Eastern suburbs of Melbourne

The Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia are a diverse region with parks, shopping precincts, and cultural attractions, characterised by leafy streets, historic homes, and a blend of urban and suburban vibes. Major suburbs include Hawthorn, Camberwell, Doncaster, Box Hill, and Ringwood, each boasting distinct attractions, dining options, and recreational activities. With good public transport connections, exploring the region is both easy and enjoyable.

Districts

City of Boroondara The City of Boroondara includes suburbs such as Hawthorn, Camberwell, and Kew. Boroondara is known for its historic architecture, vibrant shopping strips, and numerous parks, including the popular Yarra River parklands. The city features a variety of cultural and recreational facilities, including libraries, sports grounds, and the Boroondara Arts Centre.

City of Knox The City of Knox includes suburbs such as Wantirna, Boronia, and Ferntree Gully. Knox is known for its shopping centres, including Westfield Knox, and a variety of parks and recreational areas, such as the Knox Regional Sports Park.

City of Manningham The City of Manningham includes suburbs such as Doncaster, Templestowe, and Warrandyte. Manningham is known for its scenic landscapes, including the Yarra River and the nearby Dandenong Ranges. The area features several shopping precincts, notably Westfield Doncaster, and a range of parks and recreational facilities, such as the Ruffey Lake Park and the Yarra Valley Parklands.

City of Maroondah The City of Maroondah includes the suburbs of Croydon, Ringwood, Heathmont, and parts of Bayswater. Maroondah features significant infrastructure, including the Eastland shopping centre and multiple public transport options. The area is known for its parks and recreational spaces, such as Ringwood Lake and the Eastlink Trail, which provide opportunities for outdoor activities.

City of Monash The City of Monash includes suburbs such as Clayton, Glen Waverley, and Notting Hill. Monash is known for its educational institutions, including Monash University, one of Australia’s largest universities. The city features a range of shopping areas, such as The Glen shopping centre, and offers extensive parklands and recreational facilities, including Jells Park and the Dandenong Creek Trail.

City of Whitehorse The City of Whitehorse includes suburbs such as Box Hill, Blackburn, and Mitcham. Whitehorse is known for its vibrant cultural scene, highlighted by the Box Hill Central shopping precinct and the Whitehorse Arts and Cultural Centre. The city offers numerous parks and recreational facilities, including the popular Gardiners Creek Trail and Wattle Park.

Get in

The eastern suburbs are well-serviced by public transport, making it easy to access the area.

The Belgrave and Lilydale lines offer fast, direct rail services from the city center to Belgrave and Lilydale, stopping at major hubs including Glenferrie, Camberwell, Box Hill, and Ringwood. Additionally, the Glen Waverley line provides convenient access to Glen Waverley. The Alamein line runs directly to the city only during peak hours, requiring a transfer at Camberwell Station at other times.

Tram routes 48 and 109 run from Collins St in the city to the northern part of Boroondara, including Kew, Balwyn and North Balwyn. Routes 70 and 75 operate from Flinders St in the city to the southern parts of Boroondara, including Hawthorn and Camberwell. While tram routes 16 and 72 also operate from Swanston St in the city, they take long detours via the southern suburbs and are not a direct service; they are useful for getting into the area from neighbouring Stonnington.

Bus routes 200 and 207 are useful for reaching Boroondara from the inner north along Johnston and Lygon Streets or neighbouring Manningham and Doncaster. Routes 302 and 304 operate express along the freeway from the city and fill in a gap in the tram network along Belmore Rd.

The Eastern Freeway runs along the northern border of Boroondara, providing convenient access to Kew, East Kew and North Balwyn. Citylink and the Monash Freeway provide the southern border, making access simple to areas in the south. Studley Park Rd, Bridge Rd, Victoria St and Swan St also provide major river crossings from the inner east.

While the Manningham area infamously has no train or tram services, it is surprisingly well-connected to the city and surrounding regions by buses. Most of the buses which serve the main roads are the silver-coloured SmartBuses, which offer real-time arrival information, extended operating hours and on-board announcements of the next stop. They generally operate every 15 minutes or better on weekdays, and every 30 minutes on weekends and at night.

The major public transport hubs in the area are 1 Box Hill railway station. , 2 Westfield Doncaster. , 3 The Pines Shopping Centre.  4 Doncaster Park & Ride. 

The 907 SmartBus runs from Lonsdale Street in the city to Doncaster, and is the fastest way to reach Westfield Doncaster and the Park & Ride. The 905 SmartBus services Bulleen and Templestowe from the city, while the 906 SmartBus is the quickest way to reach The Pines, East Doncaster and Warrandyte. The 903 SmartBus operates as a cross-town route, connecting the area to train stations at Heidelberg and Box Hill, while also stopping at the Heide Museum and Westfield Doncaster. Other useful SmartBuses in the area include the 901 (from Melbourne Airport), the 902 and the 908.

Get around

The tram and bus networks form a convenient grid, generally making connections from one part of Boroondara to another simple. Tram routes 48, 109, 70 and 75, and frequent bus routes 200/207 and 302/304 are useful for east-west travel. Tram routes 16 and 72, along with regular bus route 624, provide an option for north-south travel. Bus routes 548, 284 and 285 are also an option for north-south travel although operate less frequently.

Major east-west thoroughfares for vehicles are Earl St/Belmore Rd, Barkers Rd and Burwood Rd. North-south roads include Denmark St/Princess St, Auburn Rd and Burke Rd, although the latter is regularly heavily congested.

Boroondara streets are also generally very walkable and very pleasant, with well-kept footpaths on both sides of the street.

See

View of Melbourne's CBD from Yarra Boulevard in Yarra Bend Park.

• 1 Maranoa Gardens, Yarrbat Ave Balwyn (Catch the route 109 to Parring Road, then a short walk to the gardens), ☏ +61 3 9278 4444, boroondara@boroondara.vic.gov.au. M-F 7:30AM-4PM, Sa Su & public holidays noon-5PM, closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day. One of Australia's oldest native gardens. Located next to Beckett Park in the leafy suburb of Balwyn, the gardens provide visitors with a large range of native plants in different sections. Free. 
• 2 Canterbury streets (take the Belgrave/Lilydale line to Canterbury station; by car, driving along the Eastern Freeway and then onto Burke Road). A number of residential streets in Canterbury are renowned for their streetscapes and gentle elegance. There are two main groupings of streets that are worth walking along: from Wentworth Avenue to Hopetoun Avenue, and the area between Maling Road, Prospect Hill Road and Wattle Valley Road. 
• 3 Maling Road, Maling Road, Canterbury (Take the Belgrave/Lilydale train to Canterbury station), ☏ +61 434 382 920, info@malingroad.com.au. A lovely quaint shopping village established in the 1800s with an 'old world charm'. Many small boutique shops line the street, with most of the original buildings still intact. 
• 4 Melbourne Tram Museum (Hawthorn Tram Depot), 8 Wallen Road Hawthorn (Trams 70 and 75: Stop 29), info@hawthorntramdepot.org.au. 11AM-5PM, 2nd & 4th Sat each month (only 2nd Sa in December). Twenty-one historic, fully-restored trams reside in the museum, including one of the first electrified trams from 1906, several versions of the iconic W-class tram of the 1930s and the original prototype of the "modern" Z-class from 1975. The museum is housed in the now-defunct Hawthorn Tram Depot, which was opened in 1916 in the American Romanesque architectural style. $1-2 donation. (updated Sep 2015)
• 5 Hawthorn Town Hall (Hawthorn Arts Centre), 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn (Glenferrie Station or Tram 16: Stop 73), ☏ +613 9278 4770, townhallgallery@boroondara.vic.gov.au. Tu-F 10AM-5PM, Sa Su 11AM-4PM. This grand town hall was completed in 1890 in the Second Empire style as the seat of government for the former City of Hawthorn. It now houses an art gallery, a performing arts centre, a youth hub amongst various other functions. Free. (updated Sep 2015)
• 6 Coles North Balwyn, 1-9 Doncaster Rd, Balwyn North (Tram 48: Stop 45), ☏ +613 9859 1221. 6AM-midnight daily. While the current refurbished building is nothing spectacular, it was the site of the first free-standing Coles supermarket in Australia in 1960, with the chain later growing to become the largest supermarket chain in Australia. (updated Sep 2015)

Schwerkolt Cottage

• 7 Box Hill Town Hall (Whitehorse Town Hall). (updated Nov 2015)
• 8 Monash University.  
• Ramsay Street from Neighbours. (updated Nov 2015)
• 9 Schwerkolt Cottage. Schwerkolt Cottage is a pioneer cottage built around 1880. (updated Nov 2015)
• 10 Heide Museum of Modern Art, 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen (train to Heidelberg Station (Hurstbridge Line), then 903 SmartBus towards Mordialloc; alight at Bridge St stop and 5-min walk through park on left), ☏ +61 3 9850 1500, info@heide.com.au. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. A world-famous contemporary and modern art museum set amongst the Yarra River floodplains in Bulleen. Offers three separate galleries, including one in the original 1870s farmhouse. Home to works of many artists, including Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker and Joy Hester. There is also a free-entry outdoor sculpture garden which can be visited at any time. A café and gift shop are also located on-site. Free guided tours daily at 2PM. $16 adults, $14 seniors, $12 concessions, children (<12) and sculpture park entry free. (updated Nov 2015)
• 11 Maroondah Access Gallery. An art gallery. (updated Nov 2015)
• Ringwood Clocktower, 104A Maroondah Hwy, ☏ +61 3 9876-1116. War memorial with garden setting as well as a clock tower. (updated Jun 2020)
• 12 Australian Jazz Museum, 15 Mountain Highway, Wantirna. A museum dedicated to preserving jazz instruments and the history of jazz music in Australia. (updated May 2022)

Parks

• 13 Ringwood Clock Tower and Park. (updated Nov 2015)
• 14 Blackburn Lake Sanctuary. (updated Nov 2015)
• 15 Yarra Bend Park (Studley Park) (catch the 200 or 207 bus towards Doncaster/Bulleen and alight on Studley Park Rd; if driving, various sections of park accessible from Heidelberg Rd and Studley Park Rd), ☏ +61 3 131963, info@parks.vic.gov.au. Beautiful and large expanse of parkland and bushland only 3km from the CBD. Contains Fairfield and Studley Park boathouses, walking/cycling tracks, historical sites and picnic areas. Free. 
• 16 Wattle Park (Catch the Route 70 tram from Flinders Street in the city, or the 767 if coming from Box Hill). Large park famous for its 12,000 Wattle Trees, like a slice of the Australian bush but in suburban Melbourne. Has a golf course and cricket ground. Free. (updated Jun 2023)
• 17 Jells Park. Part of the Dandenong parklands, it has good paths for all users, and has nice picnic spots overlooking a lake. (updated Oct 2024)

Do

• Koonung Creek Trail (Connects with Main Yarra Trail in the west and the Eastlink Trail in the east). A fairly flat and easy bicycle track following the Eastern Freeway through the suburbs of Kew, North Balwyn, Box Hill North, Blackburn North and Nunawading. A pleasant ride which follows parkland, featuring toilets, drink taps and seating along the route. The entire track is a sealed path and is well signed. 
• 1 Studley Park Boathouse, 1 Boathouse Road, Kew (Bus 200 or 207: Yarra Bend Park/Studley Park Rd stop), ☏ +613 9853 1828, info@studleyparkboathouse.com.au. From 9AM daily. Established in 1863, the Studley Park Boathouse is the oldest operating boathouse in Australia. The building is hidden amongst the beautiful Yarra River parkland, and houses a café, restaurant and small kiosk. Visitors are also able to hire a canoe, kayak or rowboat to paddle along the Yarra River, or utilise the walking tracks and playgrounds. Free entry; boat hire from $22 for two people for half-hour. (updated Sep 2015)
• Race Party, 97 Camberwell Rd, Hawthorn East (parking at rear), ☏ +61398821391, bookings@raceparty.com. Daily 9AM til late. Race Party is a venue for slot car racing with two custom made eight lane 40-m slot car race tracks, suitable for all ages from 6 and up. from $14. (updated May 2019)

Box Hill

File:Box Hill Town Hall.jpg

Box Hill Town Hall

• The Box Hill Hawks are a local Australian rules football club, playing in the Victorian Football League and are based at the Box Hill City Oval. They are affiliated with the Hawthorn Hawks.
• The Whitehorse Pioneers compete in the Eastern Football League.
• Box Hill United Soccer Club competes in the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2.
• Box Hill has an 18-hole golf course, located at 202 Station Street.

• Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival. (updated Nov 2015)

Buy

• 1 The Glen Shopping Centre. (updated Nov 2015)
• 2 Eastland Shopping Centre. (updated Nov 2015)
• 3 Westfield Knox. (updated Nov 2015)

Eat

The 1 Camberwell Shopping Centre is one of the oldest centres of Melbourne, Camberwell boasts a large variety of different cuisines in a traditional shopping 'village' feel. The strip shops stretch along Burke Road from Camberwell Junction in the south up to Burwood Road and beyond in the north. Take the Lilydale, Belgrave or Alamein line to Camberwell station

• 2 L'Burger Casual Restaurant, Shop 1/672 Glenferrie Rd. (updated May 2022)
• 3 Hooked Fish and Chipper Hawthorn, 669 Glenferrie Rd. Fish&chips (updated May 2022)
• 4 Laksa Garden, 724 Glenferrie Rd. Malaysian cuisine (updated May 2022)
• 5 SpudBAR, 717 Glenferrie Rd. (updated May 2022)
• 6 Hakata Gensuke Hawthorn - Ramen Professional, 4/860 Glenferrie Rd. (updated May 2022)
• 7 Tien Dat, 3 Carrington Rd, ☏ +61 3 9890 9699. Vietnamese cuisine. (updated Oct 2021)

Splurge

• 8 Mister Bianco, 285 High Street Kew (take the 48 or 109 tram to Kew), ☏ +61 3 9853 6929, info@misterbianco.com.au. It once won a chef's hat award from the Age's Good Food Guide. Features traditional Sicilian cuisine. (updated May 2022)

Drink

There are a few small areas which offer some nightlife. These precincts include Glenferrie Road (Hawthorn) and Box Hill. The suburbs are not known for their nightlife.

• 1 High & Dry Bar, Sage Hotel Melbourne Ringwood, 211 Maroondah Hwy. 11am - 11pm. Cosy, casual, good for groups. (updated Jun 2020)

Sleep

• 1 Motel Maroondah, 768 Whitehorse Rd, ☏ +61 3 9899-5555. Straightforward rooms in a laid-back roadside lodging with free Wi-Fi and parking. $72. (updated Jun 2020)
• Nightcap at Manhattan Hotel, Cnr Heatherdale & Canterbury Roads, ☏ +61 3 9874-7777. $103. (updated Jun 2020)
• 2 Sage Hotel, F5 Eastland Shopping Centre, 211 Maroondah Hwy, ☏ +61 3 8845-1100. Free WiFi, paid parking, accessible. $149. (updated Jun 2020)
• 3 Shoppingtown Hotel, 19 Williamsons Rd, Doncaster (opposite Westfield SC; Buses 902, 903 or 907), ☏ +613 9848 6811, shoppingtown.hotel@alhgroup.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. The Shoppingtown is the only real hotel-style accommodation in Manningham, and it's right in the heart of Doncaster Hill. While a bit 1960s, it offers comfortable 3½-star rooms and facilities. The hotel also offers a bar and bistro, a nightclub and a cabaret room, hosting various performances and shows regularly throughout the year. (updated Sep 2015)
• 4 Warrandyte Goldfields Bed & Breakfast, 1-3 Whipstick Gully Road, Warrandyte (To/from city, Bus 906: Whipstick Gully Rd stop), ☏ +61 3 9844 0666, katsbb@bigpond.net.au. A humble 4-star bed and breakfast in a scenic rural setting, right next to the main shopping strip of Warrandyte. Includes complimentary breakfast, Wi-Fi and Netflix. Double $185/night. (updated Sep 2015)

Stay safe

Although the eastern suburbs of Melbourne are much safer than the north or west, you should still show basic common sense with belongings and travel. Some major centres such as Box Hill and Ringwood have occasional issues with crime.

Connect

• 1 Realm (Ringwood Library), 179 Maroondah Hwy, ☏ +61 3 9800-6430. Friendly staff, good for studying or unwinding. Free Wi-Fi (updated Jun 2020)

Go Next

Popular destinations accessible from the Eastern suburbs include the Yarra Valley wine region, Warburton, and Healesville Sanctuary.