flip

What would you like to know? 5 minutes to Eastlink and Eastern Freeway, train station (takes about 30 mins to MCG), not far from wine regions, seems friendly, free parking, decent high street - although nearest proper indoor shopping centre is probably Ringwood Eastland, but fantastic access to larger retailers like furniture and white goods stores.

Let me know if you want any further info as it's only about 5 minutes from us.

Carolyn

gumtree

Many thanks for the information. Just wondering if the train line to and from City is safe as the suburb is on the Lilydale Line.

http://www.mako.org.au/newsart531.html

flip

Wow makes dreadful reading doesn't it? I think just as for stations in the UK, the busier they are the safer you are. I've felt more comfortable on the Mitcham City trains than I have on London tubes (which I only used occasionally) if that helps?

I think I've heard of nasty stuff happening at Ringwood and Lilydale stations late at night and the only comment I could really make about Mitcham is that there were no taxis there at 11.30pm one Saturday before Christmas last year - the other chap on our train had arranged a lift.

Sorry I can't spread any horror stories but I'd believe that Mitcham's safer than many of the tube and rail stations I've used in the UK - just don't have any statistics to investigate further. Would be fascinated if you find anything.

ozzieeagle

Just out of curiosity, do you get Gang activity on the tube network in London. I thought the danger there was muggers and sexual predators. Whereas here the most likely scenario is an attack by a gang of kids going after another mob.... only here once they are on public transport anyone is fair game if the mood arises. Unlikely yes, but it has happened to people I work with. Sure you do get random attacks by individuals here, but most of the crime on the transport network is Gang related.

The Epping mob from that train line... pour out of their parents semi expensive houses with their predominantly middle east bonds that bind them together, to go after the Asian gangs that congregate around Springvale, Donvale and Noble Park etc etc. Gets compounded by Islanders and Aussies from Broadmeadows and Bogans from Dandenong.

It's pretty bad on the trains after 8.30 pm.... I wont travel on them anymore, incase I feel the compulsion to clip someone behind the ear, which is bound to end badly.

BadgeIsBack

I get the Paky train which is the worst line for crime - twice that of Frankston and more than the Broady line. I have had 1 incident in 3 years - last week in the middle section of the line which is where the issues are.

Big bloke - 2m tall gets on near my seat - on drugs - talking loudly to his mates. He is saying
"Got anything sharp - got anything sharp"

He takes his jacket off walks down several of the interconnected open carriages and starts pummelling a bloke sitting there (just to far away to see what is going on).

It turns out that this is a known bloke and not a complete stranger and judging by the fact the bloke does not make too much noise it all seems to burn out.

But someone presses the alarm and the driver gets on the intercom. The big bloke then walks back asking people questions. Maybe I am becoming a big girls blouse in my old age - but I suddenly found my book very interesting....

Got the Alamein train yesterday, train was half empty - (did not enter the loop the jammy gits) everyone looked fresh and relaxed, well dressed, some real stunners. The train meanders through some very nice inner East suburbs.

Demographics, demographics....

I like where we live, semi-rural, commutable to the city, good mix, no real problems compared to many others. Does not suffer from marginalisation or suburbanisation. Lots of interesting, well motivated people.

JoolsB

Interesting reading...I myself had an experience on the Frankston line at around 1 o'clock in the afternoon. A scary bloke sits next to me and starts asking constant questions in a robotic voice such as how long I think he'll live and whether the fact he's been in prison and is on benefit means he'll die earlier and how likely did I think it was that he would commit another crime being mad etc. I made my excuses and got off early with him shouting after me and waited for the next train. Another afternoon at the Chelsea station there was a gang of young girls necking beer with huge beer guts hanging over their bikinis shouting the f and c words at some bloke on the other side who told them to eff off back to Pakenham. Never had any bad experiences on the London underground despite frequently travelling various lines at several times of day & night over past 15 years.

flip

Wow, it seems I must live in a hellish place - oops and I've spent the last 3 years believing I'd found my utopia - silly me. Friendly, hard working, common sense, laidback, peaceful Aussies who are my neighbours. I'll happily take back any slur on the UK underground. My only experience was rare and involved catching the train at 6am in the dark and feeling a tad uncomfortable and some drunks on a couple of late evening trains. So sorry for any offence.

Now I don't catch the train here very often either - just for social occasions and have only been on at that time of night once on a race day which isn't typical but my friends do catch the train and haven't talked about it being awful or said they'll be arranging alternate forms of transport.

I'm a little confused how Epping, Springvale, Donvale and Noble Park have been grouped together. From the map book it appears that Epping's North (took me about 45 mins to drive there not in rush hour and it's not on the same train line), Springvale's south of us and on a different line again and also about 35 - 40 minutes away, then we have Noble Park which is near Dandenong - again miles away and on a different train line. I can't comment on those areas as I've never been there except for passing through. This link to the train lines'll show that they'll all have different passenger groups:

http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/m...politan_trains

I'll have a look out for those mansions you talk of but mostly round Mitcham area it seems working class areas which people work to maintain - there are some expensive houses in suburbs around the area at reasonable prices but ..... I don't want to get into suburb bashing by making comparisons with other suburbs as most out here are lovely. As for Donvale (which is next to Mitcham but doesn't have a station) it has two types of properties - one which tends to have older un-flashy properties on acre bush blocks and the other which is more like your ordinary suburban areas.

Now I'm sorry to have hogged this thread but I've never felt safer or happier in an area and wanted to defend it. I've also contacted Connex and asked for their feedback on criminal activity along the line - both are regular train users themselves along with thousands of school children, mums and commuters and haven't experienced problems themselves although they say the teenagers sometimes act up. I don't suppose that happens anywhere else in the world?

I'll post feedback from Connex when it comes.

JoolsB

yep-let's face it you can be unlucky and have a threatening experience in whatever area of whatever country you are maybe in on your first trip or maybe after years of happy travel. It shouldn't put anyone off-you just have to avoid eye contact with the weirdos and change carriages or trains if necessary!

Deutschmaster

I like having a train station nearby. I find it too much hassle driving into the centre with jams, tollways to drive round, paying for parking etc.

And there's the whole thing of staying sober on a night out.

My only criticism of the train network is that it's a shame it doesn't run all night long!

ozzieeagle

They the gangs from these areas, meet up regularly at Flinders st and to a lesser extent Spencer St, for pre arranged fights, almost exactly like they used to at the Football in England. In fact one could say they are almost at war. There have been numerous articles about it in the paper. The respective groups from each area are trying to outdo each other in the Noterity stakes.

Transport is the main arena in Melbourne, where the different ethnic groupings find to clash.


http://www.theage.com.au/national/ou...0726-3lep.html

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...81-421,00.html

People that know my postings on here know I generally talk up Melbourne. This is one area where AFAIK Melbourne is definitely worse than anything in the UK. Furthermore I know people that have been affected by it.

hawk2005

Think about moving closer to a tram line - the 75 tram line takes a while to get into Melbourne, but as it passes though fairly good areas - Vermont/Blackburn/Burwood/Camberwell/Hawthorn etc - the d1ckhead quota is pretty much non existent, even late at night.
Plus it is way less crowded than the trains.

ozzieeagle

Yes little or no trouble on the Trams, thats the only way I'm going to let my kids travel at night.

Heres another reason why...

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...93-421,00.html

ozzieeagle

Got to say, that when I posted earlier about Donvale, I had that particular area totally confused.... almost like a typo mixed up with Doveton. Donvale is almost 100 pct trouble free as far as i'm aware.

Do not go, unless you really have to....Doveton station.

These issues have quietened down recently, due to more policing on the trains. Hopefully the trend continues.

NJJ

I don't know what tram number 75 you're talking about - I have the misfortune of catching the 75 at night sometimes and there are plenty of weirdos & troublemakers about.

hevs

I just read that report, it would be laughable if it wasn't so fanatical
They sound like such sad losers....Its hard to believe that people really go around with that mind set...unbelievable....