Queensland at the local catchment school. Schools will ask for proof of address.
Can school zones change after I buy?
Yes. Victoria reviews zones every year (the 2027 zones were published in March 2026), and NSW and Queensland catchments can change too. In Victoria, a child who is already enrolled doesn't have to move if the zone changes.
Do private and Catholic schools have zones?
Zones apply to government schools. Private and Catholic schools set their own enrolment policies.
What proof of address will the school ask for?
Usually a rates notice, a rental agreement, an exchanged contract of sale or a utility bill. Schools near capacity can ask for more, such as NSW's 100-point residential address check or a 12-month lease.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and official tools change, so check the sources below and talk to your conveyancer or solicitor before you commit.
