Lower rates of childhood immunisation are leaving a number of inner-Melbourne suburbs vulnerable to measles epidemics.

New data to be released on Thursday shows that while 93.5 per cent of five-year-old Australian children were fully immunised last year, some communities still have dangerously low levels of vaccine adherence.

Ella with her mother Gabriela Marighetto received her vaccinations in Footscray. Credit:Justin McManus

In the suburb of Melbourne, where about 1000 young children live, only 70 to 75 per cent of five-year-olds were fully vaccinated, according to the 2016-2017 data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

In St Kilda and South Melbourne, the rate was 80 to 85 per cent.