Mont Albert, VIC 3127

It's all down the individual, but both my neighbours are friends with our family - mutual help when we go away for a few weeks, occasional dinners etc. Its that sort of vibe which is available if you are the type to make the effort. Otherwise, the tone is best described as respectful. The suburb is multicultural being so close to Box Hill (significant and historic concentration of Cantonese Chinese). Being of Asian descent and raised in Australia, this is where Mont Albert appeals strongly, being a nexus of classic English style wide canopied streets and a few minutes drive to Box Hill where the Asian cuisine (Koren, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Sichuan, Hong Kong BBQ, Hong Kong Claypot and it goes on and on) is great, diverse and cheap. There is also Taipan - Melbourne's best place for Yum Cha. Having a large Asian representation in the area, I was surprised at how affordable groceries were. Just down Whitehorse road towards Surrey Hills, there are more typical Pizza, Cafe places.

The streets are clean and very green. People take pride in keeping their houses and frontages impeccable. In Autumn, Winter the suburb's colour palette is just divine. Young professionals move here to get away from the city and to have their young families feel safe, so there are no taverns in Mont Albert, or any of the surround suburbs. There are a few bottle shops around, but you have to hunt. Interestingly, if you are looking for a Macdonalds, you'll have to drive a few suburbs out. Nightlife is staying at home in Mont Albert. To be hip, be in South Yarra. For hip replacements, Mont Albert is more your speed.

Shopping options: 8 minutes drive to Doncaster Shoppingtown, which is a slightly inferior Chadstone - but has Coles, Woolworths, Apple Store, Nepresso, Target, Big W etc..; 5 minutes to Box Hill Cento (train station).. Asian weighted shopping - ideal if you really don't like spending a lot of money - has a very friendly bulk billing GP (Dr Nasser) Coles, Woolworths, Big W. Parking is free at Doncaster and $1 at Box Hill. Internet: Cable 100Mbps is live (NBN speed) - cost $80 (24m) for 200GB with phone (unlimited local and mobile calls). There is an Aldi about 8 minutes drive (Station Street). Nearest Bunnings feels ages away at Box Hill - effectively about 15 minutes away. Doncaster Bunnings is in planning stages.

Resale: The suburb is very tightly held, by and large by moderately affluent owners. There is strong demand from Box Hill and Doncaster occupants. People who buy into Mont Albert expect to be paying a premium. In terms of snob value, it is more highly regarded than surrounding Box Hill, Mont Albert North and Doncaster, but less highly regarded than surrounding Surrey Hills and Balwyn. One gets the sense, it tends each year more towards Surrey Hills and away from Box Hill, Doncaster - however I am biased. In truth, all suburbs in this pocket are very good and sought after.

Schools: We focussed on daycare, kinder and primary only. Mont Albert Primary School is very highly ranked. Mont Albert Daycare is alright so far - not blown away at first blush. The elite eastern suburbs private school belt is easy to get to via the 109 tram on Whitehorse Road. Parks for kids in the area are ok with Kingsley Gardens, Mont Albert Park, Mont Albert Reserve (cricket pitch) all having basic kids play equipment. Box Hill Tafe is essentially within Mont Albert

Transport: 109 tram (Hotham Street) which you would be crazy to take in Mont Albert, since the train is 7 minutes walk away. Trains suck a little bit, since the express is usually from Camberwell to Box Hill, or Camberwell to Surrey Hills to Box Hill. After a while, you learn to optimise and get off at Surrey Hills to catch an all stations to Box Hill - get off at Mont Albert.. or just walk from Surrey hills (15 minutes extra). Morning trains come every 10 minutes. If you are a risk taker, you can attempt to get to Box Hill in order to catch a Richmond Express, which is the fastest way to get into the city. Trip back is more of a pain. On average, trip to work is 30 minutes train station to train station. Back home, more like 40 minutes on average. Commuters are mix of private school kids, their professional parents, young professionals who grew up in the area and mid career professionals who have moved into the area. It is a diverse mix re age, ethnicity, background.

We looked at nearly every suburb in Melbourne for 8 months, and for us and what we liked and who we were (a middle-class professional australian-asian young family) we chose Mont Albert as the best option within our price range and for what was available. After living here for a while now, I would say that even if we had no ceiling on price, Mont Albert is still a perfect combination of safety, serenity, class and sensible living.

Lavish homes hidden behind grand hedges on large land allotments paired with understated units positioned in quite cul-de-sac’s results in a charming and diverse community in Mont Albert.

Nestled between the leafy green inner-eastern suburbs and the bustling mecca of Box Hill, Mont Albert has everything on its doorstep.

Renowned schools, community centric shopping precincts, easy train, tram and bus access.

Centrally located and the heart of Mont Albert is Mont Albert Village. With such a variety of both business and retail shops, you will surely be able to fulfill all your shopping needs. Shops range from newsagents, post office, health and beauty facilities, pharmacy through to fresh produce and a diversified mixture of bakeries, patisseries, and cafés. In addition, Hamilton street is full of wonderful cafes and restaurants thriving to satisfy your appetite. Getting to and from Mont Albert is accessible via Mont Albert Station, tram route or bus services. Mont Albert is surrounded with a lot of small and large parks and reserves. Mont Albert Park is well situated and maintained and a lovely area to enjoy walks and also offers a wooden playground area which kids love. Gawler Chain Playground is a hidden and amazing playground for kids. Larger reserves and parks include Kingsley Gardens which is great for barbeques and picnics and Lorne Parade Reserve. Mont Albert is a 25-minute (approximately.) train ride to the city and minutes’ drive to Doncaster Shopping Town and Box Hill Central.
For a standard 2-bedroom unit, you can expect to pay approx. $435 per week in rent.
If you are looking for a rental property or looking for an agent to lease out your rental property, please contact me directly on 0411 062 462 or [email protected]

Anna Molinaro, Property Manager OBrien Real Estate Blackburn

A safe and leafy suburb and close to everything. Having its little shop stripes on Hamilton st and Whitehorse road. Anything else box hill is at close proximity. Great public transport options. Perfect suburb for family and single who love greenery.

as others have said it is a great little suburb which has leafy streets with beautiful period homes and well-maintained garden. Has lots of amenities nearby .

A true gem, Mont Albert is a quiet, charming and leafy suburb with beautiful period homes and plenty of neat and tidy villa unit complexes.
With a charming village like feel the Hamilton Street shops offer fantastic local cafes and bakeries while Surrey Hills and Box Hill are easily accessible. Mont Albert Station and Surrey Hill Station are both within easy walking distance of most parts of the area, as is the 109 tram, making CBD access very easy, while other parts of Booroondara and Whitehorse are also a close drive or train ride away.
Some of the Mont Albert's finest streets are Victoria Crescent and Marlborough Street with fine examples of outstanding and impressive Federation and Interwar houses while the Windsor Park Estate is also a wonderful pocket.
Mont Albert is quiet, safe and charming area to live in. It would make a fine area to raise a family and live while not being too far from the inner suburbs.

Franca Katsaris - Property Manager Mont Albert

Mont Albert is a wonderful, green, tree lined suburb that offers all the amenities one would want including trains, trams, cafes, restaurants, schools, parkland, easy freeway access which makes it very easy to navigate to all parts of Melbourne. It's quiet and it still retains a great sense of community atmosphere.
Maurice Di Marzio - sales agent

Beautiful suburb that is slowly being destroyed by developers.

Traveling home from the city every day, once I get over Burke Road I feel as if I'm in Melbourne the way it use to be. Livable, friendly, community-focused neighborhoods with their own identity. The trees, house quality and safe streets close to public transport, schools and a range of shopping options is what makes Mont Albert the place to raise my family. If I want to hit the clubs or pubs its only a short train ride to town.

Have lived in Mont Allbert for 20 years and love the area.

Great primary school and close to private schools. Very safe for kids to walk home from school etc. Great transport links with Tram, trains and buses. Close to shopping centres at Doncaster, Box Hill and Balwyn.

The area is great and we have fantastic neighbours and met lots of locals through the school and childcare. A great mix of ages and people in the area make for a good community.

Not a lot of restaurants in walking distance, although some good choices in the shopping strips and Box Hill only a short drive away. A number of coffee shops / Cafes have opened in recent times which give the various shopping strips (Hamilton St, Belmore Road, Whitehorse/Union Road and Union Road-Surrey Hills) a bit of vibrancy.

We moved here to get a backyard for our kids, having lived in Nth Fitzroy for many years. We fell in love with a gorgeous Federation House that had everything but soon found it very isolating, too suburban and too quiet.
In Nth Fitztroy, we used to have one car and walked everywhere and people would just say hi wherever your went. Mont Albert, we needed two cars and used them all the time - to go get bread, or milk, or the library or anything really. Walking the dogs along the street no-one said hi, went to the park to let the kids play, no-one said hi. After 3 years we left.
Now we are in Hawthorn and it's vibrant, we still have the two cars but they hardly get used and everyone says hi or at least smiles at you. And we walk more and find it a happy compromise.

I love this area. I find it both convenient and safe. It is close to a number of major shopping centres such as Chadstone, Doncaster and Forest Hill Chase. It is close to Box Hill which has a great market and lots of medical facilities. I love the fact that there is both trams and trains (and buses), which virtually guarantees that you can never get stuck in the city if one mode of transport fails.
Overall, a safe neighbourhood with lots of tree lined streets and nice character homes.

Based just 13km from Melbourne, Mont Albert is a town that boasts a cross section of stunning homes and a main shopping strip that resembles that of an old small town. Home to roughly 4,500 residents, Mont Albert is most suited to families and plays host to a single primary school. The centre of town boasts various specialty shops, cafes and supermarkets, and there is a railway station here which services nearby areas. Neighbouring towns include Balwyn, Box Hill and Surrey Hills but Mont Albert itself is a picturesque neighbourhood where property sells for an average of $870,000.

Mont Albert is well serviced by public transport with train tram and buses taking you where you need to go in quick time. It’s a short trip into the city for those that work in the CBD.
There are some lovely tree lined streets with beautiful character homes in the area that have been well cared for and/or restored. The Mont Albert Village shops and cafes service the area well if you want to get out for a meal or buy what you need for a night in. There are also some good shops and restaurants on Whitehorse Rd
The area has some good schools and it’s not far so you can walk your kids to school rather than run the gauntlet with busy mums and dads in their cars on their way to work.