Only 15 minutes south of Melbourne’s CBD, Bayside boasts 17 kilometres of stunning foreshore and beaches fronting Port Phillip Bay. It is characterised by the picturesque coastline from Brighton to Beaumaris, water-based activities and quality residential areas featuring stylish homes, historic mansions and picturesque shopping villages. There are substantial parks and reserves as well as numerous golf and yacht clubs which emphasis the area’s visual splendour. Also adding to Bayside’s appeal are heritage buildings and sites, cultural facilities, art galleries and local festivals, excellent sporting and recreational facilities and significant areas of native vegetation.

Bayside Includes:
BEAUMARIS, BLACK ROCK, BLACK ROCK NORTH, BRIGHTON, BRIGHTON BEACH, BRIGHTON NORTH, CASTLEFIELD, CROMER, DENDY, HALF MOON BAY, HAMPTON, HAMPTON EAST, HAMPTON NORTH, MENTONE, MENTONE EAST, MOORABBIN AIRPORT, RICKETTS POINT, SANDRINGHAM, WERE STREET PO

Post Codes:
3186, 3188, 3191, 3193, 3194

Getting here

The Nepean Highway is the major arterial road linking Bayside to the centre of Melbourne, although Beach Road from St Kilda is a more scenic route. A short train trip on either the Sandringham or the Frankston lines provides easy access.

Villages with character

Bayside is blessed with picturesque villages boasting a diversity of quality shops, great restaurants and art galleries. They include one of Victoria's most renowned shopping strips, Church Street in Brighton, which features fine food and elegant entertainment. Still in Brighton, the alternative and eclectic Martin Street caters well for the younger market while fashion boutiques feature heavily in Bay Street.

Bustling and trendy Hampton Street, Hampton, has an array of restaurants, antique shops and art galleries. The relaxed seaside appeal of Black Rock and Sandringham provide pleasant outlooks to the bay. Exceptional dining can be found in all of the villages and many other locations, including nearby the internationally acclaimed Marine Sanctuary in Beaumaris.


Impressions of Melbourne by the Bay

The suburbs of Brighton, Hampton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Mentone form a group of separate villages drawn together by a common bond. The attraction of living here is the proximity to the bay and to the Melbourne CBD as well as the village-like atmosphere. Unlike Sydney, most of Melbourne is flat, so very few homes in these suburbs on Port Phillip Bay have a view of the bay – those that do stay in families for generations! The homes are individual and mostly with character, the gardens established and abundant. A lot of the architecture is from yesteryear but very well preserved and in many cases renovated. Each of these suburbs has its own village centre with low rise shopping strips and alfresco dining at numerous cafes. Trains run through the middle of village shopping strips momentarily disrupting the traffic flow at level crossings. There is something quaint about level crossings in suburban centres so close to the city, stopping our progress momentarily to forcibly remind us that maybe our lives have become a tad too busy.

‘Yachties’ and motor boat enthusiasts are well catered for with marinas and clubs on the bay. Walkers and cyclists have an excellent pathway around the shoreline following the Esplanade and Beach Road. One of†the attractions on the shoreline is the row of Brighton bathing boxes. These coveted and colourful, privately owned huts have been bought and sold for over 100 years and have been the subject of famous artists in the area.

One advantage of the flat landscape is the ability for the elderly to get around, (and there are plenty of them in these suburbs!) An affluent area with many private schools, those who live here enjoy the open air and the quiet surrounds interrupted only by the birds calling and the odd train screeching through the level crossings.

Pros & Cons for Investment

Pros
Property prices have held their value and are always considered to be ‘hot buys’
Close to the Melbourne CBD and major infrastructure
A very appealing neighbourhood which is in constant demand

Cons
Slow population growth
High entry-level prices
Real Estate
The median price for houses as at the end of March 2007 in Sandringham was $700,000 to $775,000 and for units $450,000. Many Sandringham homes have interesting architecture, established gardens and often include tennis courts. Brighton homes are more expensive with the median price at $1,050,000 and units $520,000, respectively. Brighton homes tend to relish privacy and often hide behind high walls. Black Rock’s median house price was $825,000. Hampton homes are perhaps less grand but many are built in charismatic weatherboard or California Bungalow style - the median price there was $775,000.

Real estate agent predictions
Stephen Tickell, Director, Hocking Stuart Sandringham: "From the eye-catching residences of Beach Road to the exclusive houses along the tree-lined streets, it's easy to tell why Sandringham is the perennial darling of the property market. The Yacht Club is home to Sydney to Hobart champions, the beach is renowned, the lifestyle unique; it's a highlight of the fabulous Port Phillip playground. For these reasons and more, Sandringham will always be one of Melbourne's most desirable bayside locations."

Bill Jowett, Director, Buxton (Sandringham) Pty Ltd: "There are very good returns to be made in the short term in real estate here. That, combined with the area’s lifestyle advantages, help to†support what is a rather bullish market place as the push for bayside property continues to gain momentum. There is little chance of that momentum shifting with the entire bayside precinct proving to be hot property at the moment."

Ian Jackson, Sales Manager, J P Dixon Real Estate, Brighton: "Our view of the local real estate market this year is that due to the limited number of properties close to the bay there is, and always will be, an underlying strength here. This market has been strong for many years and continues to gain popularity not only for families wishing to live close to the water but also from baby boomers reaching retirement and wishing to have the Bayside lifestyle."

'Why we live here' (Comments from locals)
Bill: "The attraction to the likes of Brighton, Sandringham and Mentone is fuelled in part by the wonderful returns that are on offer financially in the short term. This combined with the best of private school education, patrolled beaches and trendy shopping strips makes living in the bayside area a lifestyle hard to surpass."

Ian: "The reason people choose to live in either Brighton, Sandringham, Beaumaris or Mentone is all the bay has to offer -swimming, fishing, walks on the beach, beautiful sunsets, fresh air and generally a relaxed lifestyle. The suburbs are leafy with well established trees and the area has excellent access to the city. There are no high rise apartments along the foreshore. The area is also well supplied with excellent schools."

Infrastructure

Roads
Typical suburban

Nearest airports
Tullamarine which is 38km or 35 minutes to drive. Moorabbin Airport is only 10kms from Sandringham.

Nearest Rail
Brighton, Hampton and Sandringham.

Buses
Regular Met buses crisscross the area

Hospitals
Sandringham and District Memorial Hospital with 86 beds. Also several private hospitals and a hospice, as well as rehabilitation centres.

Retirement Villages
There are a number of retirement villages and aged care accommodation in Sandringham, Brighton. Hampton and Cheltenham.

Police Stations
Throughout the area

Newspapers
Bayside Leader

Beaches
Safe sandy beaches are dotted along the 30km of coastline

Cycle Ways
No hills! A bike trail runs around the bay

Coastguard
A volunteer coastguard is located at Carrum

Bushwalking, National Parks
Lots of parks throughout the Bayside district as well as walks along the coast, including the popular Arts Trail.

Dogs
This is a dog friendly area. There are many off leash areas.

Shopping
Hampton Street, Hampton, with Safeway, trendy shops, galleries, antique shops and eateries. Sandringham has quite a large shopping area. Middle Brighton has both Coles and Safeway in popular Church Street with designer label boutiques and a two screen cinema. Bay Street in North Brighton features a mix of retail, fashion, cafes and an art-house cinema. Black Rock has a cluster of shops.

Dining
Many fine restaurants in Church Street Brighton and nearby St Kilda (such as Circa). But the food is good everywhere from seafood to sushi and many other types. Curiously, there is no opportunity to dine overlooking the bay.

Things to Do

Bayside consists of beaches, boating facilities, sailing clubs, interesting culture and history. The area is ideal for walking, cycling and beach picnics. There are forty parks and reserves in the area and quite a number of tennis clubs including an over 55s tennis club. There are numerous events and festivals held every year such as the ‘Bright 'n' Sandy Food and Wine Festival’ and ‘Carols in the Park’.

Famous artists such as Streeton, Condor and Roberts painted on this coast so it is not surprising that the bayside is committed to the arts. The Bayside Arts and Cultural Centre, set in large gardens, is an example. The Bayside Coastal Arts Trail is a 17km long walk celebrating the notable artists who painted the Bayside coast. There is also a Bayside Architectural Trail to promote walking and cycling around the interesting architecture of the area. Motor yachting, sailing and other water activities are available from Sandringham, Brighton, Black Rock and Beaumaris Yacht Clubs. There are half a dozen excellent golf courses including Royal Melbourne. There are six libraries throughout the area and various groups covering dance, music and arts and crafts. Churches represented here are Anglican, Baptist, Uniting, Community, Church of Christ, Hebrew, Christian Science, Catholic, Jewish, Presbyterian, Lutheran and Baha’i Faith. Local organisations include, Country Women’s, Probus, Freemasons, Lions, Rotary, Senior Citizens, View Clubs, Bridge Clubs, horticultural and more.

Bayside's battleship
At Half Moon Bay, Black Rock, are the remains of the battleship, HMVS Cerberus. Launched in 1868, she was the pride of the Victorian navy. She was the prototype of the modern steam-powered battleship and has four massive 10-inch guns that are still visible above the waterline today. Cerberus served for 53 years within the confines of the bay, taking part in mock battles and mine laying exercises until 1924 when she was scuttled as a breakwater.


Population
The population of the Bayside LGA as at the 2006 Census was 87,935, up 3% since 2001, which was a similar growth rate to the period between the 1996 and 2001 Censuses. The suburbs by the bay where the over sixties have a greater than average representation include Brighton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Mentone.

Accessibility
Sandringham to the Melbourne CBD is 17kms taking around 25 minutes. The Nepean Highway is the major arterial road linking the bay suburbs to the centre of Melbourne. However Beach Road from St Kilda is the more scenic route with two lanes each way. The railway stops at Sandringham connecting with regular bus services to the southern bay suburbs. No trams down here.

Educational Level
The proportion of adults who had achieved the HSC equivalent or higher as at the 2006 Census was 61.5% to 68.6%.

Climate
Daily Maximum Temperature ranges from 26°C in January to 13.2°C in July. Minimum temperatures range from 14°C in February to 6°C in July. Mean annual rainfall is 705mm. Average clear days a very low 34pa with 142 rain days.
 

The population's relatively strong Anglo-saxon base is reflected in the low proportion of people who speak a language other than English.
The City is edged by 17 kilometers of beachfront overlooking Port Phillip Bay and features a number of traditional shopping villages, heritage buildings and large parklands.
• Population: 83,584
• Population born overseas: 22.1% (United Kingdom, New Zealand, Greece)
• Main centres: Brighton, Brighton East, Beaumaris, Black Rock, Sandringham, Hampton
• Employment: finance, insurance and business services (25.2%); wholesale and retail trade (19.2%); education, health and community services (18.5%); manufacturing (11.1%)
• Median house price: $230,000
Visit www.bayside.vic.gov.au for more information.