Melbourne Suburbs
 

Hi,

We are hoping to make the move out to Melbourne next year. We already have our visas in place having moved to Sydney in 2011 and then returning to the UK.

At the moment we are trying to look into affordability, and the first part of this is identifying areas we could live in order to price it up.

Ideally we are after an area that is close to the beach, commutable to the CBD and has good schools (we have 4 kids who will be 10, 8, 6 and 5 when we plan to move). We have been been looking at the Chelsea/Edithvale/Aspendale area.

Does anyone on here know this area? Would it fit the bill for what we are looking for?

Many thanks,
John

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

affordability is point cook, Werribee area that is where most of the new builds areand the cheapest houses.
the nearest decent beach would be Altona which is not too far away and Williamstown is not much further, However parking is free in Altona and metered in Williamstown.
As to how good the schools are, I don't know, but it's mostly people with young families there so the schools can't be too bad.

The commute from point cook isn't great but there is a new train station which isn't too far away.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

Where do you live in the UK and what are you looking for in a suburb?

The places you have shortlisted are around the bay. Zone 2 on Frankston line, about 50 mins to Flinders St.
Close to water treatment works - I don't know if that is an issue down there.

When we came out we researched schools first and then shortlisted locations around the chosen schools.

Western suburbs like Point Cook would be like coming from Milton Keynes or Basildon but without the infrastructure.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

I was going to be harsh about Point Cook but it would be nicer than Basildon on the basis that it is at least near Melbourne...

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

Those areas will definitely give you lovely beaches. From Mordialloc downwards the city beaches are far superior to those found in Bayside (ie Black Rock, Sandringham, Hampton, Brighton etc).

Affordability is an interesting question, as what is your definition of affordability? From Aspendale downwards the prices do get a bit easier on the wallet, as Mordialloc and north are very expensive. Chelsea will offer you more bang for your buck, Edithvale slightly less so and Aspendale even less so.

Based on the number of children you mentioned I assume you're going to be needing a 4 bed or larger. The median price for a house/unit or town house with 4+ beds in 3196 (that covers Edithvale and Chelsea) was $610k over the last 12 months. The median for Aspendale was $700k.

In terms of the suburbs themselves, Chelsea has the best local infrastructure in terms of shops, restaurants etc, followed by Edithvale, with Aspendale having the least. It's still got enough though to be fair and Mordialloc is a 3 minute drive up the road and Aspendale has probably the best beach between Mordialloc and Frankston.

Hope that all helps.

PS when looking at those areas you mentioned, Aspendale Gardens and Chelsea Heights shouldn't be associated with Aspendale and Chelsea as they're very different.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

No the location of the water treatment works has no bearing on those places as it's located further south east. (east of Carrum)

Also during the rush hour weekdays you can get fast trains that take you from Aspendale to Flinders in 38 / 39 minutes.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

I would argue Mentone downwards.

BB

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

I'm sort of not going to argue with that, as yes there is a definite change in water quality and beach quality when you come round the bay to Beaumaris Bay, which is where Mentone beach is. That said, (and even I said Mordialloc which what I'm saying next is technically contradicting), when you go south over the creek in Mordialloc, the beaches from that point (which is where the suburb of Aspendale technically starts) are just another grade better. But you can't go wrong Mentone downwards it's all nice (except for the price of a 4 bed house in Mentone lol), saw a 3 bed unit go for $614k last weekend when the guide price was $480-520k!!!!

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

I guess I could say I know the area well as lived in Edithvale for 11 years and one of my friends still lives there on the beach front. A lot of the people who live there have lived in the area as families come from the area. We only moved as we wanted more land.

Aspendale is nice beach side but a bit narrower than Edithvale my children went to St Louis De Montfort for a couple of years.

Doctors are good at Aspendale, good kindergartens at Edithvale and Aspendale, train of course. Good library at Chelsea. I used to walk the beach from Edithvale to Chelsea and back great in winter.

Beach is ok for the children just stay away from the main road access to the beaches.

Chelsea, Bon Beach, Carrum are ok as well.

Parkdale Mentone lovely but I only like beach side of the Nepean Highway.

The plant at Carrum is not a problem and covers a vast area and as far as I am concerned adds to the area as its not built out as there is a planning zone around the plant preventing homes from being built too close.

Patterson Lakes is popular as is Harbour Town etc but a bit more pricey than the older areas as the houses are newer.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

Hi,

If you are ready to live in a flat then you can move to Brunswick, Carlton or Coburg. Lygon street which touches both the Carlton and Brunswick East is a lively place while it is also parallel to Sydney road that is filled with hustle-bustle till 2 am. Trams to city run on both the Lygon street and Sydney road and its around 5 km to reach city from these areas.

Rent for a single bed flat is 300 to 350 per week while for a 2 bed flat you will have to pay 350-400 per week.

Regards,
Fred, F.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

I think the OP might find a single bed (or even a 2 bed flat) a bit of a squeeze

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

Can't make assumptions on behalf of the OP but I suspect with 4 kids and I'm assuming 2 adults, that a 2 bed flat might be a touch of a squeeze. Hustle and bustle till 2am may also be somewhat problematic lol. And as for the beaches near Brunswick, uhhhh...........

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

Hmmm, yet to be convinced of that one. Looking at the website there appears to be a good female Dr based on credentials but every time we need to use the surgery it's fairly short notice and we're never given an appointment with her and the Dr's available have not been up to scratch. Not from a paediatrics perspective anyway.....

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

You are obviously seeing the wrong doctors :D There are plenty others around the area though that you could try. Female docs tend to be by the dozen on the Peninsula I guess its because they can live on their acreage and work close to home we have six at the surgery I go to and here is a whole female practice on the other side of the rail line.

Re: Melbourne Suburbs
 

.....

Yehp interesting point re the beaches near Brunswick.... I never ever go to the the South Eastern bay beaches from here, it's far easier and convinient for me to go down to Ocean Grove and beyond, because of crosstown traffic. The bay beaches would take me about the same amount of time to get to say Sandringham and especially beyond than it would to Geelong, a far less stressful drive at least..... At the most only 10 or 15 mins more. If I want a bay beach I go to the back beach at Willamstown which is really good as it has a decent cafe/bar that overlooks and is very close to the water...probably 30 mins away Altona is fairly good as well. The Ocean Grove Surf beaches are about 60 mins... I reckon Sandringham would be 45 mins from here.


In the 33 years I've lived here, I could count on one hand the times I've been to the beaches mentioned on this thread.

Just posting to illustrate the massive invisible divide between the Northern and South and Eastern subs of Melbourne. Personally I reckon you can't replicate the cosmopilitan/grungy feel of the North, Whereas Australian beaches are 10 a penny. Just my view of course.