The neighbourhoods best placed to enjoy some of Melbourne’s top shopping destinations

A shopping hub with all the essentials is often high on the list of must-haves when choosing a place to live.

Living close to a cafe, supermarket, fresh produce outlets and more makes shopping and regular socialising a cinch. And that’s not to mention those who love fashion or simply enjoy a good dose of window shopping.

Melbourne is well-known for its high-end shopping experiences, epitomised by Chadstone, which is recognised as Australia’s fashion capital. With more than 500 local and international brands, including more than 40 luxury retailers, this shopping mecca is the largest in the country.

But it’s not just the shopping that pulls people to Chadstone. The centre, located in Melbourne’s south-east, has more than 90 fresh food and dining options plus a range of entertainment including cinemas, bowling, mini-golf and escape rooms.

Chadstone’s all-under-one-roof amenity attracts people from across the city, yet it’s most convenient to residents living in the nearby suburbs of Malvern East, Murrumbeena, Hughesdale and Oakleigh.

Eastland, in the outer-eastern suburb of Ringwood, is another shopping centre favoured among locals for its shopping and entertainment choices. After major refurbishments in 2015, including the addition of the Town Square, Eastland is now a true hub for people to meet, eat and shop. 

Proximity to shopping centres like these are a major plus for local residents. With so many different stores and eateries in one place, they come to rely on the ease of walking, riding or driving a short distance to buy their groceries, grab lunch or see a movie with friends.

Ringwood local Bree Tollitt is searching for a new home in the area for herself and her two children, 11 and 12, after her landlord raised their rent by $800 per month. 

“The location needs to be close to my children’s schools, close to bus stops and preferably close to my support network of friends, as being a single mother I rely on these aspects to make life easier,” she says.

“Living next to Eastland is an important factor when looking at a new house as I am frequently there for my grocery shopping and accessing all the other stores. 

“It is convenient having such a large shopping centre with so many stores available on my doorstep, especially when you are time poor. It’s also great for catching up with friends and not having to travel too far.”

Yet finding a sought-after home positioned near one of these shopping centres can be challenging.

“There aren’t a lot of properties with three bedrooms available to rent in the area and within my price range,” Tollitt says.

“When suitable properties come on the market, there are so many people all wanting the same place, you can never be accepted for one.”

But shopping-loving residents could soon have more opportunities to live their ideal lifestyle with the Victorian government’s activity centres program set to increase housing affordability and housing choice near these major retail hubs.

Ringwood and the area around Chadstone shopping centre are two of the 10 activity centres across Melbourne where the government plans to increase housing options.

All the activity centres have features which make them appealing options for increased housing. While these two are close to major regional shopping malls, others have local neighbourhood shopping strips and some are situated near universities or strong public transport options.

Under Victoria’s Housing Statement, 800,000 new homes will be built over the next decade to give more people the opportunity to live near the places and people they love.

Under the activity centres program, about 60,000 of these new homes will be facilitated by working in partnership with local councils and communities to change existing rules such as reviewing building heights and design requirements. 

For many renters and home buyers with lower budgets, it will mean increased opportunities to live where they grew up and remain in their local communities. 

Feedback is now welcome on the Victorian Planning Authority’s activity centres draft plans. Help shape the way new homes are delivered around Chadstone, Ringwood, and the other eight activity centres around Melbourne by completing this survey.