who established building company Stankon Group in 1974 have sold a sprawling double storey office at the edge of Kew East’s Harp Village it contains about 2900 square metres; the top floor There are also ground floor suites including one rented to New Zealand’s A2 Milk Company as its local base The site spreads 2319 sqm with a basement car park off Hartwood St Stankon constructed the office next door – 711 High St – too It was also behind one of suburban Melbourne’s most significant high density apartment projects – Southpoint in Doncaster The Q House deal comes four months since Hacer directors sold a three level 2286 sqm Kew Junction office, on 1846 sqm at 85-87 High St That buyer, Mark Ruff’s Qanstruct, also plans to occupy. The agents were Joseph Carbone and Frank Vinci of Vinci Carbone with Gorman Allard Shelton Commercial’s Peter Bremner and Jonathan McCormack (story continues below) Also in that suburb five months ago, self storage operator Carl Sachs acquired the ex-Kodak factory with plans to repurpose and extend it for occupation In the inner north east, in 2021, biomedical group AXXIN acquired an Eaglemont office for $16.6m Andrew Ryan and Ben Baines marketed Q House is presently headquartered at Carlton with a manufacturing plant in Mitcham It also has interstate and international offices with each property offering development upside; the Abbotsford one utilising land more than airspace Kew East is about seven kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page A former property analyst and print journalist Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au Forgot your password? You will receive mail with link to set new password Back to login Heath Shaw is selling his house at 27 Elm Grove AFL premiership player Heath Shaw is booting the Kew East house where he lived before joining Greater Western Sydney The star defender has kept 27 Elm Grove as an investment since moving to Sydney after being traded to the Giants at the end of the 2013 season CoreLogic records indicate Shaw bought the four-bedroom property for $750,000 in 2008 midway through his 10-season stint at Collingwood where he lived while playing for Collingwood Auction win for VFL great in South Yarra St Kilda West house with Nick Cave connection sells Landmark Lind House for sale, as state heritage bid hits snag selling agent Chris Barrett said the 31-year-old fully renovated and extended the 1956-built house during his time there He’s now set to send it under the hammer on October 14 “He completely renovated the house eight years ago and added the second level,” Mr Barrett said “It now offers family accommodation and city views from an elevated position Mr Barrett said Shaw had particularly enjoyed the property’s position close to the Eastern Freeway “He plays a fair bit of golf,” Mr Barrett said The house had also been a valuable investment for Shaw most recently renting for about $900 per week The home’s lower level has high ceilings and American oak floors throughout and features a kitchen with Smeg appliances and marble benchtops that connects to a dining and lounge area This room opens out to a large deck with a built-in barbecue that overlooks landscaped gardens Shaw and his teammates just fell short of making this week’s AFL Grand Final The bedrooms are split between both floors and a retreat or rumpus room can be found on the top level Mr Barrett expected families seeking to move to the area for “schooling and lifestyle” to pursue the house Shaw and his Giants fell just short of making this weekend’s AFL Grand Final going down to Richmond by 36 points in a preliminary final last weekend samantha.landy@news.com.au third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Where to Find Australia’s Best Inner-City Bakeries By Katya Wachtel By Katya Wachtel By Matheus Taking over the old Rémy site on High Street Gilbert’s is a bright all-day diner bringing a touch of Greece to Kew East It's a collaboration between Andrew Skoullos, the former owner of Fitzroy cafe Gabriel and its former manager Benny Mazzetti – with Tobias Haegele and chef Manish Budhathoki Gilbert’s serves classic Aussie brunch alongside dishes with a Mediterranean accent – a nod to Skoullos’s and Mazzetti’s respective Greek and Italian roots You might find a fried-halloumi-topped Greek salad spanakopita like yia yia makes and – on the sweet front – French toast inspired by tsoureki a fluffy Greek bread served with caramelised banana and cinnamon custard the egg-and-bacon roll and chicken burger are both solid choices there’s Inglewood coffee alongside a range of smoothies cold-pressed juices and brunch-friendly cocktails – including $5 mimosas all day There’s also grab-and-go section that includes a handful of ready-to-heat meals A huge refurbishment saw walls knocked down to make way for a larger more open-plan space leading into the sunny courtyard Walls and ceilings have been painted in bottle green while a pink-terrazzo-tiled coffee counter sits front and centre Phone: (03) 9859 3252 Website: gilbertscafe.com.au We do not seek or accept payment from the cafes bars and shops listed in the Directory – inclusion is at our discretion Venue profiles are written by independent freelancers paid by Broadsheet Bakeries and Restaurants That Opened or Closed in April 32 of the Hottest Dishes and Drinks in Melbourne Right Now Menu Reveal: Five Things To Order at Junda Khoo’s Ho Liao First Look: Filipino Pop-Up Palay Moves to Fitzroy for Good Boutique property developer Gestalt has launched Clyde Street a striking collection of townhouses and apartments in the heart of Kew The project, on the corner of Clyde and High Street, has been designed by MA Architects to cater for those seeking a house-sized dwelling MA Architects Principal Karen Alcock says space is really important when it comes to designing a townhouse "We make sure that our townhouses have a real focus on spatial quality people will change a kitchen or a bathroom and that’s what is the most important thing to get right.” Each of the townhouses have three bedrooms They sit in gardens designed by landscape architect Simon Taylor. Taylor of said he only had to look around the suburb for inspiration for the townhouse gardens "The parks and gardens of East Kew are lush, beautiful and well-maintained, qualities we intend to continue at Clyde St," Taylor said There are just three apartments in the unusually-designed building two one-bedroom apartments and a two-bedroom penthouse apartment founded by former ICON Developments Senior Development Manager Kyle Reeve the latter where they are developing three mid-century home designed to sit around 100-year-old oak trees while the other will be a restoration of an existing Spanish hacienda-style home Gestalt are also currently selling seven land lots in Smeaton East, a new neighbourhood near Daylesford We're on a mission to radically improve the quality of Urban communities being developed across Australia We aim to showcase every development in Australia to help you find the perfect new home This is probably not the page you’re looking for Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time During a lean year for commercial property transactions owner-occupiers have muscled into the metro office market buying empty buildings from private investors unwilling to spend money on upgrades which is understood to have sold off-market to Pixel Technologies for $23 million including the Harry the Hirer’s acquisition of 112 Trenerry Crescent for just under $30 million; United Petroleum’s $18 million purchase of 465 Auburn Road and Qanstruct’s $17 million purchase at 85-87 High Street in Kew Junction Harry the Hirer purchased 112 Trenerry Crescent Ten of this year’s 13 suburban office deals for property over $5 million have been transacted by businesses planning to move into their new acquisitions owner-occupiers make up 48 per cent of the buyers so far this year who managed the East Kew deal with Alex Browne said the market has been in a buy/sell stalemate for most of the year especially for investors who do not have huge portfolios of properties.’ “Owners are too nervous to put properties on the market There haven’t been enough deals to establish the values,” Baines said especially for investors who do not have huge portfolios of properties or do I sell my vacant building to an owner-occupier?” he said Browne said office leasing incentives are running at 35-40 per cent which is souring the investment perspectives of many buildings Owner-occupiers are not sure when the next building will come up,” he said who did the Trenerry Crescent deal with Josh Rutman MingXuan Li and Vinci Carbone’s Frank Vinci and Joseph Carbone said cashed-up owner-occupiers are keen to build their assets and brand recognition “The private family market traditionally outbids other groups but they’re being more conservative at the moment Owner-occupiers can finally penetrate without as much competition from the rest of the market,” Carr said who negotiated the Kew deal with Tom Maule He is “unashamedly” pitching a building at 15 Gough Street to owner-occupiers keen on the look of heritage buildings once Craig Kimberley’s Just Jeans headquarters has been rented to Barrett Burston Malting for almost 25 years the property was for sale at about $10 million but the price guide has now come down to around $7.75 million Breaking the owner-occupier trend is the recent $11.6 million sale of 11 Newton Street Cremorne – purchased by a Sydney investor on a yield of 4.7 per cent three-story building has leases expiring in 2024-25 It returns $547,402 a year and is on a generous 1063 sq m of Commercial 2-zoned land making it a land-banking opportunity in the busy “Silicon Yarra” precinct which also handled listed Brisbane investor Garda’s property disposals during the year “We did have lots of owner-occupiers look at the building but given it was 100 per cent leased and only part of it was coming up for renewal next year it didn’t really suit many people,” said Dawkins Occhiuto’s Andrew Dawkins Investors looking for a bargain are still in the market Garda sold a Box Hill office building at 436 Elgar Road earlier this year for $40.3 million Records show the property was sold to another institutional investor – believed to be Barwon Investment Partners’ healthcare fund The big investors who are too nervous to put investment-grade property on the market are watching with keen interest to see what prices Garda can achieve for its two buildings in the Botanicca business park in Burnley They are understood to be in due diligence with an investor The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning including the Harry the Hirer\\u2019s acquisition of 112 Trenerry Crescent for just under $30 million; United Petroleum\\u2019s $18 million purchase of 465 Auburn Road and Qanstruct\\u2019s $17 million purchase at 85-87 High Street in Kew Junction Ten of this year\\u2019s 13 suburban office deals for property over $5 million have been transacted by businesses planning to move into their new acquisitions \\u201COwners are too nervous to put properties on the market There haven\\u2019t been enough deals to establish the values,\\u201D Baines said or do I sell my vacant building to an owner-occupier?\\u201D he said Owner-occupiers are not sure when the next building will come up,\\u201D he said MingXuan Li and Vinci Carbone\\u2019s Frank Vinci and Joseph Carbone \\u201CThe private family market traditionally outbids other groups but they\\u2019re being more conservative at the moment Owner-occupiers can finally penetrate without as much competition from the rest of the market,\\u201D Carr said Gorman Allard Shelton\\u2019s Peter Bremner said: \\u201CIt\\u2019s been an incredibly lean year\\u201D He is \\u201Cunashamedly\\u201D pitching a building at 15 Gough Street once Craig Kimberley\\u2019s Just Jeans headquarters Cremorne \\u2013 purchased by a Sydney investor on a yield of 4.7 per cent making it a land-banking opportunity in the busy \\u201CSilicon Yarra\\u201D precinct which also handled listed Brisbane investor Garda\\u2019s property disposals during the year \\u201CWe did have lots of owner-occupiers look at the building but it didn\\u2019t really suit many people,\\u201D said Dawkins Occhiuto\\u2019s Andrew Dawkins Records show the property was sold to another institutional investor \\u2013 believed to be Barwon Investment Partners\\u2019 healthcare fund The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories especially for investors who do not have huge portfolios of properties.\\u2019 What: A structurally expressive 1950s beauty on the edge of Hays Paddock Whenever architect Keith Lodge idled the car to a stop outside the family home he designed in East Kew, he would remind his children how lucky they were. “Dad would look at the house and say things like, ‘Have you noticed how the light reflects here?’, says daughter Megan Keith.  “He was always pointing out one or another feature. He knew he had made something special.” The heritage-listed Lodge House is a thing of daring beauty, a triangulated form suspended over its site like a bird mid-wing-beat. It’s a striking thing today, but imagine 1959 Kew as the steel frame was taking shape here. “The neighbours thought a factory was being built,” says Lodge’s son Rowan of the singular design. This period spawned a clutch of Melbourne architects intent on moving the design conversation of the city from dour and poorly conceived to buildings that responded to their environment. Lodge was part of that “Melbourne Optimism” often represented by Robin Boyd, Peter McIntyre and Chancellor & Patrick, among others. “Dad was obsessed with light and ventilation,” says Megan. “He wanted the house to be part of its surrounds.” Those surrounds include the verdant Hays Paddock across the road. In a fascinating footnote to this story, the land was at one time considered as a site for the National Tennis Centre. Lodge was instrumental in retaining the vast space for public use. The former slum now a millionaires choice of locale The micro-burb full of street art and cashed-up millennials This fishing village is no longer just a tourist pit stop The house was designed for four people –  Lodge, wife Patricia and daughters Fiona & Nicola.  As Celeste, Megan, Rowan and Natasha arrived, the architect added sections to extend the lovely geometry. You could spend an inordinate amount of time on the simple genius here – the admittance of light, air and garden, the brilliant little nooks concealing utility, the gorgeous loft of the entry foyer and how – wondrously – the house has really changed very little since its early days. You’d miss the defining story, though, of how six children and their parents thrived here. Such inventive homes are rarely as warm as this, rarely so deeply impressive in both rationality and reach. Lodge, at 25, brought to life a perfectly orientated, wildly progressive, but deeply functional structure that has housed his family from 1959 until 2022.  It is an extraordinary feat of which all are justifiably proud. “It’s very modern but also humble to a degree,” says Rowan. Despite appearances, this was a working house. The children shared rooms.  The parents entertained often.  Friends were encouraged, and the home was ‘always busy.’ “It was a home that expanded or contracted to fit whoever was in it at the time,” he says. “It lived.  The house that lived.” Indeed, there is a neat alchemy here that confers a contained feel – rooms structured and connected in a reasonably conventional manner – alongside a palpable energy to the floor plan, as demonstrated by the ease with which the extended sections sit against the original. It’s almost as if the house is adjustable. No surprise then to find out that Lodge’s original idea was to make the house transportable. In a note about her childhood home, another of the siblings, Natasha Young, remarks that, “The concept that the house was designed to be unscrewed and moved at any given time was a fantastical notion to me as a child. Just a small dose of whimsy, just like our dad.” Black granite “shelf” sections embedded within the stone are remnants from the 1956 Olympic Honour Board at the MCG. “Ahead of his time,” says Megan. “Sustainable. Economical. Nothing wasted.” Remembering their father as charming, fun and forward-thinking, much like the home he created, Keith Lodge’s children are sanguine about the handover to new custodians. “Dad was pragmatic,” says Rowan. “He would say a house needs to be lived in. We hope someone will interpret it for their own life and that it will evolve with them.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate Heath Shaw had a big win on the property market with the auction of his Kew East property AFL star Heath Shaw has cashed in more than $1.6 million on his old Kew East pad and subbed in good mate Alan Didak to sign the deal in his absence The GWS veteran and former Collingwood defender was not in town to watch the house he renovated and extended soar to $1.655 million under the hammer ex-Pies teammate Didak was on hand to ink the agreement — worth $55,000 more than the reserve CLICK HERE TO SEE THE WEEK’S RESULTS New owner Hasitha Dharmasena shakes hands with agent Chris Barrett Alan Didak meets with Marshall White agents prior to auction The auction was among 1122 scheduled across Melbourne this week with CoreLogic recording an early clearance rate of 72 per cent Shaw lived at the four-bedroom house at 27 Elm Grove during the second half of his time at the Magpies and kept it as an investment since moving north Marshall White quoted $1.4-$1.54 million for the property which attracted bidding from four young families for its proximity to quality education options and parklands Heath Shaw evades former North Melbourne player Drew Petrie Buyer Hasitha Dharmasena said “the schools around” for his young son were the main drawcard Green Acres and Kew golf clubs also surround the home — something Shaw particularly enjoyed during his time there CoreLogic records show the property last sold for $750,000 in 2008 Channel 9 newsreader Alicia Loxley signed off on the home she had shared with her husband and two children with a $1.2 million deal director Andrew Crotty said the property was on the market at $1.1 million and two first-home buyers competed for the keys Channel 9 news reader Alicia Loxley at home with sons (L-R) Ned and Archie “Abbotsford was what they were after and the buyer loved that it was a single-fronted brick Victorian which had been done up but there was scope to further improve,” he said The two-bedroom property features a cathedral ceiling bi-fold doors and large windows in the living spaces a five-bedroom house at 82 Spring St fetched $800,000 reported Advantage Property Consulting director Frank Valentic He attributed demand in the suburb to “the ripple effect as people can no longer afford Preston and Reservoir.” “Three upsizing families all fought it out for the keys It sold right on reserve after passing in at $775,000,” he said Mr Valentic added the property last sold for $272,000 about 13 years ago scott.carbines@news.com.au Sign up to a myVicRoads account to choose three or six monthly rego Your credit card/bank account details have now been updated You're now ready to set-up direct debit payments Download myLearners from the App Store or Google Play today This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn More WARNING: Your login details must never be shared with others for the purpose of accessing VicRoads’ systems Any breach of this condition will result in termination of your access; for partner accounts it may also result in the suspension or termination of your organisation’s agreement/licence Helping disadvantaged young people gain supervised driving experience sections of High Street in Kew will be closed to through and local traffic for essential tram track maintenance and renewal works.  All government construction projects in metropolitan Melbourne and relevant Local Government Areas (LGAs) will be closed other than immediate work required to make the site safe and secure This measure has been taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 among construction workers following multiple outbreaks linked to construction sites Critical elements of the track renewal works on High Street between Harp Road and Burke Road Kew East will be completed over the coming days so we can reopen the road safely and get trams running again Workers will be on site until the morning of Friday 24 September 2021 to finish resurfacing the road and remove site fencing These essential works will allow the road to reopen safely by the morning of Friday 24 September 2021 A small number of Yarra Trams workers will continue to be on site in the coming week to perform critical tasks to enable trams to run To ensure the safety of all workers and the community work undertaken during these restrictions will operate under a COVIDSafe plan and strict compliance with the Chief Health Officer Directions will be required at all times will be required to complete the tram track renewals on High Street We’ll update you once construction works are able to commence again Current detours and active traffic management will continue to be in place for the safety of motorists cyclists and pedestrians until the resurfacing works are complete High Street between Harp Road and Burke Road Kew East will be open to traffic on the morning of Friday 24 September 2021 Parking and local access will be reinstated from this time.  The businesses located around the works area will remain open during these critical works Please continue to support your local businesses Pedestrian access to these businesses will remain open at all times This work is on hold during the construction shutdown in metropolitan Melbourne will be required to complete the tram track renewals We’ll update you once work is ready to commence again all construction sites will be required to demonstrate compliance with Chief Health Officer directions including the requirement for workers to show evidence to their employer that they have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine COVIDSafe plans will also be required to minimise interaction in areas including tea rooms For more information regarding these works, please visit yarratrams.com.au or call 1800 800 007.  For information about public transport changes during these works, visit the PTV website View a larger version of the works map High Street Kew Update 2, September 2021 [PDF 1.3 Mb] Please tell us why (but don't leave your personal details here - message us if you need help or have questions) Find resources and information about Victorian transport projects and planning at the following locations The web browser you\'re using is outdated and may not work correctly with this website. We strongly recommend using the latest version of a modern browser such as Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox. Find out more..unsupported-browser a:hover{color:inherit;} don\'t forget to phone 131171 and update the address on your permit You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream A 14 -year-old boy has been stabbed in the back while a 13-year-old has also been injured in a brawl in Melbourne’s east Investigators have been told two groups of teenagers met up at a football oval at Hays Paddock in Kew East at about 4.45pm on Monday A knife was produced and a 14-year-old boy was stabbed in the back He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while a 13-year-old boy suffered minor injuries and had his shoes and bag stolen The parties are believed to be known to each other and it is understood the incident may have been filmed Police want to speak with the driver of a black ute seen leaving the Hays Paddock carpark at the time of the incident four would-be buyers scrambled for the keys to the house casual dining area overlooking a tropically landscaped pool The house sold to a couple with four children Several hundred people filled the street to watch Bekdon Richards auctioneer Paul Richards accept an opening bid of $2.5 million from a man It looked to be a fast auction with offers flying in quick $50,000 rises until bidding hit a wall at $2.83 million when the auctioneer went inside to consult the Jollys with the price creeping up in mostly $1000 increments for the remainder of the drawn-out auction When Mr Richards returned from his second trip inside The crowd groaned as bidding continued its $1000 incremental rises When the original bidder finally announced he was out at $2,907,000 the crowd applauded him for his persistence Dea, also a Domain columnist, said they were really rapt with the sale price. “We’ll definitely be looking for a new project – we haven’t bought yet but we have got our eye on a few things, so definitely watch this space,” she said. “I’ve just cut my teeth on this one … [the next one] will be bigger and better hopefully.” The property attracted huge interest before the auction because of the Jollys work and the quality of the build, Mr Richards said. Architect Jane Merrylees worked closely with the high-profile couple of builder-renovation outfit D+D Home to create a cleverly designed home with well thought out colour schemes. The property had over 370 group inspections, compared to a standard campaign with about 80 to 100 groups, Mr Richards said. “People have gone crazy for their design and the way they’ve styled the house,” he said. “We had heaps of people coming through just trying to get ideas and looking at their work, and making some fantastic comments about their colour selection and presentation. “There’s been a lot stickybeaks about, but four to six buyers were really keen on it.” The listing agent had been guiding high-$2 millions during the campaign, with mixed interest from families to downsizers. Dea said they had always planned to keep the original facade intact. “Basically we kept the front facade proportions in place and whatever elements of the original house could be preserved to keep the historical significance of the area,” she told Domain last month. Boroondara Council, with the support of some local residents, took the matter to the Magistrates Court, threatening fines up to $180,000, but the court dismissed the case against the high-profile renovators and no fine was issued. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) the double storey orange brick house looks just like any other home dotted along the quiet residential street in Melbourne's leafy inner-east But police on Monday morning discovered a sophisticated hydroponic marijuana crop growing undetected inside the house that sits just metres away from Kew East Primary School Police raided the Kitchener Street house after aerial infra-red thermal technology detected suspicious temperatures inside the house Images of the house posted to Reddit show yellow light beaming from the upstairs windows and clearly visible huge green crops stretching almost as high as the ceiling Residents said the blinds to the house were always drawn Neighbours reportedly heard a loud bang and a woman screaming as the front door of the house was kicked in by police Victoria Police spokesman Belinda Batty said the raid was linked to a series of drug warrants executed across Kew East She added further information will be provided when it is "operationally appropriate." Kew East Primary School declined to comment the double storey orange brick house looks just like any other home dotted along the quiet residential street in Melbourne's leafy inner-east But police on Monday morning discovered\\u00A0a sophisticated\\u00A0hydroponic\\u00A0marijuana crop growing undetected\\u00A0inside the house that sits just metres away from Kew East Primary School Police raided the Kitchener Street house\\u00A0after aerial infra-red thermal technology detected suspicious temperatures inside the house Images of the house posted to show yellow light beaming from the upstairs windows and clearly visible huge green crops stretching\\u00A0almost as high as the ceiling Residents said the\\u00A0blinds to the house were always drawn She added further information will be provided when it is \\\"operationally appropriate.\\\" A bright new all-day diner has arrived in the old Rémy site on High Street in Kew East Gilbert’s is a collaboration between Andrew Skoullos, the former owner of Fitzroy cafe Gabriel travel spots and more – curated by those who know “We wanted to give locals a bright and colourful spot to grab a coffee and a quick bite,” Mazzetti tells Broadsheet Gilbert’s serves classic Aussie brunch alongside dishes with a Mediterranean slant – a nod to Skoullos’s and Mazzetti’s respective Greek and Italian roots You’ll find a fried-haloumi-topped Greek salad paired at Gilbert’s with caramelised banana and cinnamon custard gilbertscafe.com.au 13 Melbourne Bars, Bakeries and Restaurants That Opened or Closed in April An old-world Tudor mansion on one of Melbourne’s most exclusive streets has hit the market for a royal sum in Kew The sprawling block at 71-77 Sackville St could take the crown and break the suburb’s price record if it sells at the top end of its $11-$12.1 million price guide Melbournia agent Kevin Phuong said the five-bedroom property had been intricately restored by the vendor A full restoration of old-world features was undertaken by the vendor Manicured gardens were also part of the restoration “It was a passion project for the owner to renovate and restore the house to its former glory in recent years meaning it’s a very rare offer on the market,” Mr Phuong said “There are beautiful parquetry floors and timbers imported from Europe and dyed to the right colour for historical significance.” The 1924 residence includes a character-filled library and executive kitchen with huge marble benches and top-of-the-range appliances A huge kitchen includes top-of-the-range appliances There are five elegant bedrooms at the house Dark timber was imported from Europe and dyed to the traditional Tudor colour The expansive 2327sq m block includes manicured gardens and a full-sized tennis court set on a separate title Mr Phuong said it was possible to buy the house and the tennis court separately with the playing field costing about $6 million “We could have a developer buy the tennis court but the house needs an audience that appreciates its style and history,” he said The court and part of the gardens can be bought on a separate title The tennis court tested the market a year ago with a $5-$5.5 million price guide It has now resurfaced with the house as part of the package The property’s high-end price could be attributed to the land size “Sackville St in Kew is probably one of the most prized streets in Melbourne and it’s very attractive to high income families because it’s surrounded by private schools,” he said “Our campaign is also targeted at international buyers who also show interest in the area.” The leafy street is home to Kew’s record-holder at No. 39 The terrific Tudor will have to sell at the top of its price guide to reign as the suburb’s most expensive house By Josh Gordon A street scene in Kew this week.Credit: Joe Armao It was one of Melbourne’s original “suburbs” the Australian Handbook described it as a “prettily-situated township it remains just as the handbook described it almost 150 years ago: “a very favourite place of residence for the merchants and well-to-do tradesmen of the city … dotted with their elegant houses and it is still populated by well-educated reside in detached houses on decent-sized blocks on quiet streets away from the bustle of the city With the state government now adamant Melbourne must grow “upwards not outwards” through higher density development in existing suburbs can Kew continue to hold out as Melbourne’s original leafy enclave The uniquely Australian notion of the “suburb” only gained a happy connotation towards the middle of the 1800s The dream of the suburb as a place of refuge and freedom away from the chaos of a city was a novel concept As author and emeritus professor of history at Monash University Graeme Davison pointed out in a lecture to the Kew Historical Society in the Sydney newspapers of the 1820s and ’30s the word suburb was used to describe a “kind of lawless borderland frequented by convicts vagabonds and high-spirited young men who drove or rode furiously across the landscape offering sanctuary for well-to-do families and intellectuals wanting to commune with nature and practice horticulture on larger leafy blocks Kew was – and still is – defined by its relationship with the Yarra River It is wrapped by a lazy fold of the waterway occupying the lofty side on the eastern bank meaning “where the ground is thickly shaded” Take a stroll along the river and you can see why Kew’s geography both defined and distinguished it The suburb looked out over the grim industry of Abbotsford “If you’re on the low side of the river in Richmond or Collingwood denoted swampy land and noxious industries you have views … and you’re exposed to all these beautiful breezes So these suburbs very quickly became eligible places to live.” the population of Kew had swelled by about four times Yet the description of Kew in the Australian Handbook for that year changed little compared to the 1875 edition – except this time it was described as dotted with “elegant mansions” Those mansions are an important feature of the suburb today built in the 1870s in the Italianate style has been owned by the Pratt family since 1981 and was most notedly inhabited by Daniel Mannix the influential Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years The 1870 Italianate mansion Raheen is now owned by the Pratt family.Credit: Joe Armao The suburb is more densely populated than it once was But it is still fortressed by the river – and to some extent by the lack of a train line but it was closed in 1952 because of dwindling patronage and a problematically steep alignment The train line was somewhat alarmingly described in The Age on December 20 1887: “The gradients are distressing and the curves so sharp that the drivers were unable to see the semaphore arms until tell-tale arms were erected close to the ground by the smallest neglect on the part of the signalman for either a Glenferrie or Kew train to be cut in halves This contingency has caused the officers of the traffic branch considerable anxiety .. a founding partner at SGS Economics and Planning says Kew was one of Melbourne’s very first “leafy suburbs” occupying a prime position across the river from Abbotsford Kew was really a refuge from all of that.” State Liberal MP for Kew Jess Wilson says the Yarra River provides a natural break from the city has partly insulated Kew from development pressures faced by other suburbs nearby you suddenly notice a difference,” Wilson says “You are coming into a much more suburban area whose unique geography has allowed it to preserve that classic suburban streetscape.” this doesn’t provide the same opportunities for development as other suburbs such as Hawthorn particularly along those main roads along the tram routes; once you step behind that it’s still very much a place where families want to live and send their kids to school.” Kew has one of the highest rates homeownership rates in the state about 44 per cent of homes were owned outright in 2021 while 30.7 per cent were owned with a mortgage Almost two-thirds of dwellings – 65.2 per cent – are detached houses In the more affluent statistical division of Kew south the average taxable income in 2020-21 was $125,100 the top 1 per cent of earners controlled 16.1 per cent of total earnings compared to an average of about 10.3 per cent for the top 1 per cent for Melbourne as a whole The area is also more tightly packed with fancy private schools – including Xavier Ruyton and Genazzano – than just about any part of Australia Wilson says private and public schools have played an important part in forming the character of the area “We have more than 30 schools in a 15-square-kilometre boundary You only have to try to move around the area between 8 and 9 [in the morning] or between 2 and 3.30 [in the afternoon] and it’s gridlock compared to the rest of the day.” President of the Kew Historical Society and former Boroondara mayor Judith Voce stresses that Kew should not be dismissed as a homogenised The suburb has always had a progressive voice and a social conscience the first women’s refuge in Melbourne – the Women’s Liberation Halfway House Collective – was opened in Kew in 1974 offering short-term crisis accommodation to women and their children Judith Voce is president of the Kew Historical Society and a former mayor of Boroondara.Credit: Joe Armao There was also the Kew Lunatic Asylum (later known as Willsmere) a grand building constructed in the Italianate style to accommodate the “lunatics” and “inebriates” in the colony of Victoria had a troubled history over its 117 years of operation But the original intention was a noble one Perched above the Yarra on a prominent and airy spur it was to be “a magnificent asylum for the insane” but there are people with a great deal of social conscience,” Voce says “The women always stepped up – they didn’t hold positions of power … but they absolutely drove the social cohesion of the area.” Cycling past a mural in Brougham Street.Credit: Joe Armao “I think we’ve been very fortunate to have a very cohesive way of living in Kew There’s a real history of people who … very quietly contribute.” Voce says the area has already faced pressure to densify although over-development has been fiercely resisted She says while many people acknowledge the need for extra density – particularly for those wanting to downsize and stay in the area – there are limits “People are still hanging onto their big blocks More than half (52 per cent) of the population aged over 15 years has a bachelor’s degree or higher well above the Victorian average of 29 per cent voted 60 per cent in favour of an Indigenous voice to parliament during last year’s referendum Some booths in Kew recorded votes as high as 67 per cent Wilson won the seat of Kew for the Liberal Party albeit by a reduced two-party-preferred margin of about 4 per cent That was down from about 5 per cent in 2018 and almost 11 per cent in 2014 At the 2022 federal election, the once blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Kooyong was lost to progressive teal candidate Monique Ryan previously held by former treasurer Josh Frydenberg Kew was seen to represent a focal point in the battle for the heart and soul of the party typifying the more progressive brand of liberalism that is now under threat from the hard-right flank of the party The seat had been held by Sir Robert Menzies for more than three decades and then by former Liberal leader Andrew Peacock for almost three decades Well-known RedBridge pollster and former senior Labor Party official Kos Samaras says the demography of Kew has been very slowly changing pointing out that parts of the suburb are now more affordable than traditionally more working-class areas like Northcote has placed the Liberal Party in a delicate position “You’ve got some migration from people further in going out to Kew,” Samaras says “Either they are renting or they own a separated home on a mortgage So it’s an electorate where there is change but it’s been enough to push the Liberal Party into a difficult position Ethnic diversity has also complicated the political equation 16.2 per cent of the population of Kew now has Chinese ancestry up from just 10 per cent recorded in the 2016 census Spiller says Kew remains a “strategically located” suburb with good access to jobs and economic opportunity has created a housing and labour market rationale for more densification But exactly how this would work in a suburb of long and long narrow blocks remains a vexed question It was one of Melbourne\\u2019s original \\u201Csuburbs\\u201D the Australian Handbook described it as a \\u201Cprettily-situated township it remains just as the handbook described it almost 150 years ago: \\u201Ca very favourite place of residence for the merchants and well-to-do tradesmen of the city \\u2026 dotted with their elegant houses With the state government now adamant Melbourne must grow \\u201Cupwards not outwards\\u201D through higher density development in existing suburbs can Kew continue to hold out as Melbourne\\u2019s original leafy enclave The uniquely Australian notion of the \\u201Csuburb\\u201D only gained a happy connotation towards the middle of the 1800s in the Sydney newspapers of the 1820s and \\u201930s the word suburb was used to describe a \\u201Ckind of lawless borderland frequented by convicts firing muskets and terrifying the locals\\u201D Kew was \\u2013 and still is \\u2013 defined by its relationship with the Yarra River The name of Kew\\u2019s local government area meaning \\u201Cwhere the ground is thickly shaded\\u201D Kew\\u2019s geography both defined and distinguished it \\u201CIf you\\u2019re on the low side of the river in Richmond or Collingwood you have views \\u2026 and you\\u2019re exposed to all these beautiful breezes So these suburbs very quickly became eligible places to live.\\u201D Yet the description of Kew in the Australian Handbook for that year changed little compared to the 1875 edition \\u2013 except this time it was described as dotted with \\u201Celegant mansions\\u201D Kew\\u2019s population is estimated at 24,772 But it is still fortressed by the river \\u2013 and to some extent by the lack of a train line 1887: \\u201CThe gradients are distressing and the curves so sharp that the drivers were unable to see the semaphore arms until tell-tale arms were erected close to the ground says Kew was one of Melbourne\\u2019s very first \\u201Cleafy suburbs\\u201D \\u201CYou had all those polluting industries Kew was really a refuge from all of that.\\u201D you suddenly notice a difference,\\u201D Wilson says \\u201CYou are coming into a much more suburban area whose unique geography has allowed it to preserve that classic suburban streetscape.\\u201D this doesn\\u2019t provide the same opportunities for development as other suburbs such as Hawthorn particularly along those main roads along the tram routes; once you step behind that it\\u2019s still very much a place where families want to live and send their kids to school.\\u201D Almost two-thirds of dwellings \\u2013 65.2 per cent \\u2013 are detached houses The area is also more tightly packed with fancy private schools \\u2013 including Xavier Ruyton and Genazzano \\u2013 than just about any part of Australia \\u201CWe have more than 30 schools in a 15-square-kilometre boundary You only have to try to move around the area between 8 and 9 [in the morning] or between 2 and 3.30 [in the afternoon] and it\\u2019s gridlock compared to the rest of the day.\\u201D the first women\\u2019s refuge in Melbourne \\u2013 the Women\\u2019s Liberation Halfway House Collective \\u2013 was opened in Kew in 1974 a grand building constructed in the Italianate style to accommodate the \\u201Clunatics\\u201D and \\u201Cinebriates\\u201D in the colony of Victoria it was to be \\u201Ca magnificent asylum for the insane\\u201D but there are people with a great deal of social conscience,\\u201D Voce says \\u201CThe women always stepped up \\u2013 they didn\\u2019t hold positions of power \\u2026 but they absolutely drove the social cohesion of the area.\\u201D \\u201CI think we\\u2019ve been very fortunate to have a very cohesive way of living in Kew There\\u2019s a real history of people who \\u2026 very quietly contribute.\\u201D She says while many people acknowledge the need for extra density \\u2013 particularly for those wanting to downsize and stay in the area \\u2013 there are limits \\u201CPeople are still hanging onto their big blocks And we still resist over development.\\u201D More than half (52 per cent) of the population aged over 15 years has a bachelor\\u2019s degree or higher voted 60 per cent in favour of an Indigenous voice to parliament during last year\\u2019s referendum the once blue-ribbon Liberal to progressive teal candidate Monique Ryan \\u201CYou\\u2019ve got some migration from people further in going out to Kew,\\u201D Samaras says \\u201CEither they are renting or they own a separated home on a mortgage So it\\u2019s an electorate where there is change but it\\u2019s been enough to push the Liberal Party into a difficult position Spiller says Kew remains a \\u201Cstrategically located\\u201D suburb and with local planning rules changed to stop tall house builds during its construction this gem will likely remain a rarity The $6m-$6.6m property was finished in 2018 and the vendors have made the tough call to sell the home they spent 15 years dreaming up In that time its design benefited from the input of an engineer brother and an architect friend turning staircases into aesthetic centrepieces blending form with function and helping fresh air and light flow cleanly through the property RELATED: Cathy Freeman’s Olympic Kew home bolts onto market with $4m hopes Melbourne Football Club sponsor lists Kew East home Kew mansion with underground basketball court up for sale However, the vendors said the sense of serenity would be the hardest aspect of 24 Hodgson St to part with – particularly heading to the rooftop terrace with a cup of tea and watching the sun set behind Melbourne’s CBD skyline at the end of a tough day Even after dark the space is a perfect retreat with city lights twinkling between the branches of a mature tree that is lit up from below Marshall White Boroondara’s David Smith seconded the vendors’ view on the rooftop space you could just sit up there on a nice night and it’s very private as it’s also quite high,” Mr Smith said the home’s unusual four-storey height might well be impossible to match today as the area’s Neighbourhood Residential Zone rules capped houses at two storeys in 2017 He said that while size lent the home a grand presence when viewed from the street but you don’t know how big it really is until you walk into the main living area looking out to the pool,” Mr Smith said Daily life centres on the open-plan space that incorporates a kitchen living area and dining zone all wrapped in glazing along the northern and eastern sides with outdoor areas behind sliding doors in both directions MORE: Photo editing fail reveals home selling tricks Secret cupboard, Dr Who doors in Belgrave home spa and covered alfresco with a barbecue kitchen form the main focal point when entertaining in fine weather while the Miele kitchen complete with stone benchtops and a butler’s pantry caters to events and family meals in cooler conditions The living and dining space with gas fireplace The ground level also features a separate lounge room with a fireplace and terrace as well as a study designed for two people to work from home A lower-ground level hosts a four-car garage with internet connectivity and a studio residence that includes a bedroom kitchen with a laundry and a private entrance perfect for visitors or multi-generational living Three phase power added for a lift between the two levels opens the door to a garage upgrade for electric vehicle charging if the next owners desire families will appreciate another living space and the four bedrooms on the first floor Three have a walk-in wardrobe and the main has a balcony the home is a short walk to parkland along the Yarra River and Yarra Blvd close to Kew Junction and Victoria Gardens for shops and trams along nearby Victoria St Mr Smith said most of the interest to date had come from families eyeing the nearby private schools including Xavier College’s middle years campus within a short walk Some were also looking at it as a space to accommodate their ageing parents with their family Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox MORE: Melbourne housing affordability: Capsule ‘space pods’ soar in price Former school where nine kids, teacher were kidnapped by prison escapee sells In June last year the high-profile renovators found themselves in repeated headlines over the demolition of a three-bedroom 1920s California bungalow in Kew East The couple had always planned to keep the original facade intact “possum infested” 697-square-metre property decided to demolish the entire building for safety reasons Darren and Dea Jolly in the kitchen of their Kew renovation which was retrospectively issued with a planning permit and took the matter to the Magistrates Court The court dismissed the case against the property owners “We got a heritage adviser from the council out onsite as soon as possible after settlement so we understood exactly what we needed to retain,” Dea, also a Domain columnist “Basically we kept the front facade proportions in place and whatever elements of the original house could be preserved to keep the historical significance of the area “There are a lot of conservative people in Kew who get worried about everyone buying older houses and ripping them down to build modern houses but they really didn’t look at our plans they would have seen retaining the red brick front pillars the exact dimensions of the front facade were always part of our design intention.” and the pair have built their four-bedroom 21st-century house with its sympathetic period facade “We wanted to prove we can do it; the older homes have these wonderful proportions so many modern homes do not and Darren and I are so passionate about doing everything we can to preserve this history wherever possible.” How do you know if a heritage overlay development has been a success If you cannot immediately spot the “new” house there’s a strong chance its creators got it right Architect Kate Gray says anyone hoping to build in a precinct within a heritage overlay – regardless of whether the site’s original dwelling is deemed historically contributory or not – needs to start with good advice so they understand “what can be achieved within the constraints of your lot size” “Nobody wants to see the ocean liner parked behind the little heritage building and you don’t want to be in a fight (with neighbours) so always start with a good advice followed by a good contextual design based on clear understanding of your local council’s heritage policy,” Gray who is assistant director of Lovell Chen architects and heritage consultants Get it wrong and you will almost certainly know about it Melburnians are not shy if they fear insensitive development is afoot “We have been involved in many cases where neighbours are unabashedly upset about aspects of a property subject to a heritage overlay so [complainants] focus on that when their real concerns are about the rear extension privacy and so it is actually a facade to go on about the [period] facade,” Smyth says Dwellings with period frontages are the classic example of heritage overlay properties “and probably the most frustrating example for ‘mum and dad’ or single purchasers,” he says located in Melbourne’s most affluent areas and there is a little bit of tension between those wanting to buy into areas and do as they please and those already established and wanting to preserve the integral value of those properties deemed contributory to the state or local area’s historical significance.” The individual significance of the building determines what can be demolished and what sort of replacement building can be built: “the higher you are in the significance scale CEO of RE:Construction has overseen multiple inner suburbs’ period conversions and restorations he needs to know if the building is individually identified as “an important part of the historical fabric of the streetscape” or inside a precinct with a heritage overlay it does not mean you cannot do anything but will usually have some stringent and strict controls around what you can do from external controls “Ask the council what rating it has given your property as this reflects how much it contributes to the historical fabric of the local area if you proceed without correct planning permissions most likely you will get visits from your council officers and most likely be fined and asked to restore to its former state It can have significant ramifications on cost.” builders must make a clear distinction between old and new “Councils don’t want something that is a faux Victorian They may say you need to retain the facade or the front two rooms but behind that you can usually do whatever you want with the building style,” Power says criticises how long it takes some inner-city councils to make decisions on heritage overlay planning permits “It is a major problem for small developers as is the time it takes to make a decision and the number of conditions imposed on permits,” Perry says “sympathetic” extensions of Victorian or Edwardian dwellings – all retaining the dwellings’ period facades – have added up to 35 per cent to their eventual sale prices in Middle Park and Albert Park “Statistics reveal a number of properties achieved per-square-metre prices around $9,000 compared to nearby properties with premium renovations that achieved $13,000 to $14,000 per square metre,” Bruce says Smyth stresses anyone considering buying in established suburbs needs a realistic time frame “It can take up to 12 months – and cost an extra $100,000 – to get planning permit approval to develop in a heritage overlay to proceed with eyes wide open,” Smyth says “If it is not contributory (to the area’s historical significance) there is really no basis on which councils or tribunal can refuse your request for demolition which is not to say you can just put up anything in its place It comes down to this rights and respect paradigm 14 Irymple Avenue, Kew East Mid to high $2 millions This is your classic story of a low-key inner-east workers’ cottage facade hiding a multimillion-dollar dream home Architect Jane Merrylees has worked closely with owners Dea and Darren Jolly of builder-renovation outfit D+D Home to design a clever four-bedroom plus study three-bathroom house that focuses its energies on a light-filled open-plan kitchen complements the original two-bedroom dwelling’s heritage and lots of glass and bi-fold windows and shutters Myriad bespoke decor details including made-to-measure cupboard handles Calacatta marble bench tops and custom wall sconces by Porcelain Bear 52 Charles Street, Northcote $1-$1.1million A pedimented street facade hides the high-end renovation extension of this late-Victorian circa-1902 two-bedroom dwelling G04/277 Barkly Street, Footscray $425,000-plus Tucked behind the iconic Barkly Theatre facade is a two-bedroom apartment designed by Metaxas Architects in the 21st century 636 Orrong Road,Toorak $2 million-plus A brick three-bedroom heritage Edwardian renovated for modern living with a solar-heated pool, deck, stone-top kitchen and reticulated watering system. Private sale Kay & Burton, Gary Ormrod 0419 588 331  Flack went missing 12 days ago and was last seen on Lygon Street in Carlton Victoria Police have confirmed that a body found in bushland is that of missing Melbourne woman Bridget Flack, who was reported missing two weeks ago. Flack’s remains were found by a member of the community at Willsmere-Chandler Park in Kew East about 5pm on Friday. was last seen on Lygon Street on 30 November before telling a friend she was going for a walk at the Yarra Bend park Flack had been staying with a school friend and colleague in Carlton in the weeks before her disappearance said their family was “forever indebted” to Melbourne’s LGBTIQ community and a Facebook group dedicated to finding the union worker and DJ “You have included us in her world without question or judgement and for that we are forever grateful,” Love posted on the group on Sunday “This network of amazing people ultimately led us to finding our beautiful girl and in turn meant we can put her beautiful body and soul to rest Love said her sister’s legacy would be “just as fierce as she was” “No one on this earth deserves to feel less than worthy of an amazing life,” the 40-year-old said “From the day she came into my life 28 years ago I adored her I will always adore her with every fibre of my being and will miss her every day always knows about Aunty Bridget and how special she was.” Victoria Police said a Coroner’s report would be prepared For information and support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 A man has been killed in a car crash at Kew East Police said they believed a Suzuki SUV was travelling north on Burke Road when the driver appeared to lose control about 3.15pm The car crossed to the wrong side of the road side swiping a Mazda and a Toyota ute before flipping on its side The driver and single occupant of the Suzuki a man who is yet to be formally identified Police are investigating the incident and urge anyone who witnessed the collision to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Home to some of Melbourne’s grandest mansions and extensive private gardens Kew maintains a rich history as one of the city’s most prized suburbs a roll call of influential business and industry leaders and professional families seeking proximity to the city’s leading schools Kew has an extensive history of dignified professionals with the area only experiencing a greater gentrification in recent times The leafy suburb use to be a city in its own right, until 1994 when the the cities of Kew, Hawthorn and Camberwell were amalgamated to form the City of Boroondara The amalgamation only made the area more fruitful with nearby attractions including the iconic Yarra River Abbotsford Convent and the picturesque Dights Falls A home in Kew has long been sought after due to the suburbs signature wide streets leafy green canopies and surrounding park lands that all hark back to the area’s early settlement with pastoral land sales dating back to 1845 But many are priced out of the Kew house market with the median house price now $2.5 million Apartment prices are a lot more palatable however New apartments are still few and far between in the historic suburb is bringing just 10 luxury apartments to the exclusive area targeting the downsizer and upsizer with house-size proportions The three-level building seamlessly integrates into the surrounding streetscape cleverly divided into four smaller entities with their own identity to imbue a sense of privacy and individuality Designed by the highly-regarded Cera Stribley architecture and interior design studio The Bradford sits just six-kilometres east of the CBD with city shops and amenities just a 15-minute door-to-door tram journey Neighbouring on Genazzano FJC College, The Bradford is surrounded by a wealth of amenity and notable locations, including Kew Junction, the Anniversary Trail, Victoria Park Glenferrie Road Shopping and Carey Grammar Cultural and entertainment opportunities are located near The Bradford, with the renowned Housemuseum Galleries and adjoining Lyon Houseman within easy walking distance, and BALWYN Rivoli and Lido cinemas all a short drive or tram ride away with a range of specialist delis and food outlets from cafes and bistros to more fine-dining fare at local favourites Centonove and Mister Blanco Bar Alba is a short stroll or tram ride to the end of the street Regional attractions such as the Yarra Valley and the Dandenongs are just an hour’s drive along the nearby freeway or for something more coastal the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula are a 90-minute commute Di Palma’s is a family-run Italian restaurant recognised for its attentive service Husband and wife team Alfia and John Di Palma have been running it since 1988 and have made this 130-seater the kind of place where regulars return Many of the restaurant’s signature dishes have been on the menu since the beginning That includes the comforting spaghetti marinara semolina-crumbed calamari and pillowy gnocchi with lamb ragu – which follows a family recipe from John’s mum which are served hot from the woodfired oven and might be a classic capricciosa you might try one of the celebrated desserts: a marsala tiramisu or sticky date pudding with house-made vanilla ice-cream there’s also a tight list of digestifs to finish your meal more than 100 local and imported wines by the bottle and around 15 by the glass and a selection of non-alcoholic cocktails and beers for those preferring a non-boozy night The space is divided across five dining rooms That includes its private 18-seat cellar room with a wall of wine which offers a two-course set menu with a glass of wine at more affordable prices If you’re looking to recreate Di Palma’s at home you can also buy a takeaway bottle of wine and one of its heat-and-eat meals (think lamb shoulder Phone: 03 9859 8999 Website: dipalmas.com.au Heath Shaw is selling his old home at 27 Elm Grove AFL star Heath Shaw will send the Kew East home he lived in during his time at Collingwood under the hammer this weekend The auction at 27 Elm Grove is among 1122 scheduled across the city this week according to CoreLogic — about on par with last week’s 1119 which notched a 70.3 per cent clearance rate The veteran Greater Western Sydney backman and Collingwood premiership player renovated and extended the 1956 property during his time there RELATED: GWS star defender Heath Shaw lists house in Kew East A rear deck and barbecue area is a highlight of the home Shaw renovated and extended the 1956 property He now has price hopes of $1.4-$1.54 million for the four-bedroom property CoreLogic records show it last sold for $750,000 in 2008 — midway through Shaw’s 10 seasons at the Pies agent Chris Barrett said the property had attracted “solid” interest and should successfully change hands “They’re all young families moving into the area for the schools and parklands,” he said “It’s a bit more affordable than Kew proper as well An expansive rear deck and barbecue area is a highlight of the house which goes under the hammer at 10.30am on Saturday CoreLogic state director for Victoria Geoff White said the October auction market was moving along steadily with the busiest weekends to come after the Spring Racing Carnival will probably be in mid- to late-November and into December,” he said “It’s fairly steady at the moment in terms of numbers and clearance rates as well “(But) the weekend before (Melbourne) Cup weekend will be bigger than what we have seen this week and last week.” Last week’s strongest performing regions were the northeast Reservoir will again have the most auctions nationwide this week scott.carbines@news.com.au rich in the aroma of traditional Hellenic flavours A great place to celebrate with family or a large group of friends Yiannis Tavern is a family-owned eatery that has established an excellent reputation for fine its owner Yiannis Aitsinis founded his first restaurant it has been renamed to Yiannis tavern and is located just five minutes from the City of Doncaster Upon reaching the bustling suburb of Kew East we saw the restaurant all lit up at 840 High Street dressed in blue and white hues and allowing the circulation of sweet The spaciousness of the tavern makes it ideal for corporate functions The table settings are not tightly compressed as it also has a second floor beautifully decorated and fully equipped to cater for special events Yiannis himself was there to greet us and guide us through the menu The tavern offers an extensive wine list designed to match any dish of your choice or simply to be enjoyed with a wide range of bottled wines from both Australia and Greece There is often live entertainment on busy weekend nights an orchestra that knows how to bring the house alive and make everyone get up and dance “I always pay extra attention to detail,” Yiannis tells Neos Kosmos having the freshest ingredients is very important That’s where all the flavour comes from.” the kitchen staff at Yiannis Tavern make everything from scratch on a daily basis respecting the freshness of Greek cuisine and the honesty of Greek hospitality “Whatever you see in the menu is prepared right here in our kitchen,” Yiannis continues The Yiannis tavern team follows old family recipes passed on from generation to generation some Greek classic dishes get a new interpretation as the staff headed by Yiannis’ daughter Stephanie Aitsinis Stephanie is carrying on her father’s legacy the modern way but staying true to the family’s tradition and she personally oversaw our ‘dining experience’ Not long after we were seated and started sipping some warming Syrah the first items from our menu began to arrive Charcoal-grilled horiatiko bread with olive oil and oregano with a platter of dips and a generous serving of spicy tyrokafteri The prevalence of the chillies mixed with red capsicum and feta cheese made us appreciate the punchy taste of the melitzanosalata (eggplant salad) on the assortment of dips The caviar (tarama) and yoghurt (tzatziki) dips were also refreshing and appetising This was followed an equally enjoyable round of starters which set off with the staple fried cheese hors d’oeuvre as did the fried to perfection zucchini chips with a sprinkle of kefalograviera The Greek-style zucchini tempura was in fact one of my favourites The chips were so thinly sliced and fried in batter that they retained no extra oil Tiny bites of crispy heaven dissolving in our mouths is all there was “Yiannis Tavern chefs proudly use only the finest of seasonal produce to create a regularly changing menu also featuring fresh Australian seafood,” Stephanie clarified as we were moving on to a very ample seafood course “If you are a true seafood lover then our famous seafood platter may be calling you and if you are a meat lover we have a wide char-grilled meat selection but I’ll try not to keep you from your prawns for now,” she joked Indeed the grilled prawns were subtle yet delicious served with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon served in the same crisp and light way and with a dash of oregano Next came a plate comprising two fried red mullet and two grilled rockling fillets not that there was much room left in our tummies with lamb featuring heavily on the list along with veal souvlaki perfectly marinated cutlets that tasted like home Stephanie came again to offer us some horta (boiled greens) and rissoles on the house – not an unusual policy for Yiannis Tavern For the next five minutes we were staring at our plates as our stomach capacity had long been exceeded in devouring the previous offerings we decided to take a break and enjoy the music engage in some very interesting people watching (four different birthday parties were being held on the premises) and make room for dessert Even though we opted for the rice pudding and the revani Stephanie took it upon herself to arrive with a mixed platter featuring chunks of the tavern’s homemade sweets We got to try the galaktoboureko (milk pie baked with filo and soaked with a citrus-scented syrup) the revani (semolina cake soaked in light syrup) baklava (walnuts wrapped in pastry and finished in a 100-year-old syrup recipe some karidopita (walnut cake with clove/cinnamon syrup) and last but not least the rizogalo (rice pudding) with halva ice-cream we were unable to finish it off − even though we wanted to Yet another moment that perfectly resonated with me as all my Greek relatives tend to stuff our faces with food until there’s hardly any room to breathe Contrary to what one would expect from such a large venue the overall atmosphere was very ‘family-ar’ that’s the idea,” Stephanie and Yiannis agreed Yiannis tavern is a fully-licensed restaurant It is equipped with disabled facilities and has wheelchair access For more information and bookings contact (03) 9859 2422 or email reservations@yiannistavern.com.au sold for $2.7 million under the hammer — but had its heritage overlay status confirmed just two days before the October auction LOCAL real estate agents have warned homeowners in five Boroondara suburbs could face a lower house prices as a result of a council driven heritage study A municipal wide heritage gap study is in the process of selecting properties and precincts the City of Boroondara will recommend have heritage protections applied Hawthorn and Kew heritage overlays have been recommended for 80 properties (commercial and residential) and extensions to 13 existing heritage precincts Glen Iris and Ashburton are yet to have recommendations made Boroondara mayor Jim Parke said the study had received around 100 submissions for each suburb being reviewed and was being undertaken in a response to local demand for better protection to heritage buildings “A high degree of importance was attached to the heritage of our city and the protection of heritage buildings,” Cr Parke said He added that while some owners saw a heritage overlay as a way of providing certainty and protection from neighbouring developments it had raised concerns from some homeowners worried how a change might affect the value of their property had one residence upstairs and one downstairs the prospect of a heritage overlay raises concerns about the flexibility they have to alter their property or about the effect on the value of their property,” Cr Parke said objective research to support the proposition that there is any reduction in property value as a result of a heritage overlay but this is not a matter we can legally take into account when considering a heritage overlay in any event.” Nelson Alexander Kew’s Cameron Ingram sold a property at 16 and 16A View St The property owner received a notification that it had not been recommended for a heritage overlay just days ahead of the auction Had the property been recommended for heritage protection Mr Ingram said it would have been a different result with the buyer at the time only interested in a site where they could build a new home sold at auction — but buyers were well aware it was in a heritage precinct “That could have had a catastrophic effect if it had gone the other way,” Mr Ingram said “There’s definitely more buyers out there looking to buy properties and built new homes He added that this demand had continued right to the end of 2016 had attracted buyers at its December 9 auction but they had been well aware of the implications of it being in a heritage precinct JA Cain real estate agent Chris Cain said more and more home buyers in the region were looking for a house they could knock down and replace and this could have an impact on homesellers “I think it definitely could have an effect on prices,” Mr Cain said He said homes with a heritage overlay would still sell but there would likely be less competition for them with a portion of the market unlikely to bid for them He added that selling prior to a decision being made for heritage overlays in the remaining suburbs might be an option for those looking to sell in the near future But it is only in recent times that this club in the heart of the city’s leafy eastern suburbs has gained national recognition for the quality of its golf course The feedback this magazine received when Kew broke into its Top-100 Courses in Australia ranking for the first time in 2020 was mixed While most of the comments were in agreeance with Kew’s selection others suggested our judges had better think again having not even received a single vote just six years earlier When the votes were tallied for our 2022 Top-100 Courses ranking our judges had reconsidered their appraisal and Kew edged up three spots to No.96 Kew’s progression onto the national stage can be attributed to the club’s investment in a masterplan nearly a decade ago which was established primarily to overcome the course’s biggest problem Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne’s best clay belt layouts but like all the courses to be found within close proximity to the Yarra River and its tributaries east of the city The extensive redevelopment of the course was overseen by course designer Graeme Grant who not only addressed the drainage problem with great success but he also improved the overall layout skirting the fairway bunker on the 3rd hole is a good option Grant redesigned and built eight new holes – the 1st 16th and 17th holes – while overseeing the conversion of all the fairways and greens surrounds to Santa Ana couch grass while above the ground a significant amount of work was done on contouring fairways and creating run-off undulations to channel water to drains placed away from playing lines This effectively killed two birds with one stone as it has created better healthier playing surfaces as well as adding to the challenge of hitting quality approach shots and greenside recoveries from a variety of lies Kew’s new holes have not added any significant amount of the length to the par-72 which is long enough for a member’s course at 6,185 metres from the back pegs Grant has successfully made it more testing of your course management skills with the addition of fairway bunkers greenside swales and angled putting surfaces the par-3 14th is 172 metres from the back tees so a long iron or hybrid is required to cover the distance for many while better players will be able to go at the green with a highly struck mid-iron different challenges and each have been accommodated into the design of the hole The bunker fronting the green at the 14th is a fine example of the natural bunkering look Grant has introduced to the Kew layout and will become more established as they mature left me with the impression that despite its beauty Kew was an underwhelming second-shot course where I felt like I was reaching for the same one or two clubs all the time and all I had to do was hit a straight shot from a relatively flat lie This no longer applies and thinking your way from tee-to-green is an absolute necessity One prime example of this is the 361-metre dogleg right par-4 15th hole which is no longer simply conquered with a driver and short iron The fairway has been widened slightly and two bunkers inside the dogleg have been renovated while a bigger third bunker has been positioned further up the fairway to the left Big hitters can certainly try and carry the bunkers on the right but if they are slightly offline the third bunker will grab them laying up short of the bunkers leaves a longer Grant’s redesign has significantly elevated Kew from being simply a nice course to what is now a fun layout that is fair and challenging for players of all standards – factors that have not gone unnoticed by our ranking judges “Kew is definitely more open and inviting than it was before the redesign,” ranking judge “There are some views across the course now that some people “The real winner is being able to grow beautiful Santa Ana couch fairways and bentgrass greens now Ranker Hamish Walker was similarly impressed with the results of Kew’s vegetation management program introduced in 2018 “The tree-clearing program here has been pivotal in the significant improvement of Kew You no longer feel boxed in and the quality of the turf throughout the course is excellent and brings the best out of the design,” Walker said Kew’s forward-thinking approach to its golf course has certainly enhanced its reputation in Melbourne golfing circles and it will only be a matter of time before more golfers from further afield will also be singing its praises WEBSITE: www.kewgolfclub.com.au DESIGNERS: Jock Robinson & Jock Young (1922); Various (1960s & 70s); Graeme Grant (2010-22) PGA PROFESSIONALS: Simon Angliss (head professional) Janette Borgolotto and Narelle Anderson (PGA Community Coach) GREEN FEES: Kew is a private course open to members and their guests There are limited tee times for international and interstate visitors on some days MEMBERSHIPS: Opportunities for membership are now available for full See the club’s website for further details ACCOLADES: Ranked No.96 in Golf Australia magazine’s Top-100 Courses in Australia for 2022 Motorists in East Kew were surprised to find themselves sharing the road with a kangaroo this morning The animal was spotted hopping down Burke Road at about 9.45am “I can’t believe what I just saw!,” Barbara told Tony Jones “It was bouncing in front of us for about 200 metres.” Remembering Liam Payne: Special Tribute Issue Rosé is one of our favourite artists to come out of Australia and take the world by storm Unless you’ve been living under a rock in the last few years there’s a big chance you’ve heard of – and are obsessed with – K-Pop girl group Blackpink aka the biggest girl band in the world right now.  Lisa and Jisso – come from all across the Asia-Pacific region are each ambassadors of luxury fashion and beauty brands from MAC Cosmetics to Celine Last year, their music had over 300 million streams, and their song How You Like That quickly became the second-biggest song in the world on Spotify, per Forbes we’re proud to see one of its members come from Down Under and be one of the biggest Aussie exports in pop music around the world Blackpink member turned solo artist with her debut single album Rosé truly is one of our greatest role models she auditioned for a South Korean record label and pursued her dream of becoming a K-Pop star undergoing years of vigorous training and hardship and finding her home among her fellow bandmates.  24 hours after the music video to her debut solo track it became the most viewed South Korean music video from a solo artist ever breaking the almost eight year long record of PSY’s Gentleman Rosé is a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink Rosé from BlackPink is currently 24-years-old an aquarius is known for their impulsiveness and charm the latter of which Rosé has in spades.  Rosé’s real name is Roseanne Park the 24-year-old was actually born in New Zealand – y’know Rosé from BLACKPINK may be an international South Korean icon now but the On The Ground singer actually grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne Rosé initially went to Kew East Primary School in Kew East before graduating in 2009 and attending Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College in Melbourne.  attended an audition in Australia for South Korean record label YG Entertainment and came first among 700 participants signed on as a trainee and moved to Seoul.   “In Australia, I didn’t think that there was much of a chance for me to become a singer, especially to become a K-pop star,” Rosé told Sydney Morning Herald “I was living so far from the country that it never really occurred to me as a possibility.” Rosé has one older sister, Alice Park. While her sister is an international pop star, Alice studied law at the Australian National University in Canberra. You can follow her on Instagram @baebaealice Rosé is currently single and not involved in any relationship she and her fellow Blackpink members – Jeannie Jisoo and Lisa – are all committed to their musical career and keep their past affairs and dating history private When the 24-year-old Aussie K-Pop queen dropped her debut single album fans thought this meant that she was leaving the band Rosé has shown no sign of quitting the band it’s quite normal for K-Pop group members to pursue their own solo careers on the side of their member duties – BTS’s J-Hope and Suga have dropped their own mixtapes Julian Rizzo-Smith is a Digital Content Producer for Syrup and Girlfriend In street upon street here you’ll find some of our city’s most beautiful exquisitely framed by their glorious gardens The brief for this one was that the well-travelled owners should feel as though they were returning to somewhere that replicated the amenity of the world’s best hotels alongside the comfort and familiarity of home – job spectacularly done. arches and pretty Juliet balconies – that will stand the test of time sitting atop the gorgeous formal greenery of the Paul Bangay-designed garden Although the outside is quite the spectacle The remarkable entry foyer flows around and above the swirling stair to a spectacular coffered ceiling and equally amazing skylight A splendid chandelier drops through to sparkle at the heart of the extravagance the formal dining room is close to perfection parquetry flooring and a dusky pink marble fireplace are stand-outs you’ll head through a marble-clad butler’s pantry and into the kitchen proper Here it’s a heady combination of urbane finishes and top-range kit – the stainless steel preparation bench marble benches and splashback are cases in point Flowing out in front is another dining area with garden views To its side is the relaxed space of the informal living room With another bank of french doors and their attendant arched casements above this is a bright and breezy section with views over the sublime rear terrace and garden Richmond renovation: From accidental buy to a flipping success Inside artist Kerry Armstong’s Brighton home for sale Surrey Hills: The boutique suburb of the leafy east A large timber mantel fireplace anchors the space handsomely Before we get back around to the eastern wing of the home off the kitchen and meals area a set of stacker doors reveal an incredible outdoor entertaining area and kitchen There’s a terrific pizza oven here as well as a serious barbecue more marble and space enough for a huge table to cater for the hungry masses It’s fully covered but opens out and directly onto what essentially presents as your own private piazza The paved perfection here includes a little tributary that flows between two gorgeous water features a circular one on this lower level and another grander affair gained via the wide garden stair gravel track and bordering grassy terraces you could be in the gardens of a European capital Back inside at that breathtaking entry foyer this time head left to find a deeply impressive study; luminous timber glass-fronted cabinetry rising to the ceiling Cross through here and beyond you’ll find the moody the deep blue tones of the plush gold-class cinema A billiard/games room with a full bar continues the azure theme on this side of the house with deep cerulean walls The blue leitmotif reaches its climax at the stunning fully tiled indoor pool and spa Throw open the bank of glass to the “piazza” and you have your own resort heaven At the top of the staircase you’ll find five glorious bedrooms Take your time getting to them; the journey through the gallery-like space that presides over the chequerboard marble-floored foyer below is truly beguiling The bedrooms at the rear overlook the stunning rear garden and terrace; one of them offers access to the balcony (the landing also offers this access) and all of them are generous in size which sweeps across the front section of the house Opulent silver and gold wallpaper works a deft luxe magic and sets the tone for a dazzling retreat A massive walk-in wardrobe-dressing room with marble accents sits to one side off the majestic bedroom with its Juliet balcony The en suite wouldn’t look out of place in the Palace of Versailles – the black-lacquered vanity with gold inlay and floor-to-ceiling dark marble fit-out is incredible – just like the rest of this magnificent manor Kew is the inner-city suburb with a peaceful feel and presentation While only about six kilometres from the city It also boasts some of Australia’s grandest homes – Raheen for instance – and a high concentration of private schools “A brilliant example of luxurious family living inspired by some of the finest buildings around the globe.” Marcus Chiminello This feature is part of a Domain Deluxe package. 16px);}}@media(min-width: 1021px){.css-1vk3wa5{width:100%;}}.css-17qi131{display:none;}@media(min-width: 1021px){.css-17qi131{display:block;}}.css-1dx9hl4{font-weight:var(--type-pageheading-weight 700);color:var(--color-neutral-heavy-default #3C475B);font-size:var(--type-pageheading-size 26px);line-height:var(--type-pageheading-line-height 12px);}@media(min-width: 624px){.css-1dx9hl4{font-size:var(--type-pageheading-size 32px);}}@media(min-width: 1021px){.css-1dx9hl4{font-size:var(--type-pageheading-size 32px);}}@media(min-width: 1021px){.css-1dx9hl4{border-bottom:1px solid var(--color-neutral-trim-default What makes a suburb liveable will obviously differ from person to person others place a higher priority on access to employment and schools and others still on access to public transport The new Domain Liveable Melbourne study — the fourth of its kind since 2005 — has ranked 307 suburbs on 17 indicators to give us this list of the most liveable in the city There have been some changes to criteria since the last study in 2015 which has seen some suburbs tumble down the rankings and others soar while some suburbs previously measured have been deemed insufficiently urban for the purposes of the 2019 study South Yarra reclaims the number one spot after slipping to number two in the 2015 study for the first time The suburb performs exceptionally well in several categories including cafes The only major negatives are its relatively high crime ranking and congested roads the latter of which are among the ten worst in the city East Melbourne consistently performs well in this study is due to its outstanding scores for culture employment and walkability – all of which it ranks in the top 15 of the city for The suburb’s biggest issues are the crime rate this latter category is not weighted as heavily as trains and trams Carlton moves into the top 10 for the first time mostly due to the inclusion of a new indicator which Carlton ranks second in the city for The suburb is also in the top 10 for culture Where it performs less well is crime and congestion Fitzroy North is another suburb where the overall score has been boosted by its walkability which this study deems the ninth best in the city the suburb is ranked first in in the “total education” category (a combination of being top for primary education and tenth for secondary education) Hawthorn is a relatively sold all-rounder: it ranks in the top 50 for culture Where it fares less well is congested roads Footscray jumps 68 places to enter the top 10 for the first time it is a strong performer across multiple categories but even most visitors to Melbourne have travelled above Travancore before This small suburb (population 2480 according to the 2016 census) borders Flemington at the base of the Melbourne International Gateway better known as the “cheese stick” art sculpture Travancore’s shining qualities are its proximity to schools albeit slightly less than its neighbour Carlton The suburb’s less desirable qualities are the limited topographic variation The lucky few who live in Kooyong (a mere 817 people according to the 2016 census) enjoy quality culture and it performs only averagely for retail and walkability Collingwood moves up the ranks due to its walkability score – the fourth best in Melbourne according to this study The suburb also ranks in the top 10 for culture The lowest scores it receives are for crime (the sixth worst in Melbourne) Rather than performing exceptionally well in a few key categories Kensington rates above average in almost everything all of which the suburb ranks in the top 30 for Kensington’s only low scores are for crime Clifton Hill retains its quiet achiever status Most outstanding are its proximity to trains (ranked eighth in this category) and employment (25th) There’s most room for improvement in the crime and congestion fields Southbank has shot up to 13th largely because of its walkability (the first time this criterion has been measured in this study) which is the fifth best in Melbourne It’s also unbeaten when it comes to culture and employment What’s holding back Southbank from achieving a top 10 overall rank is it crime rate Richmond is another suburb that has been significantly boosted by its walkability score (it ranks 8th in this category) The suburb is also a high performer for cafes Where Richmond doesn’t fare so well is buses (the third worst performer in this category) Burnley rates relatively well across the board except for buses, crime rate, primary schools and congestion. Its best quality is the proximity to cafes, followed by employment, open space, and culture. (A suburb’s culture score is determined by the density of its cultural services, as defined by the ABS.) Gardenvale is another tiny suburb (population 1006 in the 2016 Census) that packs a punch Based on its location 10 kilometres south-east of the CBD and bordering Brighton the suburb performs best in the proximity to coast category The only factors where it’s in the bottom half are topographic variation (just) then open space where it is the fourth worst citywide walkability and proximity to the coast are all among Windsor’s best attributes On the opposite end of the scale are its low scores for congestion (the sixth worst in Melbourne) open space Fairfield achieves top 30 ranks in the culture cafe and open space indicators respectively and above average across positions in most other areas The only exceptions are its relatively weak scores for crime Alphington marks Darebin Council’s first entry into the liveable suburbs ranks Like its neighbour Fairfield ranked just one place above the suburb does well for culture and open space Alphington’s highest score is for trains where it considered to be the city’s seventh best Cremorne’s overall liveability has significantly improved due to its relatively high walkability plus outstanding cafe and retail scores –  first and second in Melbourne Cremorne is also in the top 10 for employment and culture but its overall rank is held back by low scores in crime education and walkability are all qualities North Melbourne residents can confidently boast of Areas most ripe for improvement in the suburb include crime and there is also little topographic variation Fitzroy is another big mover in this list largely because of its walkability that this study ranks as best in Melbourne Fitzroy predictably scores very well for all other factors it is famous for including culture employment and schools are other strengths but it is the fourth worst suburb for crime and has minimal open space Moonee Ponds ranks higher for liveability than most other suburbs in its council because of its third-place rank in the access to trains indicator plus top 40 retail and cafe ranks but otherwise Moonee Ponds can claim above average scores across the board Abbotsford continues to climb the liveability ranks with top 20 ranks in the culture For most other factors assessed in this study Abbotsford achieves average to good scores except for congestion and crime South Melbourne is Port Phillip council’s highest ranking suburb in this study with top 10 scores for culture The suburb also has great tram access and it is close the coast South Melbourne has one of the worst crime rates in the city and it doesn’t rank highly for congestion or topographic variation Categories that St Kilda ranks in the top 25 for are culture The suburb doesn’t do well however on proximity to schools particularly in terms of secondary education and its crime score is among the 10 worst in Melbourne Armadale’s rank has dropped largely because of the crime rate and congested roads The suburb also doesn’t have great access to schools and has very little open space Melbourne’s ranking has dropped partly because proximity to the CBD is no longer measured in this study The suburb still has very high scores for culture then crime where it is the second worst in the city but it does share the usual poor crime rate and high rate of congestion Parkville also doesn’t rank very well for education either it’s worth noting that universities were not measured in this study is by far the furthest suburb from the city to make the top 30 of this list which is a whole nine kilometres closer.) What makes this Bayside suburb so outstanding is its coastal proximity paired with above average scores in almost all other categories Flemington is a top 10 suburb for culture and trams and is in the top 50 for cafes Most of its other category scores are decent located 12 kilometres south east of the CBD performs most strongly for trains and walkability The suburb is in the top 100 (out of 307) for most other factors measured in this study Its overall ranking would be further boosted by having more central schools and open space Moonee Ponds and the Maribyrnong River nine kilometres north-west of the CBD Its overall rank can be attributed to decent scores in almost all categories The only areas where Aberfeldie is below average are trains it doesn’t rank in the bottom 100 suburbs for any of these factors Ivanhoe is Banyule Council’s most liveable suburb The suburb’s overall rank has dropped since the last study due to the addition of measuring walkability where Ivanhoe ranks above average but not excellently Ivanhoe is a strong performer for trains (ranked fifth) and topographic variation but its weakest ranks are congestion and crime Kew’s ranking has remained close to unchanged for three studies in a row It scores the highest for its physical attributes including tree cover and topographic variation The only bad scores Kew achieves are for congested roads (the third worst in Melbourne) and trains Balaclava is a strong performer for culture it achieves low scores for having congested roads and a high crime rate and is among the worst suburbs for secondary education proximity and open space Hawthorn East’s liveability ranking continues to slip slightly because of its increasingly congested roads – now the second worst of any Melbourne suburb Areas the suburb maintains high scores for are cafes More open spaces would better boost its overall ranking Appearing in the top 50 for the first time is Ascot Vale a mere five kilometres north-west of the CBD Its strongest attributes are trams and walkability but Ascot Vale is a relatively good performer overall Congestion and crime are the two categories showing the most room for improvement Greater congestion is partly to blame for Elsternwick’s lower rank than in the past Its highest scores are for trams and buses but Elsternwick is also in the top 50 for retail The limited proximity to schools and open space holds Elsternwick back from achieving a higher overall rank Northcote is a consistent performer in this survey due to its high scores in culture Where it performs below average is crime rate topographic variation and congestion – the latter of which is one of the poorest scores for this indicator St Kilda West is ranked in the top 30 suburbs for culture plus it is the closest of all Melbourne suburbs to the coast Brunswick continues to move up the ranks thanks to its thriving arts shopping and dining scenes that give it strong culture The suburb also has great public transport in the form of trams (the fourth best in Melbourne) and trains good proximity to secondary education and decent employment It is lacking only in terms of primary schools Blackburn is a well performing middle ring suburb largely because of its excellent trains (it ranks 10th in this category) and high scoring retail sector The suburb is within the top 100 in most other categories employment and walkability are the categories Brunswick East scores most favourably in It also has a decent proximity to primary schools allowing it to rank higher than neighbouring Brunswick in this category Where it is less successful is in congestion and crime Ivanhoe East has entered the top 50 largely because of its crime rate – second lowest in Melbourne for the purposes of this study It is also well regarded for topographic variation making it a great suburb for those with young children secondary education and walkability are required for an even higher rank After slipping to 126th place in the last study Seddon is back to its previous top 50 spot most likely due to the increased number of cafes in the area buses and employment are other categories Seddon performs particularly well in Where it’s lacking is open space and topographic variation Despite remaining Melbourne’s most expensive suburb for house prices Toorak’s ranking has dropped significantly in recent years – down from fifth in 2016 and third in 2011 Unlike most other suburbs placed above it this year Toorak doesn’t rank very highly for culture and retail plus it has congested roads and limited open space Camberwell’s increasing cafe culture is largely behind its rising rank on this list and congested roads here rank the seventh worst in the city A low crime rate and abundant open space (for which Kew East ranks in the top 15 of these indicators) give this suburb an overall desirable ranking on this list The suburb scores decently in most other areas although it would perform better with more retail The only areas for which Glen Iris scores exceptionally well are buses and tree cover but it does rank in the top third of Melbourne suburbs across most areas assessed in this study Glen Iris’ weakest areas are secondary education Melbourne’s second most expensive suburb has placed out of the top 50 for the first time Where Canterbury continues to shine is in trains Badly congested roads – now the fourth worst in the city – are among what’s forcing Canterbury’s rating down Docklands’ liveability rank continues to rise In 2005 the suburb ranked just 207th in this study This improvement can be attributed to Docklands’ cultural rank (third city-wide) Heidelberg has excellent tree cover and topographic variation Where it ranks the lowest is in the crime rate category Surrey Hills may not have the highest scores for culture cafes and shops but it does have great trains The only areas this suburb ranks low in are open space and congestion the latter of which is among the top 10 worst in this category This study shows Albert Park to have culture open space and cafes in abundance along with a great employment rate walkability and easy proximity to the coast and schools While access to trains and buses isn’t the best here Albert Park’s decreasing overall rank can be attributed to having more congested roads and crime than this time last study trams and has the lowest crime rate (based on the number of offences per 100,000 resident population) in Melbourne The suburb also has excellent tree cover and good proximity to schools On the other end of the spectrum are its congested roads – the worst in this city according to this study Box Hill South has surpassed neighbouring Box Hill most likely because of its much lower crime rate Other areas the suburb rates well for are buses Box Hill South’s weakest point are the congested roads Yarraville’s best qualities include proximity to the coast The suburb is above average in all other areas measured except for secondary education Black Rock’s biggest assets are its open space proximity to the coast and a low crime rate but the suburb has limited access to public transport and has a small retail sector Brunswick West ranks the lesser of the three Brunswicks because of its much lower culture The suburb could be improved by added open space and less congestion on the roads trees and trams in Box Hill and the suburb achieves good scores for employment and walkability Box Hill’s ranking will improve with less crime and congestion employment and walkability are all among Prahran’s key strengths The suburb is also not too far from the coast and has generous tree cover Where Prahran doesn’t perform as well is in crime the latter of which is the fifth worst in Melbourne Maribyrnong has come leaps and bounds thanks to its retail sector which this study ranks the best in Melbourne (based on the percentage of local workforce employed in cafes/restaurants along with the proportion of suburb covered by commercial/retail land area) The suburb also records good scores for trams Areas most ripe for improvement in Maribyrnong are crime and access to primary schools open space and of course coast proximity are elements that underpin Williamstown’s solid liveability Its lower rank compared to the last study is mostly due to its increasingly congested roads that were previously the clearest in Melbourne although these still score well above average Cheltenham’s liveability has soared due to a high proportion of the suburb being employed in cultural services as well as being home to several cafes and Westfield Southland Ormond can claim excellent public transport in the form of trains and buses – the latter of which it is ranked top in the city for The suburb also has low crime and decent proximity to schools a larger cultural sector and more open space Affluent Brighton obviously ranks well for coast proximity along with cafes Its lower overall rank compared to previous years is due to the increasingly congested roads Brighton scores most poorly for topographic variation Balwyn North has moved to overtake Balwyn on this list What’s boosting the area’s liveability are the excellent bus services paired with a good tram network (although train access is poor) Other areas Balwyn North scores very well in are crime More shops and fewer congested roads would enhance its ranking further Ripponlea is another small suburb both in area and population that ranks well for liveability and excellent public transport options across both trains and trams Dragging down Ripponlea’s overall score is congestion and the very minimal amount of open space and hills It’s also great for tree cover and walkability Previously the better ranking of the two Malverns Malvern East has dropped behind its sibling The suburb doesn’t do as well for culture and cafes although it does outscore Malvern for retail Malvern East suffers from a relatively high crime rate Essendon has an excellent tram network along with decent walkability and cafes It doesn’t rank terribly in any of the assessed categories but scores only averagely across many such as education and congestion Its worst score is for open space where it ranks 211th out of 307 Tecoma is a small suburb between Belgrave and Upwey in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges It ranks so well because of its train and bus access proximity to both primary and secondary schools low crime and few congested roads across a hilly landscape Tecoma boasts the best tree cover in Melbourne tree cover and education are all areas Caulfield North scores highly in Nunawading is moving up in the world thanks to its excellent retail It is an average performer in most other categories assessed with low scores for coast proximity and open space Congested roads and crime have caused Middle Park’s ranking to slip compared to previous years Where it continues to score highly are cafes Few shops and poor train access limit Middle Park from excelling further in liveability despite decent walkability Located next to Eltham and 18 kilometres north-east of the CBD Montmorency ranks well due to its decent train and bus services plus excellent tree cover and hilly streets cafes and culture would further enhance the area Coburg’s jump in liveability can be largely attributed to the improved score for tree cover The suburb also has decent education and great public transport being one of only a few suburbs to rank well across trams Coburg’s only low scores are for crime and open space Hampton’s liveability has taken a hit in recent years because of the increasingly congested roads and rapid improvement from other suburbs What it scores best in currently is coast proximity Hampton needs more open space to rate better overall but it does have a low crime rate which boosts its overall liveability Where it’s most outstanding is access to schools where it ranks in the top 10 suburbs followed by coast proximity and tree cover hilly and leafy Balwyn ranks reasonably well across the board Elwood’s liveability has taken a dive mostly due to having more congested roads What’s holding Elwood back is a lack of secondary schools and its relatively flat landscape Port Melbourne is a suburb with fluctuating liveability over time largely due to changes in the methodology over time Where it performs exceptionally well is culture retail and cafes – all of which it is among the top 20 suburbs for trees and hills brings down its overall score You’d be better off walking or catching public transport instead of driving in Thornbury because of the good walkability and badly congested roads culture and cafes are the suburb’s other high rating qualities but it does score above average in almost all categories assessed Mount Waverley is the highest-ranking suburb in the Monash council area It scores several points for its relatively hilly landscape low crime rate and access to secondary schools Where it could improve most is in the provision of open space primary schools and by having a larger cultural sector Eltham has shot up the ranks to enter the top 100 mostly because of the addition of new cafes to the area and roads free of congestion and has the eighth best tree cover in Melbourne Better access to schools would boost Eltham’s overall ranking even higher Spotswood benefits from being close to the coast having a very high culture score and the second best train ranking in Melbourne McKinnon ranks number one for train access and second for secondary education Low crime and buses are other positive elements of the suburb The areas McKinnon could most improve in include congestion Box Hill’s neighbour Mont Albert has excellent trains It also ranks well for employment and topographic variation Mont Albert’s roads are more congested than in the past Where it ranks poorly is open space and culture What the suburb lacks are physical attributes such as hills and it scores the second lowest across the city for open space Congestion on the roads is another problem Belgrave ranks second in the tree cover category third for topographic variation and has few congested roads Train access and cafes are other strengths On the other end of the scale are its low scores for retail primary and secondary education and coast proximity is a strong performer in the tree cover and topographic variation categories It achieves average to good scores in most other areas Carnegie ranks number one for access trams in the city and is in the top 15 for bus access Walkability and primary education are other areas it also performs well in Small suburb Princes Hill achieves scores on either ends of the scale plus the third best access to secondary schools plus it has a relatively high score for crime Bentleigh’s quality trains plus good employment coast proximity and retail scores make it a top 100 most liveable suburb Indicators it doesn’t do as well in are education Oakleigh’s excellent retail plus great walkability trains and buses underpin its place in the top 100 of this list with the exceptions of crime and congestion buses and retail in particular are strengths of Forest Hill located between Blackburn South and Vermont In most other areas it is a slightly above average performer but it is let down by having minimal open space and some congestion Congested roads have contributed to St Kilda East’s decline in liveability It ranks well below its sibling suburbs for culture and retail although it is the best of the three for topographic variation and crime St Kilda East scores highest for employment located 12 kilometres north-east of the CBD is very accessible by bus and has decent access to trains Among other strengths are the low crime and generous tree cover across hilly streets What Rosanna lacks most is amenity such as retail and cafes Doncaster is the only Manningham suburb to make the top 100 in this study It performs well for retail as the home to Westfield Doncaster plus there’s great tree cover and topographic variation Room for improvement could be made in the culture Greensborough benefits most from having a hilly landscape with plenty of tree cover The only categories Greensborough scores terribly for are buses and coast proximity but there is room for improvement in employment and crime also walkability and tram scores that help balance out its poor scores for crime The suburb also has decent cafes and performs above average for culture and employment located on the water 27 kilometres south-east of the CBD is one of the biggest movers on this list mainly because of its low crime rate open space and it’s also a strong performer in the primary education and total education categories Aspendale has very little in the way of culture Frankston’s ranking has improved thanks to an increased culture score and good walkability (which was previously unassessed in this study) adding to its strong results in the retail as well as for minimal topographic variation The increased number of cafes in the area are behind Upper Ferntree Gully’s higher ranking in this year’s study The suburb performs very well in terms of buses primary education and topographic variation but achieves weak scores for coast proximity (naturally) Brighton East ranks poorly for traffic congestion and it is easily accessible by tram and bus Where Brighton East could most improve is retail education are all things Essendon North residents can lay claim to Other areas it performs decently in are tree cover and walkability where is among the top 10 worst performers in the city Parkdale is located 23 kilometres south-east from the CBD on the water after Mentone this is balanced out by quality access to trains proximity to primary schools and a low crime rate The areas where Parkdale is most in need of improvement for this study are open space and congestion Located between Burwood and Ashburton (hence the name) Ashwood rates most favourably for education In most other areas assessed in this study although there are few cafes and open spaces What drags down its overall score are congested roads and ranking last in the open space category (Nearby Caulfield Park falls within Caulfield North and Caulfield Racecourse is in Caulfield East.)  located 13 kilometres south-west of the CBD ranks in the top 20 suburbs for its proximity to both education and open space It also scores well for having few congested roads and access to trains – the study measures access Altona’s overall ranking is let down by poor scores in topographic variation Highett has excellent train access plus decent culture it ranks below average in several categories including crime followed by proximity to secondary education and low crime along with having limited tree cover and open space is holding Glen Waverley back from achieving a higher overall rank Sunshine benefits from having excellent access to trains and buses What drags down Sunshine’s overall ranking are very low scores for crime and tree cover both of which rank fifth worst in Melbourne Caulfield East scores well for culture and has decent cafes train access (because Caulfield station is actually in Caulfield East) Three areas that let down Caulfield East’s mostly positive attributes are its open space Upwey may be 32 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD but it is still very accessible by train The suburb is ranked in the top five for both topographic variation and tree cover The suburb’s biggest issue for this study is its small retail sector education and open space are Oakleigh South’s standout qualities It ranks middle of the road for several other elements but is most affected by having limited topographic variation Newport has excellent trains and a decent amount of open space The categories where it performs the weakest are topographic variation but Newport is otherwise deemed above average in most categories Located 16 kilometres north-east of the CBD school proximity and decent scores for walkability Where it stands to improve the most is in culture Its overall rank is also impacted by being far from the coast West Melbourne is by far the least liveable suburb in the City of Melbourne the suburb still ranks in the top 10 for culture and in the top 25 for cafes and employment West Melbourne doesn’t rank higher overall is because of its poor proximity to schools Hughesdale ticks a lot of boxes for liveability as it performs well for access to trains it also records low scores in several of the categories assessed particularly open space where it ranks in the bottom 10 suburbs Clayton has moved up this list considerably over the years with the inclusion of employment to this study boosting its overall rank The suburb records other decent to high scores for retail The only low scores it achieves are for open space and congestion Coburg North ranks in the top 50 suburbs for both retail and access to trams It’s also an above average performer for culture Where Coburg North stands to improve most is in crime and proximity to education Essendon West is balanced out by having a very low crime rate plenty of hills and open space (the equal eighth best in Melbourne) It scores middle of the road in most other areas Ringwood is Maroondah City Council’s highest performing suburb in this study Its increased culture score is behind its improved overall rank along with excellent retail and cafes thanks to Eastland Shopping Centre Ringwood also has great buses and decent topographic variation and its overall rank is affected by being far from the coast Access to trams (route 75 runs right through the middle) tree cover and topographic variation are Burwood’s key strengths Its overall ranking is negatively impacted by access to trains (its namesake station is actually in Glen Iris) limited proximity to schools and congested roads Burwood’s liveability is overall relatively decent buses and trees are all in good supply in Caulfield South it records only average scores for culture walkability and cafes and there is limited retail Caulfield South has very little open space Located 21 kilometres south-east of the CBD on the water Mentone naturally does well for coast proximity but it also has a large retail sector and excellent proximity to schools Moorabbin is a strong performer in the categories of culture cafes and it ranks third in the city for proximity to primary schools Walkability and employment are also decent but Moorabbin suffers from having minimal public transport (its train station is perched on the far side of its boundaries) congested roads and a relatively flat landscape good proximity to schools and a low crime rate are what underpin Bentleigh East’s liveability In most other categories assessed its scores are good to average except for access to trains where it performs poorly (there is no train station in Bentleigh East) and there’s minimal topographic variation Belgrave Heights may be 38 kilometres south-east of the CBD with only 1360 residents at the most recent census It also ranks in the top 10 suburbs for topographic variation Minimal public transport and proximity to schools are the indicators Belgrave Heights is less liveable for Located 27 kilometres east of the CBD next to Ringwood Croydon ranks third in Melbourne for proximity to schools and does well for having few congested roads quality trains and decent topographic variation The suburb is disadvantaged in this study by being far from the coast and being without trams The only other low score it achieves is for culture leafy landscape with generous open space allows it to perform well in this study It also achieves decent ranks in the culture Its downfalls are proximity to schools which it scores poorly for Murrumbeena is accessible by train and is not far from trams with the terminus for route 67 just one suburb over in Carnegie Tree cover and walkability are also decent here Room for improvement is most needed in the categories of proximity to schools Bundoora offers easy access to both primary and secondary schools in addition to university campuses It’s also reachable by tram and has copious amounts of open space The elements Bundoora performs the worst for are crime walkability and coast proximity are all elements Mordialloc residents can be proud of Its scores for train access and employment are also above average Mordialloc would benefit from having less traffic congestion Templestowe Lower records very positive scores in some areas but poor ones in others The hilly and leafy streets with abundant open space are complemented by a low crime rate and good proximity to schools employment and public transport beyond buses Trams and buses are the categories Burwood East performs best in and it has above average scores for culture The suburb would benefit most from a train station and more open space decent access to bus services and a low crime rate The only areas the suburb performs terribly in are open space and topographic variation Airport West is ranked in the top 10 suburbs for its retail thanks to Westfield shopping centre Airport West is disadvantaged by not having a train station and it could also improve in the areas of open space and crime The suburb leaves much to be desired in terms of culture cafes and employment scores are only average Pascoe Vale South’s best qualities are its proximity to schools and the tram network It also has decent tree cover and topographic variation What Pascoe Vale South lacks most is amenity such as culture Dandenong’s place in the top half of these rankings can be most attributed to its large retail sector Its biggest and most consistent issue is a high crime rate having ranked in the bottom 10 suburbs in this category for two consecutive studies Located 13 kilometres north-west of the city Niddrie residents can rely on its shopping facilities cafes and trams and enjoy a hilly landscape The reason the suburb doesn’t rank higher on this list is because of its minimal open space low walkability and poor scores for access to trains and buses located 11 kilometres north-west of the CBD The suburb remains above average in most other areas assessed Box Hill North has a very low crime rate and great tree cover cafes and less busy roads would propel Box Hill North’s liveability to new heights Hills and trams are both in good supply in Vermont South and it has a low crime rate Areas the suburb could most improve in are employment Vermont South is also disadvantaged by not having a train station and being relatively far from the coast Kingsbury is a relatively small suburb bordering Reservoir 12 kilometres north-east of the CBD The suburb scores well for trams and open space and offers decent walkability Where Kingsbury lacks is in amenities by having very few shops and cafes and low scores for culture and trains Essendon’s neighbour Strathmore does well in terms of buses and topographic variation Its worst scores are for congestion and culture but Strathmore could also do with more shops Located 14 kilometres north-east of the CBD Macleod has great aesthetic attributes in the form of hills and open space It is also easily accessible by train and has a low crime rate Macleod’s weakest points are the lack of walkability Altona’s small neighbour Seaholme benefits most for its coastal proximity along with strong scores for train access the suburb is the lowest ranking suburb in Melbourne for retail and is the bottom 10 for tree cover decent culture and hilly streets are all things Vermont residents can be happy about Its overall ranking would benefit most from new cafes to the area and having better walkability West Footscray ranks so far behind Footscray (number 6) is because of its far lower scores for culture although it is still considered to be above average in all of these It does have a better crime rate and experiences less congestion than Footscray however Where West Footscray scores the worst is education walkability and trains are Reservoir’s best qualities The only areas it ranks less than 200 (out of 307) in are crime rate and proximity to the coast Reservoir’s scores are roughly mid-way in most categories Mulgrave’s neighbour Wheelers Hill has a low crime rate a hilly landscape and great proximity to schools The suburb is negatively affected by not having a train station possessing few cafes and a low employment score The introduction of new cafes to Warrandyte has boosted its overall liveability complementing its consistently high scores for topographic variation On the other end of the scale are Warrandyte’s poor scores for retail and having only minimal public transport in the form of buses Bayswater’s neighbour Heathmont is located 24 kilometres east of the CBD and benefits from having a central train station low crime and decent topographic variation Open space and walkability however are poor in the area and the suburb doesn’t score well for culture and retail Chadstone’s liveability has dropped due to its only average walkability (a category that previously wasn’t assessed in this study) along with having greater and higher crime rate than previous years Where it continues to perform well is retail is Hume City Council’s most liveable suburb but the suburb is easily accessible by bus and ranks third in the city for mobile and internet coverage Gladstone Park’s overall rank would improve with higher scores in culture Doncaster East is disadvantaged by not having a nearby train station or trams The suburb’s biggest positives are the low crime rate and topographic variation Blackburn North residents benefit from a very low crime rate along with excellent access to schools In most other areas the suburb rates below average Mont Albert North ranked 15th overall in the 2011 iteration of this study but its liveability has been affected by the new inclusion of walkability to the criteria along with the suburb’s increasingly congested roads Where it still excels is topographic variation and tree cover and it has one of the top 10 lowest crime rates in Melbourne More shops and cafes are also needed for a higher overall score is Knox City Council’s highest ranking suburb on this list topographic variation and experiences minimal traffic even at peak times What it’s lacking most is employment and open space Braybrook borders Sunshine and is nine kilometres west of the CBD The suburb has an excellent amount of retail for its size and decent proximity to schools Braybrook doesn’t score terribly in any categories although it is the bottom 100 suburbs for tree cover and its culture rank could be improved Ringwood East ranks in the top 10 citywide for train access and the suburb also has good buses Topographic variation and minimal congestion are other strengths of the area The elements most dragging down Ringwood East’s overall rank are culture which borders Maribyrnong 12 kilometres north-west of the city benefits from nearby trams and copious amounts of open space across hilly streets Briar Hill is a relatively small suburb sandwiched between Greensborough and Montmorency Boosting its liveability is a low crime rate and the fourth best tree cover in Melbourne In most other areas Briar Hill performs only average at best and it is particularly lacking in retail The liveability of Strathmore’s much smaller sibling is supported by nearby trams an excellent amount of open space and great topographic variation the suburb shows room for improvement in many areas and the suburb offers excellent proximity to schools The suburb ranks averagely in most other categories Chelsea is one of Melbourne’s best suburbs for coast proximity and can be easily accessed by train and bus The suburb also encompasses abundant open space and the crime rate is decent Where Chelsea could improve most is proximity to schools and tree cover and it is let down by its largely flat landscape Westmeadows is 17 kilometres north of the CBD next to Broadmeadows Its best attributes are its generous open space across hilly streets and good proximity to both primary and secondary schools Congestion on the roads is also minimal here Weastmeadows ranks below average in nearly all other areas assessed Retail is in strong supply in Maidstone thanks largely to the proximity of nearby Highpoint Shopping Centre The suburb also has a good amount of open space and is accessible via nearby trams Maidstone ranks poorly in most other categories Small suburb Heatherton borders Moorabbin and is 20 kilometres south-east of the city The suburb scores very well in the areas of culture open space and it benefits from being relatively near the coast Where Heatherton stands to improve the most is proximity to schools and tree cover and employment are Heidelberg West’s strengths The suburb also has a decent amount of open space due to Darebin Creek Forest Park running along its border Areas the suburb doesn’t do as well in are cafes and congestion Blackburn South has a low crime rate and great proximity to schools but is let down in many other areas and the suburb achieves low ranks for retail employment and cafes are all in good supply in Huntingdale The suburb’s scores for tree cover and walkability are also above average The remaining categories assessed in this study show several weaknesses in the area however mainly in the form of minimal public transport low proximity to schools and next to no open space Bayswater is located 29 kilometres east of the CBD The suburb’s scores vary wildly depending on the category being assessed Those at the upper end of the scale include culture Where Bayswater can most improve is public transport as it records low scores for access to trains The crime rate is also high and the suburb lacks decent tree cover and open space Springvale scores exceptionally well for retail and walkability but is lacking in many other areas Crime is high and proximity to schools is low The suburb is also disadvantaged by having limited tree cover and topographic variation Wantirna South performs well in the areas of culture Dragging down its overall score is a poor ranking for train access and the suburb doesn’t fare well in the employment Albion is positioned after Sunshine about 13 kilometres west of the CBD Its best traits for liveability include train access The suburb’s lack of congestion and proximity to schools are also decent shops and trees would improve Albion’s overall rank Getting to Pascoe Vale via train or nearby trams is relatively easy and the suburb offers good proximity to schools and its scores in all other areas are only average Hampton East’s liveability ranking has dropped significantly over the years after achieving a top 20 spot in 2011 open space and distance to schools are also low Where Hampton East continues to do well is tree cover access to trains and proximity to the coast Ringwood North is a peaceful pocket with generous tree cover a very low crime rate (the fifth best in Melbourne) and minimally congested roads The suburb also offers excellent proximity to schools cafes and better train access is needed for a better overall score The suburb excels in the areas of proximity to schools and buses and it also gets good marks for open space and congestion Where Glenroy can improve is in the culture Oakleigh East has a relatively low crime rate Better proximity to schools and more open space is also needed for a better overall score Access to schools and marginally congested roads are the best things about Wantirna’s liveability The suburb performs weakly in the areas of retail and it is disadvantaged by being far from the coast Carrum is a reasonably small suburb 33 kilometres south east of the CBD meaning it does very well in the category of coast proximity but it also offers excellent proximity to schools There’s also relatively little congestion on the roads and plenty of open space Carrum’s scores in every other area assessed are below average Williamstown North ranks far lower than its sibling suburb Williamstown due to having fewer cafes Where it still performs well is in the coastal proximity and culture categories Better access to public transport and tree cover is needed to boost Williamstown North’s liveability Berwick is the highest ranking suburb in the City of Casey and its liveability is fast improving Train and school access are both great and there are few congested roads Berwick is in need of better scores for culture employment and tree cover for an improved overall rank and to overcome the fact it is relatively far from the coast and beyond the tram network Eltham North doesn’t perform as well as Eltham for liveability because it has far fewer shops the crime rate is much better and it has the same great tree cover and topographic variation Broadmeadows performs fairly averagely across the board except for proximity to education What’s dragging down its overall rank most is the very high crime score Bellfield is a small north-eastern suburb next to Heidelberg with excellent proximity to secondary schools More retail and cafes would benefit Bellfield’s liveability The open space in Jacana puts it in the top 20 of the city In nearly every other area assessed however Jacana is deemed below average Edithvale is 28 kilometres south-east from the CBD on the water the suburb benefits from having its own train station employment and hills and its proximity to schools is poor low congestion and of course proximity to the coast The overall liveability of the suburb is dragged down by having the third worst topographic variation in the city Yallambie borders Viewbank and is 16 kilometres north-east of the city but this is balanced out slightly by good scores in employment More schools would boost Yallambie’s liveability St Helena is between Eltham North and Greensborough 21 kilometres north-east of the CBD The suburb offers a relatively idyllic lifestyle thanks to its generous hills St Helena’s liveability would benefit from having more open space South Kingsville is a small suburb between Spotswood and Newport The suburb has a very low crime rate and good proximity to the coast but most of South Kingsville’s other scores are average at best Areas the suburb scores the weakest for are open space The areas Ferntree Gully scores the best for are congestion and topographic variation the suburb performs around the mid-way mark Access to buses and employment are what Heidelberg Heights gets high marks for Its scores for tree cover and access to trains (due to those in nearby suburbs) are also decent schools and less crime would boost Heidelberg Heights’ liveability Campbellfield continues to slowly but surely move up the ranks in this study but its overall rank is dragged down by having the ranking bottom for crime in the city Campbellfield would also benefit from more schools and tree cover and it loses points for being far from the coast Templestowe has great aesthetic attributes in the form of topographic variation and open space to complement its low crime rate Residents who live in the suburb are largely car dependent because the suburb is not walkable The lowly rank for proximity to schools and minimal public transport access drags down Templestowe’s overall liveability There is abundant open space in Keilor East The suburb is scores poorly for public transport access due to not having a train station or trams The liveability of Berwick’s neighbour Narre Warren has improved thanks to recording far fewer congested roads than as recorded in the previous study The suburb also offers excellent proximity to retail as home to Westfield Fountain Gate and provides decent walkability Narre Warren’s biggest downfalls are its high crime rate low employment and limited proximity to schools Lower Plenty ranks very well for topographic variation crime and open space but most of its other individual category scores are poor With no access to trains or trams there’s a reliance on buses giving it the second worst ranking suburb in this category It’s also one of the least walkable suburbs in Melbourne shops and a higher employment rate are needed for better liveability in Lower Plenty Keilor Downs has a shopping centre so it rates well for retail along with having little traffic Keilor Downs scores poorly for access to public transport (no trains or trams and only minimal bus service provision) as well as employment Bonbeach is on the water between Chelsea and Carrum so it ranks well for proximity to the coast The area’s other assets include having low crime and generous distribution of open space – the equal eighth best in Melbourne Monash University students will know Notting Hill as a small suburb near the Clayton campus The suburb ranks well for retail due to its proximity to nearby Brandon Park and the level of employment in this sector Notting Hill ranks poorly for access to trains and it ranks fifth lowest for open space in the city Noble Park gets top marks for access to trains and buses plus it offers good walkability and proximity to education In most other areas however the suburb doesn’t perform very well recording particularly low scores for culture Altona North may have a larger population than Altona but its liveability isn’t as strong mainly because of the lack of public transport (buses only) Where Altona North does best is in culture There’s a fantastic amount of open space in Chelsea Heights the crime rate is relatively low and there is good access to bus services In most other areas assessed in this survey Chelsea Heights is an average performer at best with particularly low scores for tree cover The areas Clayton South scores the weakest for are topographic variation The suburb’s performance in other areas isn’t terrible but Clayton South suffers from not having a key asset to rely on as a strong performer open space and trains are deemed above average What it lacks the most is proximity to education and its ranking suffers from being a long distance from the coast The rankings Bundoora’s neighbour Watsonia North achieves for liveability vary wildly depending on the category being assessed great topographic variation and a decent amount of tree cover What’s dragging down Watsonia North’s overall average is its very low scores for retail (where it’s in the bottom 10) along with culture Cranbourne has a handful of assets that make for good liveability such as plenty of open space the suburb ranks average at best in all other areas; mainly crime Lalor’s neighbour Mill Park has excellent bus access and proximity to secondary schools Its distribution of open space is also in good supply the suburb records several low scores for culture Tullamarine has well-sized retail and culture sectors and great proximity to schools Crime however is high (it ranks in the bottom 10 for this category) and the suburb has poor walkability and no access to trains Hoppers Crossing has a large retail sector and ranks comparatively well for congestion The area could do with more cafes and tree cover to enhance its liveability Lalor boasts excellent train access and proximity to both secondary and primary schools What drags down the suburb’s overall liveability are low scores in several categories including topographic variation Increasingly busy roads have affected Viewbank’s liveability over the years There is also little public transport in the area the suburb ranks sixth best in the city for open space and there’s good tree cover across hilly streets Mount Evelyn is 37 kilometres north-east of the CBD and follows Lilydale Assets of the area include a low crime rate excellent tree cover and topographic variation The suburb is disadvantaged by being a long distance from the coast and only having buses for public transport retail and access to bus categories but is otherwise considered below average in almost all other areas The suburb’s lowest scores are for access to trains Areas that Keilor Park scores positively for include culture Dragging down Keilor Park’s overall ranking is the fact there is no nearby train station and proximity to education is strongly lacking The suburb is also among the top 10 worst areas for walkability Eltham’s neighbour Research is a quiet suburb with great scores for culture and a top five rank for topographic variation The very little public transport in the area combined with poor walkability and few cafes open spaces and schools brings down the suburb’s overall score it has decent proximity to schools and there is a low crime rate On the other hand are the suburb’s low scores for culture Noble Park North also doesn’t have much in the way of public transport Springvale South has a good score for crime and great proximity to education The suburb is also considered above average for open space Springvale South ranks in the bottom half of all suburbs Sunshine North has a healthy retail sector and within the suburb proper but the areas where Sunshine North stands to improve the most are culture Knoxfield ranks in the top 50 suburbs for retail thanks mainly to Westfield Knox Shopping Centre The suburb also gets high scores for its proximity to education and for having minimally congested roads at peak hour poor walkability and low employment hold Knoxfield back from offering better liveability Hurstbridge may be 30 kilometres north-east of the CBD but the suburb still has a train station that helps boost liveability The suburb ranks in the top 10 for topographic variation plus it has great tree cover and few congested roads At the opposite end of the scale is Hurstbridge’s rank for proximity to education Lilydale excels in the area of topographic variation and it experiences little traffic Cafes and buses are also in healthy supply The suburb’s overall liveability rank is most affected by being far from the coast followed by low employment and distance to schools There’s little congestion on the roads in Croydon North and the suburb has excellent topographic variation The amount of tree cover and open space are also above average Croydon North ranks in the bottom 100 suburbs Patterson Lakes is a unique suburb full of canals located 35 kilometres south east of the CBD The categories it scores the best in are buses Patterson Lakes shows significant room for improvement in all remaining categories Dingley Village is located after Moorabbin and is 22 kilometres south-east of the CBD The suburb performs well in the culture and coast proximity categories What Dingley Village doesn’t have are many cafes or schools and it gets low scores for all three forms of public transport The best things about Park Orchards are its low crime and natural landscape with plenty of trees and hills The suburb also experiences congested roads infrequently On the negative side is the lack of public transport in the area (buses only) Rowville has excellent proximity to schools and scores well in the congestion The suburb ranks second worst in the city for trains (a rail line proposal for the area from 1969 is still just a proposal) and it also needs better walkability few congested roads and a good amount of open space What it is most in need of most is public transport (particularly a train station) tree cover and walkability would also help Keilor’s ranking Eumemmerring is a small suburb neighbouring Dandenong South congestion and provides decent proximity to schools Where Eumemmerring could improve most is cafes Point Cook’s liveability has increased since the last study The suburb has an excellent amount of open space and benefits from being close to the coast Point Cook scores consistently low in this study is because of the minimal public transport access Gowanbrae is located 13 kilometres north-west of the CBD near Tullamarine It ranks in the bottom 10 suburbs for both retail and cafes generous open space and great topographic variation Gowanbrae could also improve in the areas of culture The minimal amount of public transport plus low scores for culture and retail detract from Altona Meadows’ excellent open space that ranks the fourth best in Melbourne The suburb gets points for being close to the coast and experiencing few congested roads but Altona Meadows needs more tree cover and better proximity to schools to achieve a good overall rank on this list Mooroolbark is positioned 31 kilometres east of the CBD near Lilydale The suburb is a strong performer in the topographic variation category and does decently for crime and congestion A higher employment rate and more open space would boost Mooroolbark’s liveability There is great topographic variation in Diamond Creek and congested roads are not an issue Where it doesn’t perform well is distance to schools There is a train station in Diamond Creek but little else in the way of public transport Doncaster East’s neighbour Donvale has very small retail and cafe sectors and public transport is scarce It also scores poorly for proximity to schools and walkability excellent topographic variation and generous tree cover Clarinda is 19 kilometres south-east of the city bordering Clayton South It has a low crime rate and excellent access to buses but is lacking other forms of public transport Clarinda scores lowly in most other areas assessed Scoresby is 29 kilometres east of the city next to Wheelers Hill The suburb scores very well in the retail category most likely because it is close to Knoxfield It also achieves a great culture rating and has a healthy amount of open space Scoresby’s liveability is dragged down by having no public transport beyond buses plus low employment poor proximity to schools and a relatively high crime rate The number of cafes in Werribee has improved adding to its great scores for trains and congestion What Werribee is lacking most is tree cover (where it ranks the second worst in the city) Sunshine West has a better crime score than its sibling suburbs and excellent proximity to education Factors it performs the worst for are walkability More public transport would also improve the area Kealba’s name derives from two of its neighbouring suburbs – Keilor and St Albans The suburb achieves excellent scores for buses but its performance in almost all other categories is lacking is relatively far from schools and residents are forced to be car dependent Hallam’s liveability continues to improve in this study performs well for retail and has few congested roads Hallam’s weaknesses are its high crime rate excellent proximity to schools and great access to trains The suburb is let down by very low scores in the areas of culture topographic variation and traffic isn’t an issue here Its scores for retail and cafes are also above average What the suburb needs most is significantly more public transport and open space Croydon South’s overall liveability is also affected by being a long distance from the coast Frankston North’s place on this list has dropped significantly because the crime score is poor The suburb doesn’t have much in the way of public transport but it does have excellent proximity to schools fantastic distribution of open space and few congested roads Its scores for tree cover and walkability are also low Kilsyth South is 32 kilometres east of the CBD in the area before Mount Dandenong The suburb has a low crime rate and minimal traffic retail and cafes are also all in decent supply but residents have poor access to public transport Proximity to schools is Kilsyth South is also lacking Laverton is a relatively small suburb bordering Williams Landing having its own train station and offering great proximity to schools is high and there is little tree cover or retail Dandenong’s neighbour Doveton provides excellent proximity to both primary and secondary schools The suburb rates below average scores in almost all other areas assessed Langwarrin suffers from a lack of public transport with the exception of buses It also shows significant room for improvement in the areas of culture Where Langwarrin performs well is the categories of education and crime and it has the second best score for road congestion in the city Endeavour Hills is located after Dandenong about 31 kilometres from the CBD The suburb also has minimally congested roads and a decent score for access to buses Endeavour Hills’ liveability would improve with more cafes North Warrandyte has a particularly small retail sector and the fourth worst proximity to both trains and education The suburb is also not walkable and has far fewer cafes than its sibling suburb Warrandyte North Warrandyte’s crime rank is the third best in the city The Basin is nestled into the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges and therefore has excellent tree cover and topographic variation cafes and public transport (even access to buses is scarce here) Aspendale Gardens is slightly inland from the water about 27 kilometres south-east of the CBD The suburb only has a very small culture sector Positives of the area are the extremely good crime score and excellent amount of open space Dandenong North doesn’t have much in the way of retail and it doesn’t have any public transport beyond buses What the suburb performs well for is proximity to schools Dallas is located 18 kilometres north of the CBD following Campbellfield There is a train station (Upfield) located just outside the suburb’s north-eastern boundary and it also does in the categories of proximity to schools and congestion cafes and a lower crime rate to rank higher on this list Located 23 kilometres north-west of the CBD Taylors Lakes has a well-sized retail sector and rarely experiences congested roads The area’s liveability is dragged down by a poor crime score Croydon Hills has good topographic variation as its name suggests plus the crime rate is very low and the roads aren’t often congested The employment rate is also relatively low Like all suburbs in the foothills of Mount Dandenong Montrose has excellent tree cover and topographic variation What Montrose doesn’t have much of is public transport Deer Park is 17 kilometres west of the city The suburb gets very low scores for culture Deer Park’s greatest assets are its retail sector access to buses and lack of congestion on the roads Warranwood’s name is a conjunction of the suburbs Warrandyte and Ringwood that it is located near Residents in the area benefit from very low crime – the fourth best ranking in the city – good proximity to schools clear roads and excellent topographic variation Warranwood suffers from a shortage of public transport and for having very few shops or cafes It is also one of the top 10 least walkable suburbs in Melbourne Ardeer is a relatively small suburb 16 kilometers west of the CBD Its declining rank on this list is mostly due to its crime score in addition to recording very low scores for culture and cafes The suburb also doesn’t do well in the areas of proximity to schools and employment Broolyn is a small suburb bordering West Footscray 10 kilometres west of the CBD is relatively close to the coast and scores above average for culture The suburb’s crime score has caused its liveability to drop Coolaroo is located 19 kilometres north of the city excellent proximity to schools and few busy roads What drags its ranking down are a very poor crime score (it’s one of the bottom 10 suburbs in this category) Caroline Springs’ liveability is slowly improving The suburb ranks in the top 10 suburbs city wide for proximity to education and the amount of open space is decent Caroline Springs needs a larger cultural sector better access to public transport (its train station is actually in Ravenhall) Cairnlea is located 17 kilometres north-west of the CBD near St Albans uncongested roads and close proximity to primary schools Dragging down Cairnlea’s overall score are its low scores for culture Frankston South has a good score for crime has a decent amount of open space and ranks third best for congestion and is lacking in public transport access and topographic variation retail and cafes would also boost Frankston South’s liveability Hadfield is 13 kilometres north of the CBD Public transport access is in good supply in the area and the roads are relatively uncongested What Hadfield needs more of for a better ranking is culture Seabrook is 19 kilometres south-west of the CBD good proximity to education and is near the water Seabrook ranks so low in this study because it it is in the bottom 15 suburbs for culture South Morang has an excellent amount of open space and great topographic variation Areas it performs weakly in are employment More shops and cafes would also help the area’s liveability Hampton Park borders Dandenong South 36 kilometres south-east of the city The suburb has great access to buses (although there are no trains or trams) and next to no congested roads Where Hampton South records low scores is in culture You’ll find Keysborough 27 kilometres south-east of the city near Dandenong The suburb’s best assets are its good score for traffic congestion decent proximity to the coast and adequate retail sector Keysborough relies on buses for public transport Epping has a good-sized retail sector along with a decent amount of open space What it’s lacking most is its proximity to schools More public transport would also boost Epping’s liveability Bayswater North ranks very well in the retail and road congestion categories but achieves only low scores in all other areas assessed Derrimut is 18 kilometres west of the city The suburb features a great distribution of open space and a good-sized retail sector Derrimut is in need of better access public transport for liveability The suburb would also benefit from more schools improved topographic variation and better walkability Carrum Downs benefits from being relatively close to the coast and a good score for road congestion The suburb is disadvantaged as it only has buses for public transport and among the most limited topographic variation in Melbourne Other Carrum Downs areas that show significant room for improvement are tree cover Meadow Heights is 18 kilometres north of the city few congested roads and good topographic variation The areas Kilsyth ranks above average for include culture the suburb lacks in many areas deemed desirable for liveability Kings Park borders St Albans in the city’s north west The suburb ranks very poorly in a handful of categories including cafes where it is ranked last in the city At the other end of the scale are the suburb’s scores for congestion and proximity to education Kings Park also ranks well for access to buses Attwood is a relatively small suburb near the airport The suburb ranks worst in the city for culture topographic variation and open space categories public transport and schools are also needed for a stronger ranking for Attwood Lynbrook is 36 kilometres south-east of the CBD bordering Dandenong South There are few congested roads in the area and it offers great proximity to primary schools Lynbrook records very poor scores in several areas such as culture that it ranks third last for Cranbourne East is a new addition to this list due to its outlying location 45 kilometres south-east of the CBD The suburb rates well for culture and congestion but is dragged down overall by weak scores in several other categories Cranbourne East ranks fourth last in the city for topographic variation and is in the bottom 10 for both employment and cafes Sydenham residents have easy access to trains at Watergardens station and there are few congested roads in the area Categories the suburb ranks the lowest in include culture tree cover walkability and topographic variation Caroline Springs’ neighbour Burnside has a well-sized retail sector and the sixth least number of congested roads in Melbourne the suburb ranks in the bottom 10 suburbs citywide for culture Sandhurst is 37 kilometres south-east of the CBD Its tiny retail sector sees it rank third last in this category Public transport access is likewise very limited Sandhurst has a very good crime score and is ranked fifth in the open space category Burnside Heights ranks the fourth lowest in the city for both cafes and employment The suburb also has minimal access to public transport including the roads being among the least congested in Melbourne proximity to education is good and there is low crime Albanvale is 19 kilometres west of the CBD The suburb rarely experiences congested roads and it has an above average amount of open space Dragging down Albanvale’s overall liveability is the fact it ranks second worst in the city for culture Roxburgh Park borders Craigieburn and is 20 kilometres north of the city The suburb offers great proximity to secondary schools and its scores for open space and congestion are above average for which it ranks equal last in the city for and its scores for culture and employment are also poor Lysterfield South is 30 kilometres south-east The suburb has the most open space of any suburb in Melbourne Lysterfield South is significantly lacking in many areas The suburb is ranked in the bottom 10 for cafes Junction Village is a small suburb near Cranbourne and 45 kilometres south-east of the city Junction Village needs to improve in several areas It is ranked in the bottom 15 suburbs for retail Williams Landing’s best qualities include having a good amount of open space minimal congestion and being not too far from the coast The suburb otherwise performs poorly in most areas assessed particularly in terms of proximity to education Keilor Lodge is Keilor’s less populated neighbour with a low crime rate and no traffic Weak scores in most other categories underpin Keilor Lodge’s low ranking on this list The areas it stands to improve the most in are retail The suburb’s only access to public transport is a single bus route Delahey borders Taylors Lakes and is 20 kilometres north-west of the CBD The suburb provides excellent proximity to education has minimally congested roads and a relatively low crime rate Delahey gets low scores in all other areas Narre Warren South rarely experiences congested roads and its level of open space is above average Its downfalls are the lack of access to public transport beyond buses and its low scores for employment Waterways is about 25 kilometres south of the CBD and ranks second best in Melbourne for open space because it encompasses 20 per cent parkland and 40 per cent water What lets Waterways down are its ranks in the bottom 10 for culture The only category Cranbourne North ranks in the top 100 suburbs for is traffic congestion It is in the bottom 10 suburbs for tree cover Narre Warren North’s best assets are its decent open space and the fact its roads are rarely busy the suburb needs significantly more retail Langwarrin South has the best score in Melbourne for traffic congestion and a low crime rate The suburb ranks in the bottom 10 for trams Masterplanned Taylor Hill as yet offers little in terms of liveability with its only positive scores in this study being in the crime rate congestion and proximity to education categories The areas the suburb performs most poorly in are tree cover Other masterplanned communities have seen their rankings inmprove with time Hillside is next to Sydenham and 23 kilometres north-west of the CBD The reason it ranks so low overall is because it ranks in the bottom five suburbs citywide for culture and retail and the bottom 10 for cafes and employment Every list of rankings has a wooden-spooner 35 kilometres south-east of the CBD near Cranbourne The suburb ranks in the top 10 for lack of traffic congestion in Melbourne but in nearly every other category assessed in this study The suburb’s weakest point is access to buses for which it ranks worst in the city Have you taken the quiz to find your ideal suburb? Let us know what you thought. Amelia Barnes is a writer and journalist specialising in property and residential design reporting, specifically, Melbourne real estate, alternative housing and interior design. She is a regular writer for Domain and The Age and holds a Bachelor of Journalism. This might sound like we’re pushing the needle way into the red, but Melburnians always wait on spring’s arrival and this year, more than at any other time, it has been most welcome. It also heralds the arrival of spectacular homes on the market, the pleasant conditions just right for these beauties to shine – but there are spectacular homes and then, there is this in Kew. the home was designed by architect Lloyd Tayler who was famous for creating the beautiful domed chamber of the Commercial Bank of Australia in Collins Street Tayler was an architect who appreciated the value of both decorative design and its judicious application It’s the prettiness here at 1 Molesworth Street that gets you first; the lovely composure gated fences don’t hide it from the street’s regard with its white facade and lacework verandah white-gravel return drive cuts an arc between house and garden turn to get an elevated perspective of the verdant Nine of the best properties for sale in Victoria right now This Kew home is more luxurious than a five-star hotel The eighties ski-lodge style property transformed into a dream home the rich style of the Victorian era is enthralling – wallpaper friezes wainscoting and divine framing timberwork are the first features to greet you On the right is a serene sitting room with the requisite lofty ceilings marble fireplace and an enchanting dual aspect – one via the front verandah to the garden one to the side greenery through a charming small conservatory the spectacular heart of the home reveals itself in all its soaring glory The timber-clad octagonal dome rises up to include clerestory windows at its apex drawing a soft light down into this central section The leitmotif of Tayler’s tower appears here in smaller Eminent Melbourne business leader and entrepreneur Laura Anderson has hosted some of the world’s best and brightest here and says the “happy welcoming and engaging nature” of her beautiful home is the impression visitors feel upon arrival it says something about the refinement of the design that the decorative can so easily sit alongside the discreet you might want to put on your smart gear before sitting down to eat in the formal dining room This incredible space with its deep crimson tones grand fireplace and sublime timber bay window wouldn’t look out of place in a palace On the other side of the dome sits the plush study with a marble fire and a projected window into the verandah There are three fine bedrooms arrayed on either side of the central hall and second foyer They are serviced by elegant bathrooms where marble leadlighting and timber trim form a charming combination Beyond an imposing hallway arch sits the breezy contemporary kitchen with acres of handsome timber cabinetry as well as gorgeous grey marble benches and splashbacks Wind around to the side here and find a more relaxed informal lounge and another bathroom an attractive meals area and family room are illuminated by a series of arched french doors that lead out onto the wraparound rear verandah the exquisite garden drapes itself around the house offering myriad garden “rooms” and terraces to each side Flowing back centrally is a wide pathway to the pool and spa A glassy gazebo projects into the water to service the swimmers and the players on the north-south tennis court The resort feel continues with the self-contained poolhouse It’s a two-storey game-changer that could be any of many things: gym Back inside to that outstanding hallway and up the stairs to the first floor you’ll find the epic dimensions of the billiard room as well as another bedroom on the east side It’s more than fitting to leave the main bedroom its sunken marble bath en suite and wraparound balcony Fitting also to hear Anderson’s words on the gorgeous space there are the hot air balloons; in the evening It’s the kind of home that inspires that sort of feeling – a remarkable revelation Molesworth Street is one of Kew’s true beauties Running between Princess Street and the Yarra it’s a boulevard lined with mansion houses and modern creations afforded by the dip from east to west toward the river “A home of incredible heritage that has entertained global leaders in the arts, heads of state and royalty.”  Ross Savas 4 Baths2 ParkingView listing This 1920s property mixes heritage with luxurious 2020s credentials. With its shingled gable and stucco columns, it’s an ornament to the avenue. Behind its leadlight door, however, the red-brick bastion has been rebuilt to suit today’s family. When architect Drew Cole stepped in he envisaged holidays at home with a deck and heated, self-cleaning pool. 5 Baths4 ParkingView listing This well-kitted-out family home is in a sweet spot between the beach and Church Street. Resort-style living is promised with a tennis court, swimming pool and games room. The living areas impress, from the light-filled lounge to the stone-clad kitchen and dining room. The sleeping zone is upstairs, with a generous main bedroom and an en suite with balcony. 5 Baths5 ParkingView listing This classic mansion ticks all the luxury boxes and more. Expect well-proportioned rooms and a large pantry, high-spec kitchen and barbecue that will cater for everyone. Fun stuff includes a cinema, gym, spa and pool. The main suite is glamorous while the rumpus room is a kids’ paradise. “It’s pushing the envelope of luxury in bayside,” the agent says. 3 Baths2 ParkingView listing Making a sweeping statement, this house designed by Steve Domoney Architecture includes all the luxe bells and whistles. The standout first-floor living zone frames views of the city. Edgy design, porcelain benchtops and a large terrace set the scene for great entertaining. “It has a rooftop terrace with phenomenal city views,” the agent says. It sits close to Auburn Village. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing You’ll zoom up High Street without even noticing this beauty. Secluded by a high wall and established trees is one of Kew’s earliest homes. A classic double-fronted Victorian facade, interior features and, of course, proportions, combined with a later extension – adding a wall of picture windows and sliding doors to enjoy views of the deck, pool and private garden – create a true family sanctuary. 4 Baths4 ParkingView listing Near Kew Junction, this welcoming townhouse offers flexible living. Architects Coy Yiontis have placed a formal living room, family room and study/fourth bedroom on the ground floor. The main suite upstairs is super-sized, and a lift makes all three levels accessible. A plunge pool and terrace are ready for summer. The large basement is perfect for car enthusiasts. The Macedon Ranges regional hotspot that’s got locals hooked Homes here are ‘tightly held and snapped up quickly’ “It’s with a heavy heart we’re selling”: An art-filled Footscray home just listed 4 Baths2 ParkingView listing Prepare to be blown away by the views from this designer house. Looking over Darling Gardens and the Yarra River, the city skyline shimmers in the background. The first-floor living zone flows onto a large balcony while the top-floor main suite captures the vista. The design and materials are flawless while a lift and parking are practical pluses. 4 Baths3 ParkingView listing A grand facade, statement staircase, oak floors and chandeliers make this spacious family home an attractive option. A practical floor plan includes a formal lounge, cinema and family-dining room. A marble-clad kitchen is backed up by a second kitchen. The main suite features a balcony and spa bath. Kids will love the pool. Convenient to schools and Maling Road. 1 Bath1 ParkingView listing A treed outlook, a stroll to Glen Huntly Road village and three-bedroom accommodation are standout features of this top-floor balconied apartment in arguably Elwood’s best pocket, the agent says. “It’s easily rentable and low maintenance but having the extra bedroom to work from home or as a second living room gives a young family longer before they’d outgrow it,” he says. 4 Baths2 ParkingView listing “It’s a bit of a Northcote icon at the top of the hill – everyone is curious about it,” the agent says of this 1880s church converted four years ago into a stunning home, with its heritage Sunday-school building being turned into a garage. Behind a rustic facade, the interior divides into mezzanine bedrooms and a divine open-plan living zone with arched glazing. It has a private garden. 3 Baths4 ParkingView listing The agent who sold this handsome art deco residence to its owner in 2004 anticipates he’ll sell again to a family seeking a generational property. “The vendor has loved it,” he says, noting 1930s streamline moderne curves, a porthole window and formal rooms, along with a pool, versatile floor plan and scope to upgrade. The prestigious location is known for its substantial residences on oversized blocks. 2 Baths1 ParkingView listing This Fender Katsalidis-designed, two-level city-centre apartment, with a balcony facing Flinders Lane on each level, delivers separation between living and sleeping zones. The 109-square-metre internal floor plan has a full-size kitchen on the 11th floor and two en-suited bedrooms plus a study nook above. It’s a great city base worth $850 a week in rental, the agent says. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Presenting as younger than its 30-odd years, due to timeless architectural style and attentive maintenance, this refurbished townhouse on 350 square metres offers mid-level entry, in size and price, to a blue-chip bayside postcode. “There’s more privacy and independence than an apartment, and no body corp,” the agent says. “It’s a central location – walk to the station, Bay Street and the beach.” 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Design fans will like this rare country home by renowned architect John Wardle. Time has only improved the 22-year-old house and garden. The curved wing’s huge windows frame the landscape. The living rooms flow seamlessly with the main suite at one end. A separate wing is for guests. “It has lasted the test of time,” the agent says. 2 Baths3 ParkingView listing Next to the RACV resort’s seventh tee, this is more than a golfer’s delight. The house is in a quiet court with a deck, plunge pool and green outlook. Inside, the light-filled living zone features a raised ceiling, clerestory windows and a fireplace. The main suite is nicely separated from the other bedrooms and rumpus room. Stroll to the resort. 3 Baths2 ParkingView listing A surprising serenity has tempted potential buyers to linger during inspections of this pretty Victorian family abode, the agent says. It’s walking distance from bustling Camberwell Junction’s restaurants, cafes, shops and Rivoli Cinemas but has an old-world country feel thanks to its rose-scented garden, wide verandahs and c1880 period features. A separate studio with en suite makes a spare bedroom, workspace or gym. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Mauve wisteria adorning this 1920s weatherboard home’s porch sends its charisma off the charts. Young families, many from the inner north, also can see functionality in its big kitchen, two living rooms and study.  “You could mosey on in and add value later; perhaps a pool catching the north aspect,” the agent says. Schools, two tram lines and the Anniversary Trail are nearby. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing On the first floor of a just-completed, strikingly architectural building by Aych Architects, this apartment shows distinctive craftsmanship and styling. A bedroom at either end of the apartment accesses the north-facing central terrace directly, as well as the open-plan living area. The boutique build’s seven apartments, which vary in size, have a continuity of finish and employ passive solar and cross-ventilation design. 2 Baths2 ParkingView listing Seven floors above Melbourne’s bayside playground, this curved-corner pad in the architecturally splendid Esplanade Apartments has 270-degree views from its full-width balcony across the bay to the CBD and the Dandenongs. The selling agent says the “discerning and astute crowd” of permanent and lock-and-leave residents appreciate the building’s quality, grand foyer, pool and fun location opposite the foreshore and pier. 2 Baths1 ParkingView listing Within the red-brick heritage shell of a Victorian-era iron foundry, this townhouse offers spacious inner-city living and the rarity of dual entry, courtyard, garage and “a lovely, homely feel,” the agent says. The living zone has industrial double-glazing to a street-front balcony looking south-west to the CBD. Its owners of 17 years adore the hipster locale near Lune Croissanterie, Fitzroy Market and bars. 4 Baths4 ParkingView listing Four bedrooms with en suites across two floors and a lift from the basement garage ensure this substantial residence appeals to families, multigenerational buyers and retirees seeking luxurious refuge in the blue-chip suburb. The developer’s street-front townhouse, built in 2018, is up for sale for the first time. Parks abound, and the renowned village-style Maling Road has gift shops, food stores and quaint cafes The police brief explains how the Kew man lived but the unknown female DNA found at the murder scene raised many questions about how he died Episode two of The Confession charts the final days of Eliah Abdelmessih By Richard Baker Eliah Abdelmessih was murdered in his Kew East home in September 2005 Eliah Abdelmessih spent his final months seeking sex and seemingly frustrated at being unable to find enough of it This was one of the main threads in the police brief of evidence prepared for Victorian Coroner Paresa Spanos who was tasked with explaining Abdelmessih’s brutal slaying with a statue of the Virgin Mary in his East Kew home in September 2005 Coroner Spanos has granted The Age and Sydney Morning Herald access to witness statements and investigation reports from the police brief of evidence These have been used to help build a profile of the 69-year-old Egyptian-born widower who is the focus of episode two of The Confession podcast The police brief of evidence provided to The Age and Sydney Morning Herald by Coroner Paresa Spanos The couple had been unable to have children despite several attempts to conceive through IVF The people closest to him were his god-daughter Susan Ayad and her husband Seif Ayad Abdelmessih would begin each day just after 6am with breakfast at McDonald’s in Kew and would return a few hours later for another meal Witness statements gathered by the homicide squad reveal Abdelmessih habitually sought out young female workers at McDonald’s and a nearby Safeway supermarket serenading them with songs and requesting that they come to his house But his attention was rarely welcomed or well received A male manager at McDonald’s told police Abdelmessih could become verbally aggressive While a nurse at the aged care home where Rita Abdelmessih was cared for stated that he was rude and not liked by staff Susan and Seif Ayad were the closest people to Eliah Abdelmessih they faced the media to call for information about his murder A neighbour of Abdelmessih told police he saw a woman he thought was a prostitute leaving the old man’s house months before his death Another neighbour noticed the collection of pornographic videos in his shed Abdelmessih’s search for female company led him to an agency in Box Hill that promised introductions to potential Asian brides and the lonely hearts classifieds in local newspapers with police unable to find Abdelmessih’s killer or locate a match for the female DNA samples found at the crime scene it was left to Coroner Spanos to explain the manner of his death In finding that Abdelmessih died of head injuries inflicted by an unknown female possibly assisted by one or more assailants he dressed inappropriately and his poor hygiene standards were apparent,” she wrote he frequented the shopping precinct in High Street in particular to young women … Mr Abdelmessih seemed bitter and angry with his life craving human contact but at the same time repelling people either by his behaviour or presentation.” Abdelmessih left his estate to the Coptic Church and a priest back in Egypt Listen to The Confession podcast on your chosen platform and keep up to date as new episodes are released. Click here to start listening Eliah Abdelmessih spent his final months seeking sex and seemingly frustrated at being unable to find enough of it. This was one of the main threads in the police brief of evidence prepared for Victorian Coroner Paresa Spanos who was tasked with explaining Abdelmessih\\u2019s brutal slaying with a statue of the Virgin Mary in his East Kew home in September 2005. Coroner Spanos has granted The Age and Sydney Morning Herald access to witness statements and investigation reports from the police brief of evidence. These have been used to help build a profile of the 69-year-old Egyptian-born widower who is the focus of episode two of The Confession podcast. The police files present Abdelmessih, whose wife Rita died in 2004, as a lonely man. The couple had been unable to have children despite several attempts to conceive through IVF. The people closest to him were his god-daughter Susan Ayad and her husband Seif Ayad, who lived on the other side of Melbourne. Abdelmessih would begin each day just after 6am with breakfast at McDonald\\u2019s in Kew and would return a few hours later for another meal. It was a routine he always followed. Witness statements gathered by the homicide squad reveal Abdelmessih habitually sought out young female workers at McDonald\\u2019s and a nearby Safeway supermarket, showering them with praise, serenading them with songs and requesting that they come to his house. But his attention was rarely welcomed or well received. A male manager at McDonald\\u2019s told police Abdelmessih could become verbally aggressive. While a nurse at the aged care home where Rita Abdelmessih was cared for stated that he was rude and not liked by staff. A neighbour of Abdelmessih told police he saw a woman he thought was a prostitute leaving the old man\\u2019s house months before his death. Another neighbour noticed the collection of pornographic videos in his shed. Abdelmessih\\u2019s search for female company led him to an agency in Box Hill that promised introductions to potential Asian brides and the lonely hearts classifieds in local newspapers. In 2009, with police unable to find Abdelmessih\\u2019s killer or locate a match for the female DNA samples found at the crime scene, it was left to Coroner Spanos to explain the manner of his death. In finding that Abdelmessih died of head injuries inflicted by an unknown female, possibly assisted by one or more assailants, Spanos wrote with empathy. \\u201CHis English was poor, he dressed inappropriately and his poor hygiene standards were apparent,\\u201D she wrote. \\u201CDuring the day, he frequented the shopping precinct in High Street, Kew, and was known to behave inappropriately, in particular to young women \\u2026 Mr Abdelmessih seemed bitter and angry with his life, craving human contact but at the same time repelling people either by his behaviour or presentation.\\u201D Abdelmessih left his estate to the Coptic Church and a priest back in Egypt. Listen to The Confession podcast on your chosen platform and keep up to date as new episodes are released. but we don't want to lose you.\"}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"notfound-page__text-block\",\"children\":\"We recently updated the way we organise our articles 'div-gpt-ad-1511396693346-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/728x90_Leaderboard_Position_1' 'div-gpt-ad-1511394032333-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/970x90_bottom_leaderboard' 'div-gpt-ad-1511396722471-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/728x90_Hompage_Leaderboard_Position_1' 'div-gpt-ad-1661741627089-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/undefinedTUD_Homepage_Internal_728x90' 'div-gpt-ad-1534480172990-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n // home leaderboard (mobile)\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/970x90_top_leaderboard' 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'div-gpt-ad-1511395165249-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x250_Middle_MREC' 'div-gpt-ad-1511395202314-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x250_RHS_MREC' 'div-gpt-ad-1511395237641-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x250_Mobile_Middle_MREC' 'div-gpt-ad-1511489982092-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x600_2nd_homepage_skyscraper' 'div-gpt-ad-1511938773649-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/728x90_leaderboard_position_2' 'div-gpt-ad-1510792120057-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x250_Article-page_Position01' which director Lachlan Gibson said had achieved overwhelming success.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAngle has partnered again with Edition Office to design the residences aimed at the owner-occuper downsizer market in one of Melbourne’s most tightly held areas.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’re very selective about where we locate our projects We like areas where there is going to be limited future supply due to factors such as restrictive zoning and heritage overlays,” Gibson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fenwick is our most recognised project to date and we’ve already reserved a few homes in Fernhurst off the plan to people who missed out there.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’ve got a decent record of selling for rates above market east of Melbourne’s CBD.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eGibson said the developer “started in Melbourne 10 years ago and our focus is very much on this city” But it’s the eastern suburbs that are really in Angle’s sights.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGibson says Kew is a “sticky suburb” because people tended to stay in the locale.\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e“It’s having a bit of a moment,” he says.\u003cbr\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e“There are some great projects either recently completed or coming out of the ground in Studley Park from well-credentialled studios including Cera Stribley Edition Office and Woods Bagot.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We have a strong following in Boroondara; in particular within the suburbs of Camberwell Hawthorn and Kew.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There’s very little development land in those suburbs and it can be difficult to get permits so there is definitely a scarcity factor.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFernhurst is priced from $2 million to $7 million and Gibson said they were focused on leaving a legacy in the area.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Historically Boroondara hasn’t had the same level of development that you see in comparable municipalities so we do feel a responsibility to go above and beyond to deliver architectural projects that respond well to the area and resonate with locals,” Gibson said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAngle often works with site owners in a joint-venture collaboration to deliver the project similar to a development agreement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGibson said operating under a development-agreement model derisked projects and reduced operating costs during planning phase.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We didn’t buy a site for two years and then we bought two sites in a fortnight I think unfortunately you can’t go out and find sites when you want to,” Gibson said.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’ve got really great capital partners and if we’ve got an opportunity then we can usually pursue it.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We’re very lean and very hands on which is a space that a lot of developers are playing in but we feel that there aren’t many executing it well.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 20 residences will comprise a mixture of typologies Lendlease’s third residential building in the Collins Wharf precinct of Victoria Harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 28-storey building at 971 Collins Street in Melbourne’s Docklands will deliver 312 homes in a mix of one two and three-bedroom apartments as well as townhouses and penthouses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Lendlease the project has already secured more than 50 per cent in presales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is the construction contractor—it completed the precinct’s first development in 2019 and is also working on LendLease’s second tower Regatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Ancora Hickory is implementing several technical construction methods including various piling techniques and precast concrete solutions that enable a parallel-track construction program.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe building’s facade designed by architect Warren and Mahoney uses a three-stage design incorporating double-glazed glass and textured precast concrete with Reckli and brick finishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural design transitions from a solid podium base to lighter upper levels “reflecting a maritime theme” aligned with the Collins Wharf design objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAncora will connect to the neighbouring Regatta development via a podium allowing resident access to shared amenities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as an all-electric building that includes electric vehicle infrastructure the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star certification Completion is expected in 2027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegatta including build-to-rent and build-to-sell units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive wharf works including remediation of pre-existing wharf piles installation of raker piles and construction of the extension to Australia Walk are also part of the project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical challenges include constructing on the finger wharf and co-ordinating extensive above-wharf road reserve and public parkland works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Collins Wharf precinct will ultimately comprise six residential buildings of more than 1800 homes surrounded by over 5000sq m of parks and community space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease is developing the parkland concurrently with the residential components including the extension of Australian Walk that forms part of the City of Melbourne’s Greenline project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease executive director of development Adam Williams said Collins Wharf “is fast becoming a sought-after address .. which took just a handful of hours to emerge on Saturday night the Coalition’s failure to sway voters has come under intense scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts lack of policies around property that resonated with voters has been a large part of that criticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong those policies was a $5-billion infrastructure program to unlock up to 500,000 new homes was greeted with no small amount of scepticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Coalition also campaigned on its previously revealed plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation giving access to up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile that proposal had won some support it got the thumbs down from many of Australia’s top economists who said the measure could prove highly inflationary among other issues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly its plan to allow mortgage interest for first home buyers to be tax-deductible was roundly criticised for its likely inflationary and regressive effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt has also been pointed out that the Coalition’s rejection of the Green’s policies around housing supply affordable housing and help for renters did it no favours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ALP went to the polls spruiking an extension of schemes introduced during its previous term including a $10-billion promise for its first-home buyers’ scheme to encourage 100,000 more homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also had its Help to Buy shared equity scheme under which the Government pays up to 40 per cent of the house price to point to.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf it was these policies per se or the lack of detail and depth to the Coalition’s the nation's ready for the Albanese government to act.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear been endorsed to follow through on its policies and fix the crisis that is crippling the Australian property sector.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive\u0026nbsp;Tom\u0026nbsp;Forrest has pointed out it is time for the Federal Government to get back to work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Housing affordability and housing supply featured large during the campaign,” Forrest said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The key now is for the Government to strike while the iron’s hot.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If legislation is needed to support the delivery of Labor’s $10-billion 100,000 new homes commitment—then pass it through the parliament now and get on with it.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe states have made many changes to how they enable home development The Federal Government’s support of that is crucial to its success material supply assistance or any other factor that affects getting homes out of the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis has been a pivotal election Then Cities for Total Fan Immersion\",\"slug\":\"billionaire-arsenal-rams-denver-nuggets-sports-anchored-precincts\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-30T00:00+10:00\",\"tags\":[],\"summary\":\"Why your next home might be stadium-adjacent; sports are the hook The developer has cemented its reputation in the area with its Fenwick project down the road which director Lachlan Gibson said had achieved overwhelming success Angle has partnered again with Edition Office to design the residences aimed at the owner-occuper downsizer market in one of Melbourne’s most tightly held areas “We’re very selective about where we locate our projects We like areas where there is going to be limited future supply due to factors such as restrictive zoning and heritage overlays,” Gibson said “Fenwick is our most recognised project to date and we’ve already reserved a few homes in Fernhurst off the plan to people who missed out there “We’ve got a decent record of selling for rates above market we achieved over $20,000 per square metre on our Fenwick project down the road back in 2018.” Gibson said the developer “started in Melbourne 10 years ago and our focus is very much on this city” But it’s the eastern suburbs that are really in Angle’s sights Gibson says Kew is a “sticky suburb” because people tended to stay in the locale “There are some great projects either recently completed or coming out of the ground in Studley Park “We have a strong following in Boroondara; in particular within the suburbs of Camberwell “There’s very little development land in those suburbs and it can be difficult to get permits so there is definitely a scarcity factor.” Fernhurst is priced from $2 million to $7 million and Gibson said they were focused on leaving a legacy in the area so we do feel a responsibility to go above and beyond to deliver architectural projects that respond well to the area and resonate with locals,” Gibson said Gibson said operating under a development-agreement model derisked projects and reduced operating costs during planning phase “We didn’t buy a site for two years and then we bought two sites in a fortnight I think unfortunately you can’t go out and find sites when you want to,” Gibson said “We’ve got really great capital partners and if we’ve got an opportunity then we can usually pursue it which is a space that a lot of developers are playing in but we feel that there aren’t many executing it well.” The 20 residences will comprise a mixture of typologies including 17 apartments and three homes across the 0.4ha block at the corner of Stawell Street and Fernhurst Grove The private enclave will have an end value of $80 million The Kew Corporate Centre an office investment with development upside The Kew East complex at 830-832 High Street and 1401 High Street – about eight kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD – is expected to trade for close to $20 million It is being offloaded by the Devitt family, part owners of construction firm LU Simon LU Simon managing director Peter Devitt has made headlines because of his residential properties Two months ago, LU Simon was ordered to pay $5.7 million to owners of the Lacrosse apartment building in Docklands: a fine following a high-profile cladding fire in 2014 In April, it was speculated that syndicator Terraplex was paying $19 million for 79-83 High Street (an office which has already been subdivided into 19 suites) A month earlier, residential developer Prince Corporation paid a speculated price close to $5 million for 1 Studley Park Road – a historic single-storey terrace offered permit-ready for a nine-storey apartment building The business morphed from special-occasion diner to serving takeaway coffees and on some days served up to 1000 customers “The five-kilometre bubble that we’ve had to live in for the last 18 months has been amazing for our business,” Davidson says “We’ve got to know each person so much better and it’s really brought our whole neighbourhood a lot closer together with more working between the shopowners.” The local businesses have now reopened for normal trade given a warm welcome when it opened its doors in October Located directly opposite Centonove in the middle of the Cotham Road shopping strip the new wine bar is a direct reflection of Davidson’s confidence in the community “We were getting lots of love and support even when the restaurant wasn’t open,” Davidson says “There’s not another bar like this anywhere in the area so we built it for the locals.” Kangaroo Valley: The idyllic village offering a picturesque escape from the city Las Palmas house in Byron hinterland on the market with $9m price tag Queensland’s most romantic high-end homes that will make you swoon The locals are largely white-collar professionals with families looking for top schools in a peaceful suburb not far from the city centre “When people think of Kew they probably think of [it being] old and conservative but it’s also the school capital of Australia,” Davidson says “There are a lot of middle to upper-class families with kids in the private school system here.” Carey Baptist Grammar School and Methodist Ladies’ College in the suburb alongside Ruyton Girls’ School Jellis Craig & Company agent Lloyd Lawton says many inner-city professionals move to Kew when the kids reach high-school age “It’s an old suburb dating back to the 1800s so there are a lot of period homes including Victorians and Edwardians right through to mid-century homes,” Lawton says Some of the best examples can be found in the Studley Park precinct where heritage overlays preserve the beautiful character homes and streetscapes The riverfront parkland here is a magnet for walkers and cyclists and adjoins the Yarra Bend golf course For buyers looking for more contemporary dwellings the Sackville Ward in the suburb’s south-east corner has a mix of new builds among the grand period homes Top sales this year include: 4 Kevin Grove which sold for $6.65 million; 8 Alfred Street which sold for $9.95 million; and 126 Sackville Street which sold for $10.37 million Set on a 1682-square-metre block with a tennis court Mynda is an 1884 Victorian villa given a new lease of life by its architect and artist owners The property features a glass-enclosed living room a foyer crowned with a timber-panelled clerestory tower and a Gaggenau-appointed kitchen Jellis Craig & Company’s Lloyd Lawton is taking expressions of interest until November 19 with a guide of $6 million-$6.5 million.