torcraw

There are quite a few threads on places to live, but my question is the opposite: what suburbs should I absolutely AVOID living in down in Melbourne (i.e. what are the very dodgy or high-crime areas)?

Devlin

Altona, Hoppers Corossing, Weribee, Craigieburn, Thomastown, Sunshine, Dandenong, Springvale, Resevoir, Coburg, Oakleigh, Hampton Park, Croydon for starters.

busterboy

Faulkner

Pomster

Not sure why Altona is there- the blue rinse brigade attacked you with a handbag perhaps?
Oakleigh is nice, but personally I would avoid Footscray like to plague...too many druggies for my liking.

The Crow

What's wrong with Croydon Seems perfectly pleasant to me whenever I've been there.

You could add Noble Park. Close to me, I wouldn't live in Bayswater (but I'm sure there are still nice streets within the suburb - as is the case with many areas).

elmao

Well having lived in Coburg for 2 years and Altona for the past 6 months I would have to disagree I'm afraid.

Certainly in comparison to England and Ireland, I don't really think any suburb in Melbourne could be considered "high crime".

In the case of Coburg and Altona specifically, the lack of security alarms and triple locked doors on nearly all houses, or indeed the absence of people taking their staffordshire bull terrier (or other scary looking guard dogs) out for walks, may be some indication of how safe these areas are. We've never had a break in, car's never been stolen/ vandalised (street parked in both suburbs), and I'm very comfortable walking home from our nearest train station after dark - things that I couldn't say about many urban parts of England or Ireland.

The only suburb I would say in Melbourne that would be a bit dodgy especially for people with kids is perhaps St. Kilda: a very backpacker orientated suburb (so lots of noise) but sadly there is a very visible substance abuse problem there. (Lots of drug paraphernalia left around the beach and plenty "smack heads" wandering around, in stark contrast to the more family orientated beaches over at Altona.)

elmao

would have to agree with Pomster on footscray

Petals

Today there is an article about South East Melbourne and crime in the Sun.

I think most suburbs have problems. I personally would not live in the Pines, North Frankston, Dandenong, Hampton Park. However where I live we have had a a few murders one just down the road, a young man, another woman, both of these were found in dams and a druggie killed his grandparents around the corner.

So no area is crime free or drug free. You never know who lives in the Street

ozzieeagle

Coburg is part of Moreland, the average price here is now well over 500,000, and hardly affected by the downturn So I doubt if the OP would easily afford it.


Moreland is not a high crime area.... mmm except for the real Mafia and Carl Williams mob, who were only interested in each other and are now banged up.

Reservoir also has some good areas, especially around Oaklands.

Heres a couple of 1 mil plus properties and a renovators delight at 800,000 in Coburg.

Now where did you get the Idea that Coburg was to be avoided ? Considering it sits on the Longest shopping strip ...the 6 kilometers of Sydney Rd... In Australia. Saying Coburg is a bad area, is a bit like saying Shoreditch and Camden in London are to be avoided, both of which have a lot in common with Moreland. I'd say calling Coburg a dodgy area, would have been apt 30 years ago, when the now closed Pentridge prison was the main reason the area was known.

People around here, would think anything beyond Box Hill in the East was to be avoided... who wants to spend an over an hour in the car every day... Plus all the train lines in the east have far more crime on them than over this region.

http://www.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin...&tm=1217389041

http://www.domain.com.au/Public/Prop...did=2007259711
http://www.domain.com.au/Public/Prop...did=2007175936

stuckinblighty

Nothing wrong with croydon IMO

jond

Hastings

Petals

I am not a fan of Tullamarine mainly because of the plains not the people.

Hastings has only one dodgy area and has now been discovered unfortunately its sad that little coastal towns are being yuppyfied.

Hastings is now becoming a retirement place for the elderly.

Not a fan of Sunshine either.

Near the city Collingwood used to be dodgy still bit dodgy on Smith St. However its discovered too, like everywhere up to 10 ks from the city.

jond

Hastings has only one dodgy area and has now been discovered unfortunately its sad that little coastal towns are being yuppyfied.

Hastings is now becoming a retirement place for the elderly.





I spend too much time around Hastings and there is more than one rough area, sure West Park is the worst but the rest of the place isn't much better.

I would rather live in North Frankston than there, as for retirement places the biggest by far is going up in Mornington on the corner on Bungower and Racecourse rd.

Have to agree about Sunshine, it's the pits.

BadgeIsBack

Living in the SE I can sort of confirm that Dandenong is the pits.
If you are going to live SE, (E of Warrigal rd) I recommend living N of the Princes Highway.
The SE of Melbourne after Oakleigh is a bit crap. It only improves once you get to Narre Warren and even then problem is a lot of new estates which are crap to be honest.and then Berwick is the jewel in the crown.

I actually recommend due E rather than SE.

torcraw

Thanks for the input so far, I'll summarize it all and come up with a good "avoid list" for when I look for a place to live in Melbourne.

If anyone has any additional advice, please continue to post!!