My suburb is one of Melbourne’s most liveable, though nobody seems to know it exists

Most people don’t know my suburb. It’s not Oakleigh or Murrumbeena. Nor is it Chadstone or East Bentleigh. It’s nestled between them and easily overlooked.

When I explain to someone where Hughesdale is, 15 kilometres south-east of Melbourne’s CBD, the first thing people usually say is “Oh, I think I’ve driven around it”. We are bordered on three sides by Dandenong, Warrigal and North Roads, all major routes for commuters, tradies and truck drivers as well as shoppers heading to Chadstone Shopping Centre.

Perhaps we residents of Hughesdale are lucky that few seem to know about our quiet pocket of around 8000 people. It recently came in sixth on an analysis of Melbourne’s most “liveable” suburbs – well ahead of all those neighbours – so maybe that will change?

For a long time, Hughesdale was a suburb not of Melbourne, but of Oakleigh, dating back to the late 19th century when it was a country town. This explains why we have gorgeous early 20th-century cottage strips in Carlisle Crescent, and Calembeena and Moorookyle Avenues that wouldn’t look out of place in Yarraville or Prahran.

On the map, you can see traces of two early failed railway lines to Hughesdale – the abortive Rosstown Railway running east from Elsternwick, and the Outer Circle Line that carved a diagonal route from Fairfield to today’s Boyd Park. But trains did arrive, and have been key to the area’s growth, first in the late 19th century and then again in the years between the wars, when the area became known as Hughesdale after former Oakleigh mayor James Hughes.

Today the city is only 20 minutes away on the new trains, running at least every 10 minutes for most of the day. Thanks to the new Metro Tunnel opening this year, they will soon run direct to Swanston Street. This no doubt contributes to our liveability rating and is why Hughesdale residents are among Melbourne’s greatest users of trains.

I moved here from Sydney in 2008, joining my wife, Carolyn, in the suburb where her family has a history going back more than 100 years. It was an easy switch. Living near Sydney Harbour and taking ferries to work had been magic, but once I discovered the beautiful parks, gardens and streetscapes here in Hughesdale, I was sold. We also have easy access to the bay at Brighton to the west, and Mentone to the south, and it’s simple to jump on any of the local bus routes, like the 630 or the 903, and find somewhere pleasant to walk and picnic without having to drive.

Hughesdale may have seceded from Oakleigh, but two of its schools retained the name. Oakleigh Technical School closed as part of the 1990 selloffs, but its playing grounds became Argyle Reserve, home to many happy off-leash dogs and Monash Villarreal, which has the unusual distinction of being directly affiliated with a Spanish La Liga soccer team. Oakleigh Grammar maintains its historic connection to St Anargiri Greek Orthodox Church. We also have Sacred Heart Girls’ College, which now extends beyond its 1954 modernist building designed by Frederick Romberg during his celebrated partnership with Sir Roy Grounds and Robin Boyd.

More than 14 per cent of our residents declared Greek descent in the 2021 census – the yiayia a few doors from us taught me how to cure olives. We are close to Melbourne’s own Agora in Eaton Mall, Oakleigh, but also now have a popular Greek and Cypriot restaurant of our own, Hellenic Depot. It can be hard to go straight home when you smell a freshly grilled souvlaki while getting off the train in the evening.

It’s likely that our community will become increasingly diverse if the planned higher-density housing developments are built around Hughesdale station, taking advantage of our proximity to destinations like Monash University and ever-expanding Chadstone. This growth became possible because of the removal of the Poath Road level crossing in 2018, when our new elevated station was built as part of the first sky rail project in Melbourne, though eagle-eyed residents noted that the upgraded Hughesdale station is now in Murrumbeena.

Hughesdale is largely a residential suburb, but we now have a smart little bar, Wines on Poath, which also sells a terrific range of craft beer. If I have to wait 15 minutes for a 767 bus, it’s very tempting to pick up something new. There are also new cafes and a quality pizzeria, a Japanese ramen and katsu place and excellent Nepalese momos, which opened soon after the level crossing removal brought the two sections of our shopping strip together, giving locals a reason to spend more time there. A personal favourite is Chi Chi House, which has good coffee, novel Malaysian and Indonesian influenced breakfasts and simply lovely people. We are overdue for a good French or Italian bistro that offers BYO a couple of nights a week, so if a smart restaurateur is tired of the crowds in places like Fitzroy, maybe this is their big chance?

Our friendliest rivalry is probably with Murrumbeena, but we are grateful that they share Oasis Bakery with us. Next time you visit, you really should try their basturma (Armenian style cured beef) and “lamb prosciutto”.

The location of Chadstone Shopping Centre just across our northern border works well for us. We are close enough to benefit from its amenities, such as the banks and the new hospitality zones, including the recently opened Market Pavilion, without being overshadowed.

There are a few drawbacks to life in Hughesdale. We no longer have a public high school, which will likely become a more serious issue as our population grows. We also lack a central public garden or park that could act as a “green commons” in the way that Springthorpe Gardens serves Murrumbeena or Warrawee Park serves Oakleigh’s civic and shopping precincts.

For all our liveability, does Hughesdale have an identity? I think we struggled with that before the level crossing removal. The residents in Hughesdale’s north inevitably gravitated towards Chadstone, while those in the larger southern section were pulled into Oakleigh. But, the fast-growing apartment, retail and hospitality zone near the new train station has brought us together, and we are proud of what we have to share.

Hughesdale is much more than its location and the busy roads around it, and the ringtail possum mums shepherding their joeys along our back fenceline late at night, and the flying foxes passing low overhead at dusk know it too. Why go around Hughesdale, when we now have so much to offer right here?

Matt McDonald is a semi-retired executive coach and resident of Hughesdale.

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