Tom14

Moved here about a yr ago as I had a few friends who already lived there and highly recommended it. Here are my thoughts:

Positives:
- Clean and well maintained
- Quiet and peaceful
- Beautiful views of bay/city/countryside....
- Friendly neighbours
- Value for money...house prices are very affordable ($500-600k gets you a huge house on large plot with views)
- Local shopping center for all daily necessities (Coles, Safeway, Aldi, Big W...) with major shopping areas of dandenong and fountain gate a short drive away
- Close to lysterfield lake recreational areas and farmland close by
- Several medical centers, schools and child care centers
- Local recreation center
- Public buses to Dandenong/Fountain gate and Hallam train station is not too far away for those going to the city
- Monash freeway can get you to the city in 30 minutes (off-peak), last exit before monash splits and becomes a nightmare

Negatives:
- Monash freeway is too busy during peak hours
- Lack of restaurants/nightlife

Overall I think its a great place to live and am happy I moved here.

I've lived in Dandenong for a couple of years now. Previously I have lived in expensive inner city suburbs and some outer ones also and to be honest I thought I'd never end up here. However in the end I bought here because you get a lot for what you pay.
Positives: Everything is so close and convienant, shops, shopping plaza, markets, cinemas, drive in movies, schools, hospital, library, parks, fantastic cycling tracks, swimming pool, ethnic food areas (indian, afghan, ughur..) theathre, huge electrical/furniture outlets.....the list goes on, it even has its own immigration office same as the CBD. Transport is excellent also, as it has a bus/train station and is close to both the monash freeway and eastlink . The center of Dandenong is being totally rejeuvenated with millions being spent by the local government and old properites are being demolished and replaced by attractive townhouses. In the next few years it will have been totally transformed and as such property prices are increasing quickly.
Negatives: Unless you like ethnic food there aren't many good restaurant choices apart from Cardans and the Pavillion. There is a huge pedestrain area beside the plaza, would be a perfect restaurant area with outdoor dining but its desolate at night. Restaurant food isn't cheap either, you can buy tastier food in an expensive suburb like glen waverley much cheaper, not sure why because fresh food is cheap here. Night life isn't very good, there are a few hotels/RSL's but nothing too exciting. Locals throw rubbish on the street regularly making the place look dirty. Neighbours can be noisy occasionally, but mostly its quiet; and blowing the car horn is second nature. The area around the train station isn't safe, I personally wouldn't walk there after dark.
In summary, its a decent working class area, with everything at your doorstep and you get a lot for what you pay. Its not perfect but overall the positives greatly out weigh the negatives.

Mulgrave is a nice safe suburb with older housing (particularly in this area).
Prices have gone up a lot in the last few years and its getting relatively expensive now.
Springvale and Brandon park shopping areas are a couple of kms away.
Few milk bars, take-aways close by.
Green avenue is a quiet street but close to Springvale road which can be very noisy as traffic starts very early in the morning and continues until late at night.

Overall a decent place to live if your not bothered by the traffic noise.

This is probably the nicest place I have lived in Melbourne.
Everything is so convienant (train, tram, shops, restaurants).
Quiet street with nice park opposite which has cricket in summer and rugby in winter.
Neighbours are very friendly and neighbourhood is very nice.
If I had the money thats where I would live in Melbourne.

Very convienant location in a very nice suburb.
10-15 minutes walk to Chapel street entertainment.
Right next to train station and tram services.
Some noise due to train line but as the station is below street level its not too bad, more like background noise once you get used to it.