The Southern Metropolitan Region (SMR) is a diverse and expansive area that covers 10 local government areas (see image 1), including suburbs from South Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula and east to Casey and Cardinia.

Southern Metropolitan Melbourne is home to a diverse range of socio-economic statuses (SES) and ethnicities. To the south of the region, affluent and wealthy areas can be found while the south east reveals some of the most economically marginalised areas within Victoria.