Bacchus Marsh, VIC 3340

I have lived in Bacchus Marsh off and on for the last 24 years. I have grown up here and have seen it's progression from a small sleepy town into something of a busy 'small town' it's really that simple. I attended Bacchus Marsh Grammar from prep to year 12 and absolutely loved it, it's a school i would suggest to any new residents, however there is a significant waiting list and most are listed at birth.
The avenue of honour and the strawberry, cherry, apples etc farms are a must see. Moon reserve is also a really pleasant walk, located near the highway at the end of the avenue.

The sporting clubs are also good, i would suggest Bacchus Marsh FC and Bacchus Marsh CC. Both play at Maddingley park, and although it still retains some charm, it has seen better, more beautiful days!
The town has also transformed with the additions of little lucky cafe and baby black cafe some years ago. They improve visitor access to the town and portray a friendly, relaxed vibe.
The food in Bacchus marsh is okay, i would suggest royal indians, thai, golden valley chinese, majestic is also popular and thats about it. The pizza shops are okay.

The nightlife is non-existent, the 'royal' a couple of years ago was very popular, however it was never a safe place nor was it a nice place to share a drink. The pub has now rightfully changed direction. The town is better for it. Generally residents commute to Melbourne to enjoy a night out.

Shopping in Bacchus Marsh is great for food, very limited in anything else, Melton is the next town and it has everything. Local residents have always said that BM is lucky that there is the Anthonys cutting so as to avoid the spread of Melton housing towards BM just as a side note.

People in Bacchus Marsh and Maddingley are always friendly, there is a great sense of community here, although i have not lived in Darley at all, there are some areas there to avoid!
There are also some infrastructural issues in Bacchus Marsh, roads are a little congested in peak times, theres one public school that struggles, a hospital that has had some real issues of late and vline which can frustrate commuters no end. Car parking at the station is also quite a nightmare.

There is a way around anything it lacks. That is the beauty of Bacchus Marsh. The shopping here is fine, basically whatever you need you'll find. Can't find it? Meltons Woodgrove shopping centre is 10 minutes away. Done.
The schools are sufficent, and the grammar is fantastic, one of the most affordable private schools you'll find. However there is only one public high school and with the growth the town is experiencing they will need another one. So, fine for now, not 5 years from now. Access to Melbourne is great, Geelong and Ballarat too. It's a friendly place, you do get some backwards views, but that is changing as the town grows, and people won't bombard you with opinions anyway. Lots of sports and recreation available, and a very cute main rd. Trains are Vline which I love for comfort and cleanliness, they also run on time BUT unfortunately Vline services are hourly (morning and afternoon peak have more services so commuting isn't hard) and the trip can take 45 minutes if you are unlucky and have to stop for the Ballarat bound train because of the single lane. A very well presented town that is easy on the eye, and very affordable.

I have lived in Bacchus Marsh for many years and although it has become much busier over the years the family friendliness, feeling of safety and beauty of surrounds has not changed. There are lots of fantastic primary schools and a wonderful and affordable Grammar school. Good access to Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong. Short distance to beautiful hiking/picnic areas at Lerdederg Gorge and surrounding state forests. Great recreational areas including Masons lane, Maddingley Park and Peppertree park.

Lived here for over 11 years, have watched what was a great little country town become another congested suburb, with no roads or infrastructure to support it. Too many people now, and too many new estates, thanks to the Greedy useless council that takes all the rates and does not do anything with it, some streets don't have gutters, the footpaths are not maintained and grass areas are left to die with no watering or maintenance. No hard waste collection, no real good walking tracks, the whole town is looking run down, tired, and needs a huge face lift and overhaul. No Jobs, so everyone works some where else. The houses are now just as expensive as everywhere else. Thank you council for allowing this town to be ruined. The locals are from the city and not friendly at all, neighbours won't talk to you, all the local tradies and mechanics are a rip off and are substandard , I tried to support them all over the past decade and each time got disappointed, now employ other from outside Bacchus Marsh. The roads are in terrible state, potholes, and cracks, not maintained at all. All the local eats are average at best and overpriced, You can get a good Pizza, but all the Chinese are terrible, not even the RSL does food, or can't even get a good cheap pub lunch meal !! unless you think $25.00 is cheap!?
I cant wait to move away, TOTALLY had enough of the area, need to find a real country town!

Moved here 6 months back , what a welcome change it has been !
Transport to City under 40 mins (V/Line) , friendly people (a lot of young families ) , very nice shopping village (got all the essential stores - Aldi, Coles, IGA, Foodworks) , good cafe scene building up
Won’t recommend for night life lovers , but has some good restaurants !
Yes if you love walking / running , some very good walking tracks & parks (Avenue of honour is a must go)
Did I mention the Strawberry , Cherry, Apple and berry farms !!
Bacchus marsh golf club is great place for a friendly beer with mates !
Most importantly, crime rate is close to nill, think it’s because of the people who have been living ( median age being mid 40’s ) , very friendly & welcoming .

Visit and experience it for yourself !!

I have lived in Bacchus Marsh for many years and it has exploded in population but no increase has been made in infrastructure to support this growth. Traffic is terrible. In desperate need of better secondary schooling. Air quality is poor due to crop spraying and smoke from fires in winter. Pollutants get trapped in the valley. Hardly any walking tracks or recreation.

I probably won't stay in BM. I moved here 3 years ago for a tree change but honestly... I can't even find a decent place for a coffee or lunch without driving to somewhere like Trentham.
There is a beautiful Avenue of Honour and we should have something along there where you can sit out and view the market gardens and buy a wine and half decent lunch.
Shopping is virtually non-existent and the pubs, with maybe the exception of one, attracts tracky wearing yobbos. Shopping in Melton...well unless you need Bunnings...don't bother.
Come on Bacchus...lift your game. It could be great with all your local produce. The local go to cafe had 2 limp salads in a not so cold glassed area and then nothing but pies and focaccia, (i'm so over all that bread!) which all looked as if they had been there for a week. The other go to cafe has chairs that don't sit squarely on the floor and bent forks...a bit over that as well.

This place has become a busy place to live, so many people have moved
here, it is now very busy, congested for some parts of the day, difficult to find parking, and because
It is situated in a valley it makes it even more congested. I have lived here 20 years and I have seen this place become a suburb so quickly, no longer a country town.

I have heard some say that Bacchus Marsh is getting big, but as someone who has always lived in metro areas of Sydney and Melbourne, I can say that I think the township has retained its country charm and is still quiet and beautiful despite the development of new estates in the area.
The locals are friendly and it's perfect for families.
My main concern is that people with low budgets will buy and build cheap homes to either live in or rent which will bring the quality of property and residents down. In terms of services, we need another public high school and it would be great of have some nice quality restaurants open on weekend evenings as the vinyl floors and staff who aren't of age to serve wine is not my idea of a nice dining experience. I think this would help the township as a weekend tourist destination as well.
The trains are good for now (my husband & I both commute to the city daily) but they should start planning ahead now to prevent congestion and overcrowding in the future.