The Melbourne areas with the most number of unoccupied properties have been revealed, as the Andrews government sets to reap in tens of millions of dollars from its new vacant property tax.

The new tax is expected to bite hardest in the Melbourne City Council area, where more than 2500 properties - namely high-rise apartments - are vacant.

In the Moonee Valley council area, which includes Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Ascot Vale, Avondale Heights and parts of Flemington, there are at least 1700 empty properties.

This compares to more than 1000 vacant properties in the inner-northern Yarra City Council area, which takes in Fitzroy, North Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond.