Eltham, VIC 3095

4.1(26 reviews)

Ranked 237th best suburb by locals in Melbourne (Greater) Region, VIC

Great for

  • Clean & green
  • Parks and recreation
  • Safe and sound
  • Internet access
  • Schools

Not great for

  • Nightlife

Who lives here?

  • Families With Kids
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Singles
  • Country Lovers

Reviews of Eltham, VIC

Editors Choice

"Prettiest suburb in Melbourne"

Green and lush, living in Eltham is almost like living in the country yet within comfortable commuting distance of the City. Local facilities are excellent, offering good public and private schools, wide selection of local shops ( including two outstanding delis and Westfield Shoppingtown Doncaster is only minutes away), restaurants (Indian, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Lebanese, Chinese etc) cafes, wine bar, pub, gyms, parks, walking and bike tracks, train station. Eltham offers a great mix of housing to suit every wallet, from mansions with pools and tennis courts to pretty old weatherboards waiting to be renovated and everything in between. The perfect place for families or indeed anyone wanting to live in a green, peaceful, safe environment that is a comfortable commute to the City.

Great for

  • Great restaurants and cafes
  • Great schools
  • Great shopping
  • Green

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
  • Country Lovers
  • Trendy & Stylish
3
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20th February 2022

"Overdeveloped suburb"

We moved here eight years ago to raise a family in the green wedge shire. Should have researched more about its status as a suburb targeted for major development. Most houses sold are now demolished and the plot subdivided. The centre has lost its green, family friendly vibe, with poorly built identikit apartment blocks and town houses overshadowing well kept bungalows. I have seen drug dealing from cars near schools. Montmorency seems a better option.

Who lives here?

  • Singles
1
ethanc
ethanc

i agree totally. I mentioned it previously but the real estate agents and their friends totally disagree. For people like us that have lived here, we see the changes. This council is totally killing Eltham's vibe.

Winston Trust
Winston Trust

Unfortunately, this review is very true. Council is actively encouraging inner style developments without accompanying changes in planning laws. The result is high density developments without the necessary safe guards re: privacy. E.g. Allowing divisions of 500m2 townhouse style developments in previously semi rural areas and not updating zoning which require only requiring post and wire fencing.

jakeb24
jakeb24

Exactly right. Too many subdivisions. Doing the same with Hurstbridge now too. Developers have killed the vibe in that entire corridor.

Places like Heathcote and Broadford are only an hour from town and offer far better Bang per Buck for $1-1.5 million.

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"Such a happy place to live"

Beautiful leafy suburb, great schools, great festivals, great community. Feel very lucky to live here.

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
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"The great outdoors, great restaurants, and lovely neighbours all in one spot."

My family and I moved to Eltham this year, and it has been fantastic. It's peaceful with loads of beautiful trees, flowers, and birds. There are heaps of great places to go walking or riding, great restaurants and cafes. There are great schools and friendly families, and we are the most vaccinated area in metro Melbourne, which reflects very well on the type of people living here!

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Picturesque and breathtaking reserves and walking trails"

Eltham’s got it all! My family moved here from Greensborough during the pandemic period! Boy, have to tell you it was the best move ever! Such amazing community vibe, huge blocks of land to live on, great coffee a short drive or walk away, and decent shopping a short walk away with organic stores, butchers, deli, bakery and what not!

We get greeted by the sweet sound of nature day-in day-out! Beautiful creatures - lorikeets, magpies, noisy miner, cockatoos, and many others inspire you by paying you a visit and singing all day long. It feels like a beautiful hill station or highlands type of weather and scenery (foggy at times with the right breeze and temperature).

Great cafes, great nature, close to Doncaster Westfield and Templestowe shopping Center and restaurants! Couldn’t ask for more! Comes at a price but every penny worth!

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
2
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Rentals in Eltham

"Eltham - bush suburb."

Suburbia amongst the Australian bush. Lots of 70s and 80s architecture. Very family friendly. Will definitely benefit from Northeast Link which is on the way. Train station is unfortunately not being rebuilt, but will benefit from line duplications occuring on the Hurstbridge line. Greensborough Plaza close by.

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
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"Beautiful, green and friendly"

We moved here 2 years ago and it’s the best suburb. commutable to the CBD, close to the yarra valley and even though areas of the suburb feel remote and very peaceful, you are not far from supermarkets, great cafes and shops.
There is a mix of young families and an ageing population. There are a lot of schools, and after school finishes lots of high school kids go into the centre and buy ice cream, that’s about the extent of ‘gangs’ in the burbs!

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Family orientated"

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Easy living in Eltham"

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Beautiful walks and friendly locals"

I love it here after moving from the inner east. It’s beautiful and green and has lots of little shops, cafes and restaurants. We chose it over Montmorency due to the proximity to supermarkets and better amenities.
It’s becoming very popular so over development is inevitable but still has a great vibe!

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Destined to be the best in Melbourne"

The improvements made to Eltham over the last 20 years are nothing short of stunning. With great cafes, schools, library and leisure centre there is no need to leave. The only downside is trying to get to the city via car. With the lowest crime rate in the state and the lowest public housing I predict that Eltham will actually become the most expensive suburb in Melbourne. Come and visit the township and you'll see what I mean.

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
2
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"Peaceful, green and all the amenities"

Recently moved here to the lovely Woodridge estate which is full of large gum trees and lovely native birds. Love the area. Its very green and hilly and we have lovely views from our living room of the hills. The local shops are fantastic, we have a fantastic French bakery and a number of great restaurants - love Small Plates. Eltham is an amazing suburb to live in.

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"Used to be great but not anymore!"

Eltham used to be great. 2 years ago, with the gentrification, in comes the bogans. Now it is less green. It has more barking dogs and more night prowling cats that kill off our lovely wildlife. There is increase in graffiti everywhere. Even trees are tagged! There are broken bottles in the parks. We used to be polite and give way when we drive. Now, bogans with loud utes zoom down the streets, cut off everyone and anyone that they can. Dooff, dooff music that goes on over the weekends past curfew, bogan parties. With more drinking, there's more drunks and with that crime rate increased. Our beautiful, safe, green, QUIET, courteous suburb is now destroyed.

0
Mark Scott
Mark Scott

Again I think you are talking about Eltham North. Eltham itself has been getting rid of bogans for the last 40 years. There is no way a lower class person could afford to live here now.

bushandburbs
bushandburbs

Haha....where on earth in Eltham is this place you speak of? Plenty of dog owners, so I guess you'll hear barking. Sure, I've seen a broken bottle or two in a park, but rarely. And I've heard music from occasional parties, though they're mostly 50ths and 60ths, never out of control...and not even always 'doof doof' lol. This all seems a bit of exaggerative B.S (i.e., a lot of exaggerative B.S.).

Would say the drivers are as accommodating as anywhere else, often courteous enough to stop for pedestrians even if not obligated to to do so. Eltham drivers' manners are (well) above-average from my experience. The area has a track record of being generally compassionate overall, so this makes sense. Have lived there long enough to have an actual clue.

Oh, and Mark Scott's boarded a baloney train as well, don't think the comment describes Eltham North at all - still a nice area itself.

bushandburbs
bushandburbs

I don't recall Eltham 'gentrifying' 2 years ago. It has never been a candidate for 'gentrification' or 'renewal'. It's been a well-established suburb with a stable population (many long-term residents) for quite some years now.

Carolyn Westall
Carolyn Westall

It doesn't sound like Eltham North with all the issues described and I have been living here for 23 years. It's a great suburb to live in.

Nick J
Nick J

Yea, I think this person has the suburb crossed.

Tropical Starfruit
Tropical Starfruit

I think the green wedge in general is clean, safe and bogan free. I don't know what your talking about

ethanc
ethanc

Look at the latest comments. You guys have a vested interest in keeping real estate prices high. Eltham not gentrified? You must have your suburbs crossed. Walk around and open your eyes. Either that or you havent been living here long.

bushandburbs
bushandburbs

Gentrification = a poor area experiencing a change in character (i.e., more affluent/or wealthier people displace less well off residents). It's not as though this has been the trajectory of Eltham, it's transformed if anything from a bush town to a leafy/heavily-treed suburb. Always been quite comfortable relative to much of Greater Melb, has just become gradually a bit more built up, and really only near the shops or along Main Rd.

The closest thing, I guess, to 'gentrification' is the odd new cafe/wine bar that has opened in the area where the warehouses have been (near Monty/Bolton St). Maybe eastern suburbs residents moving across the Yarra is what some might mean, not sure. Just that Eltham's evolution isn't consistent with gentrification.

Many Eltham residents have lived there quite a long time, it's not a transient population as with inner Melbourne, especially on the north side, where genuine gentrification has happened.

No idea where in Eltham you've had these unfortunate experiences, but it isn't consistent with mine at all (over many years too). Not an RE agent either btw, even though they are clearly posting around here.

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"Extremely pretty, safe, clean air, well served by public transport, cafes/restaurants and schools and amenities."

Throughout my life (I am nearing 50), I have resided all around Melbourne (inner west, south west, inner east and south east) and I believe Eltham ranks no. 1 in my books. It is a joy to come home from work and be surrounded by beautiful trees, fresh air, see wonderful bird life (King Parrots and Lorikeets arrive for dinner on our balcony most evenings), and be surrounded by a very supportive community. I have said this many times, but I feel Eltham 'hugs' you when you get home from a busy day.

It is warm and inviting with plenty of cafes and restaurants, well serviced by public transport; you feel safely away from the busy city - yet not too far away also. Eltham is fortunate to be amongst fantastic schools (both public and private) and home to many wonderful festivals.

I cannot speak highly enough of the community. Eltham retains an incredibly friendly country atmosphere - the community is ready to help any cause or each other at a moment's notice. It is unique and I feel absolutely privileged to be here.

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
1
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"BEWARE, GREEN IS NOT GOLD!"

Great for

  • Great schools
  • Green
  • Great restaurants and cafes

Not great for

  • No jobs
  • Not property investment friendly

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • Hipsters
  • Country Lovers
1
Matthew Patrick
Matthew Patrick

So, it's great to live in, but not a good place for real estate investment???

Pretty weird thing to rate it down for...

jene2
jene2

But number of vaccinated residents is a valid means of rating a suburb (as you did)?

Matthew Patrick
Matthew Patrick

Yes, because fewer conspiracy theorists is a definite plus.

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"Where I Spend My Time"

Eltham is a grand place with great shops and great amounts of transport to get you around. The only thing that might deter people is the housing prices. It really is a great area if you've got the coin for it.

Great for

  • Great schools
  • Great shopping
  • Great restaurants and cafes

Not great for

  • Night life

Who lives here?

  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • LGBT+
  • Students
1
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"My Hometown"

Eltham is very special to me having lived and worked here my entire life!
it is a friendly family community with great schools, sporting clubs and other youth social clubs throughout the area. It offers great expanses of parklands throughout its quite streets and leafy suburb vista's.
A really sought after pocket in Eltham is the Woodridge Estate area with its close proximity behind Eltham's Main Street shops, many Cul De Sac's and most streets benefiting from underground power.

Great for

  • Great schools
  • Great shopping

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
2
sarahg10

Yes, Eltham is a great place to live with large houses, good facilities, parks, library and excellent schools but..Woodridge estate is not a particularly sought after area. South Eltham and off the Main road are much more desirable. A real estate agent with his own agenda?

viktoriak

We are looking in the area. What do you consider the boundary of South Eltham? and are they bigger blocks? Thanks

jene2
jene2

South of mount pleasant road

bushandburbs
bushandburbs

Eltham South is the best (premium pocket etc), but I'd argue Woodridge is also well-rated - smaller blocks but still quintessential Eltham.
Genuine pros & cons both ways comparing Woodridge vs near Main Rd.

ethanc
ethanc

Definitely real estate agent. Do a search. Stop making Eltham out of reach of normal people to live in. You guys are not working for anyone except your own pockets.

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"Best of both worlds"

I have lived in Eltham for three years now. We moved from Brunswick to eltham because we wanted our kids to grow up in an area which was green and less traffic. We could not be happier with our decision! It is a wonderful place to live. Great transport by having both bus and train services. The shopping strip is great to meet with friens for coffee. The only thing missing is a decent pub!

Great for

  • Green
  • Great schools
  • Great shopping

Not great for

  • Night life

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Hipsters
2
mslivewelll

Not having a pub is a plus to some. We don't need the problems of the inner cities. Eltham is a quiet town where people rest early, leave it as it is. There always night life a short drive down town.

ethanc
ethanc

I concur

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"Family Paradise"

We've lived here for 3 years now with our young family and we couldn't be happier. EVERYTHING about Eltham is ideal for family living. I only wished we'd moved here sooner. So perfect in every way. Love it, love it, love it!!!!

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
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"Country Amenities City Traffic"

Eltham feels country thats because it is so far out from the city you that might as well be living Halls Gap. Eltham's public transport is woeful. You'll end up spending most of your time behind the wheel on confusing winding roads and abysmal traffic and suffering road rage. Safe and open for your kids, but expect to feel very isolated and like you don't have a life. And its not going to stay green with new sudivisions, new freeways and an inept local council. In a nutshell there is really nothing for adults to do in Eltham and it is only going to get worse.

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
Mark Scott
Mark Scott

There are no new subdivision in Eltham. Maybe you mean Eltham north? Eltham itself is a green protected suburb where values keep going up. I agree with the traffic on main road though as the people from Eltham North make their way to the Eastern Fwy. Hopefully they can reroute people to the ring road.

jene2
jene2

What!!! Every property sold is subdivided.

ethanc
ethanc

There are sub divsions in Eltham. Not just Eltham North. I live in Eltham South. I would know!

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"green neighbourhood, friendly people."

very green, safe place to live. lots of nice shops, and local council offer great living and learning centre programs as very low cost. ymca is great - great pool area for kids.
overall a very nice place to live. Far enough away form the city, and close enough all at the same time!

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
1
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"Clean and Green"

I have lived here all my life and LOVE it! Eltham is a suburb where I always feel safe. I am never concerned walking around at nighttime (or daytime) by myself.
There are plenty of pleasant running/riding tracks where you run or ride past wildlife. It is a green area with plenty of trees and parks.
Traffic has become worse over the years (going through the main st) but it is no Punt Rd.
Eltham has plenty of delicious cafes perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast or afternoon cake and coffee. There is also a variety of restaurants to eat in or take away.
Eltham is a place for people who care and appreciate a clean, green environment and for people who enjoy sharing their property with a little bit of wildlife (for those a bit further out).

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
1
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"Could live here very easily!"

After doing several roof restorations in the eltham area my wife and i almost made a big change. We came very close to moving to this beautiful place and looked at serveral properties on the market. The houses are all on nice big blocks and the surrounding are hilly and green. The shops and coffee shops in main road were lovely. If it wasnt for needing to be close to my employees in regards to transport Eltham would have been of serious consideration. We loved it!

Regards Phil

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
1
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"Great place to raise a family, not a night club"

Eltham is a fantatsic place to live for a family,whether it be a young or old one. Crime is very low, serious crime almost non-existent. Considering the growth corridors today and the lack of infrastructure that exist Eltham has a good system having both train & bus. Schools are good, kids generally well behaved resulting in relatively low graffiti that is plagues other suburbs. Parks are plentiful and there are walking tracks everywhere. Highlights are definately the tracks & parks along the Yarra during Spring.
Of course for those who are looking a night out there are plenty of quality restaurants. For people looking for a night club scene don't bother, Eltham is a peaceful place to come home to not go out to.
The culture of Eltham seem to be very aussie, easy to understand considering the building and tree clearing restraints of the local government which will ensure Nillumbik will be well preserved as it acts as the lungs of Melbourne.

Who lives here?

  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
1
jene2
jene2

New council. Relaxed restrictions on tree removal. No longer as green and protected.

ethanc
ethanc

Agree. I want to move out soon. I lived here all my life for the greens and now its getting worst. New residents with cats that roam at all times of the day is killing our wild life. Keep your cats INDOORS!

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"Ok for those with younger kids"

The part of Eltham we lived in was a newer development. Unfortunately that meant it was further away from shops, public transport, schools etc than is ideal. That is the reality of what a young family can afford. The access in and out of Eltham (and Eltham North, Research etc) needs serious upgrading, what is currently there does not cope with the increasing volumes of traffic.
There are a lot of young drivers using the hilly areas as their personal race tracks and the council seems unable (or unwilling) to work with residents to compbat this. The council needs to rethink its policy about tree removal, not just for safety but also so that young families wishing to stay in their homes can improve them through extensions and renovations that suit them (and not reject plans because it may mean rmeoving a tree, even when several more would be replanted in its place). Overall, we found Eltham not to be the quiet, idyllic place it used to be and have now moved out of the area.

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
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"Perfect in Eltham"

An idyllic environment to live surrounded by trees and bordered by the Yarra River, it has a good public transport network and provides easy access to the city.

Who lives here?

  • Families with kids
1
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