10 things you didn’t know about Dandenong, Victoria

Dandenong Suburb Profile – 

Dandenong is a suburb of Melbourne, Bayside, Victoria. It is about 29 kms from VIC’s capital city of Melbourne. Far enough from the city to feel like a city in its own right, this large, multicultural suburb has recreational riches and is full of tasty surprises!

“How is Dandenong suburb stands on different parameters?”

1. Demographics

In the 2011 census, the population of Dandenong was 24,919 with a density of 2,800/km2. The population is comprised of approximately 47.9% females and 52.1% males. The median age of the people in Dandenong is 32 years of age. 51.0% of people are married, 30.7% have never married, 8.5% are divorced and 3.1% are separated. Dandenong is spread over an area of 8.9 km2 and its postal code is 3175.

2. Amenities

a) Healthcare: All the medical centres in Dandenong aim to provide their patients with the highest possible quality of care, using the best and most current treatments, methods, and equipment. Their comfortable and well-appointed practice offers a range of amenities for the patients, including onsite parking and wheelchair accessibility. Providing continuous, quality care to patients throughout life is their only goal. Some notable medical centres in Dandenong include: Robinson St Medical Centre, Eastern Medical Centre, Hygieia Medical and Dental Clinic, Dandenong Superclinic and Dandenong City Clinic. Average fees is A$65 for a standard consultation and A$95 for a long consultation, with a Medicare rebate of A$37.05 and A$ 71.70, respectively. 

b) Sports: The suburb has several Australian Rules football teams. Dandenong Redlegs, Dandenong Stingrays, St John’s Old Collegians and the Dandenong Saints are the important ones. It also has numerous cricket clubs in the area including Dandenong Women’s Cricket Club. Noble Park Cricket Club is also located within the City of Greater Dandenong, and plays in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association. Golfers play at the course of the Forest Hills Golf Club on the Wedge Street.

c) Transportation: Dandenong is primarily a private vehicle dependent community. It is served by the Monash Freeway as well as several other major arterial roads. Dandenong railway station is approximately 50 minutes from Melbourne CBD by train. The station also serves as a transport hub for the bus network (operated by Ventura Bus Lines). Cycling is facilitated via the Dandenong Creek Trail, part of the off-road cycling network which connects the city trails to nearby Jells Park.

3. Property Prices

There are spacious homes and townhouses in Dandenong, from the 1950s up to sleek new styles. The median rent in Dandenong is A$245 per week and the median mortgage repayment is A$1500 per month. 23.1% of homes are fully owned, and 19.7% are in the process of being purchased by home loan mortgage. 51.1% of homes are rented.

4. Attractions

Cosmopolitan, vibrant Dandenong has atmosphere and assets like Dandenong Plaza shopping centre, the massive Dandenong Stadium and the swimming and recreation centre, Dandenong Oasis. Culture vultures can make a beeline for the Drum Theatre, the Afghan precinct around Thomas Street and the annual Greater Dandenong Film Festival, while foodies will never get tired of the deliciously revamped Dandenong Market or Little India around Foster Street.

5. Traffic

There’s a lot of commotion around the city centre almost throughout the day, but traffic starts building up in other parts of the suburb as soon as the sun sets. Sometimes, it is next to impossible to drive during peak hours.

6. Safety

Libraries, markets, restaurants, train stations, everything is really safe with PSOs on site every night from 6 to 12. Although earlier, crime here was massive, and it was reported as the second most disadvantaged local government area in Victoria, followed by Greater Dandenong.

7. Restaurants

Dandenong is treasure trove of food, with its own Little India and Afghan Bazaar precincts–plus cafes and restaurants offering cuisines that include Ethiopian, West African, Sri Lankan, Lebanese, Turkish, Polish, Balkan and Mauritian. A restaurant called Bikaner Sweets located smack bang in the middle of Little India serves northern Indian food with a good selection of authentic curries & tandoori dishes. Lakshmi Vilas is another vegetarian cafe, serving mainly southern Indian food with a smattering of northern dishes, at ridiculously cheap prices. Other popular restaurants in the area include: Dandenong Pavilion, Cardens Seafood & Steak House, Beletti Restaurant, Sham’s Restaurant, Pamir Restaurant, Jade Dynasty Malaysian & Chinese Restaurant and Gibe African Restaurant. The bakeries in the suburb sell many kinds of Eastern European breads, bagels, pastries, borscht, pierogi, cabbage rolls and goulash. India Bazaar International on Foster Street sells Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Fijian ingredients, including a huge range of spices and over a dozen kinds of rice.

8. Nearby Suburbs

Suburbs nearby include, Noble Park, Keysborough, Endeavour Hills, and Doveton.

9. Future Plans

The Revitalising Central Dandenong initiative is driven by the shared vision developed in conjunction with stakeholders prior to the project’s commencement in 2006. Apart from that, in a council planning policy document, Light Rail has been suggested as a future transport mode for the central Dandenong area. Several other projects are underway, and the initiative is enhancing Dandenong’s appeal as a place to live, work and visit through new residential, commercial and community projects.

10. a) Reasons to Live in Dandenong: Although there are many families living in this family-friendly area, there’s a substantial number of young, independent people living here too, as well as mature couples and singles. The suburb has a great theatre complex, plenty of schools and sporting facilities, as well as a major train station and a decent bus network with established migrant communities bringing their unique cultures and cuisines to the area. So, if you want a spacious home in a cosmopolitan town, with great sporting and recreation facilities, an arts scene, a global food scene, neat schools and excellent shopping, Dandenong will wow you. Plus it’s a quick zip to the Dandenong Ranges or an easy freeway drive to town, so it’s win-win.

b) Reasons to reconsider Dandenong: The suburb is currently undergoing a lot of construction work which causes traffic jams and chaos. Apart from that, Dandenong still needs more apartments and educational institutes around the city area to make the night time feel more safer.

What do people say about Dandenong:

According to the people living in this suburb, Dandenong is undergoing a massive facelift at the moment, and it is expected to become an important business hub by 2030. Prices are relatively cheap, and there is a high demand of people wanting to rent property here, due to all the amenities and facilities. They suggest investing in the area before boom hits this growing suburb. The locals here feel that this town has a lot of potentials, and it won’t be surprising if Dandenong becomes one of Victoria’s important hubs in the near future. People are really satisfied as they have almost everything at their doorstep; shopping centres, markets, hospitals, parks, new housing estates, golf course, good private and public schools, heaps of employment opportunities, town hall for live concerts, cinemas, and what not!

List of following facilities in and around Dandenong at an average radial distance of approx 5kms:

Note: These facilities may or may not be near to your residence within Dandenong. Please recheck the distance to a facility before buying or renting a property in Dandenong.

Hope we have done some justice to showcase the highlights of Dandenong suburb. If you notice that either we have not covered something or have made some mistake in data about Dandenong, don’t forget to share it with us.

Disclaimer: Some information about Dandenong may change at any point in time. So, we humbly request to kindly verify any critical information directly with the Dandenong Council.