Sunbury, VIC 3429

As a 10 year resident, I have to agree with the majority of positive comments. We also came here from the inner north and bought half an acre and built a fantastic home that has great views, space, its quiet, with neighbours that you actually know. As the area is growing the government could provide better facilities such as a new school, a third entry from Vineyard rd, extra parking and even a real hospital not just a day hospital as the area from here to Macedon has grown and will continue to grow. But the city is an easy (offpeak) 30-35 mins via freeway so I in an emergency there is always the major metro hospitals. BTW, I am a degree qualified professional who works in the CBD, and travel in pretty much 4 - 5 days a week, via car/ motorbike and train. In peak hour allow approx one hour to get in/ out the city each way.

I agree with one of the unhappy posters that you do need to be aware about which area to move to. As the suburb is so large geographically, there are some parts of Sunbury which are definitely better than others. Just like you wouldn't move to Richmond's Housing commission flats, and complain about gangs and drugs, then be aware of area you move to. Its not hard to see the areas where people take pride in their homes, bigger lifestyle blocks etc vs those that really can't/ won't, don't and there are commission areas that you need to be aware of. In my 10 years, about the worst that I have had is mini bikes buzzing past, but it being a country/ city fringe suburb, I'm not surprised, apart from that, I have never had any problems and we see the police patrolling quite regularly. On occasion I have left my garage door open over night, leaving my tools, motorbikes, and bikes exposed and have not had anything taken!

The people of Sunbury aren't as ethnically diverse as other areas, mainly white/ anglo/ european background, but that is slowly changing as well as people find the area now its going to be on the metro rail. But as far as "bogans" goes, there are local people who like their tattoos, hotted up cars and motorbikes, piercings loud music, but again, please point me to a place that doesn't have them and send me a picture!!

I have been involved in the junior (and now senior) footy clubs in the area and now my son's friends are all 16/17/18 y/o boys and pretty much are good kids from good families. Yes there are kids who are so-so or bad, and you do see them around, like teenagers hanging around the train/ bus stops smoking, who would've thought....but please point me to one suburb where every teenager is a saint. And with 35,000 people living in the area, the actual numbers of crimes vs say Collingwood with 7,000 residents may be higher but on a % basis its pretty much normal. Every single suburb has crime, none are immune, the things is though, its generally laid back place and not "unsafe" and I have never been assaulted, or bothered, neither has anyone else in my family or our friends.

As far as the shopping goes, Sunbury covers 99% of your needs, supermarkets, butcher shops, target, Harris Scarfe, Dick Smith, Big W, Bunnings, movies, clothes etc, but if you need something else then Watergardens is 20 mins away. I didn't come for the restaurant scene, but all the basics are covered pretty well.

Its unfortunate that the poster who has made so many negative comments, but from my perspective, Sunbury has allowed us an affordable and comfortable lifestyle, that has meant I don't live with a financial noose around my neck, can send my kids to a half decent school and still have some $$ left to do things in life to enjoy.

Overall a nice place on the city/ country fringe that gives you some space, clean air and the ability to live a fairly comfortable life style.

Well it’s ok but it needs better shops and more for kids and young adults to do it’s looking old and tired.

Visited Sunbury couple of times and planning to move next year;) ...from my point of view suburb looks very beautiful with country touch to it n looks good however I cannot comment much about suburb as of now until I move there....I would be moving in new estate i.e. maplestone estate ( unfortunately near Bulla tip) otherwise I feel that suburb is good and peaceful.

Will provide more inputs in future :)

I love living in Sunbury. It has great schools and a wide range of shops.It has a country town feel but is still close to the city. The people in Sunbury are friendly and welcoming to new families. I have lived here with my family for 11 years and we all love it. Sunbury has great outdoor spaces, parks and playgrounds including the beautiful Nook Creek area. It is growing quite quickly and hopefully with the new road under rail construction for one of our busiest roads the traffic will flow better, although peak hour is nothing compared to Melbourne traffic.
Sunbury has a fabulous new Library/learning centre, a great cinema complex and an ok aquatic centre. There are plenty of fantastic restaurants and cafes in O'Shanassy street and Evans street with other popping up on a regular basis.
Sunbury is affordable and with everything you need to create a great lifestyle.

I’ve lived in Goonawarra, Sunbury, for 23 years. We are in a small court with fabulous neighbours. It’s quiet and peaceful with a country feel but close to everything- shops, transport, schools, parks, great leisure facilities and lovely walks (which were very much appreciated in lockdown). Our neighbours have for the most part been here a long time as well and are friendly but respectful of everyone’s privacy. We’ve never had an issue with crime here- we travel a lot and nothing has ever been a problem. The city commute is getting harder with growing traffic but it’s still much better than from the east or the south. Sunbury is growing a lot- many new subdivisions are going in, so the town will inevitably change, but we’re still happy here. If you want peace and quiet but good access to the city (and the beautiful Macedon ranges), I’d recommend it. Property values are still relatively good but going up steadily.

I've lived in Sunbury for years. It's growing now a substantial amount. We built a new place 7 years ago near the Vineyard's and love it. Its quiet, family friendly. Our 5 year old can play in the street with the other kids like I did 30 years ago. So many walking tracks and lakes/rivers. Housing is affordable kinda low mark is 450k up to around the 1.3mil mark. As stated there is the odd "rental area" but the majority is nice. Just do your homework and pick out a nice area. If the houses around have manicured gardens chances are its a very nice place to live. The restaurant scene is getting better all the time now. Large variaty of eats. We don't need to leave town for much. Its 35mins to the city. Not as traffic congested as most other parts of Melbourne. I have noticed if there is any crime at all it seems to be people from other suburbs coming in and causing trouble but its very rare. Last year we had snow just up the road, 5min drive into Gisborne area where my brother lives. Between Macedon,Gisborne and Sunbury you cant really go wrong. It's a very nice area. But don't come live here ok? We like it quiet lol..

Sunbury has a wonderful ‘big country town’ feel, has everything you need at your door step and close to the city for commuting. People are generally very friendly, you know your neighbors here. There’s little you can’t find in town (cinema, library, supermarkets, restaurants and fantastic parks etc) but DFO and Water Gardens shopping centre are only 15-20 mins away.
It’s very peaceful, we love the bird life and seeing kangaroos and enjoying the many walks and parks. You don’t get that in many places this close to the CBD.
Having lived closer to the CBD in Sth East and West areas, we have found there’s far less traffic than other areas the same distance from CBD as well. Sunbury itself we find traffic no issue where people who’ve lived here a long time feel it’s too busy , comparing it to when it must have been very quiet.
House and land is very affordable, again value for money this close to CBD is phenomenal. As with all suburbs of towns, do your research as to which area suits you.
We haven’t had any concerns or issues in the area and feel very safe. We feel much safer in Sunbury than when we were closer to the city, for sure.
So much to offer and love in Sunbury!

Sunbury has the rural charms of the country, the urban convenience of a neat town centre and the family-friendly facilities of schools and community arts hubs.

- Ricky Wadhwa Real Estate Sales Agent Sunbury

I am a new resident to Sunbury and am very much loving my new little town. It has all the amenities my family needs, and then some. I feel safe, have great local parks and amazing internet to name a few.
There are a number of different activities for young kids to do with our young son attending something different each Monday, Wednesday Friday and swim lessons on Saturday mornings.
We built new and have an amazing new home with a good amount of land for the same price as a smaller unit closer in, with little to no land and are so happy with our choice.

There are some pockets of Sunbury which are quite nice, but you need an alarm system as its still a dangerous place.A lot of people that I know have left already or are leaving to safer places like Gisborne.The public schools are not very good either.The good thing is that houses are cheap and there is one train station.

Dont forget about what has happened in sunbury. The list includes drive by shootings, armed robberies, stabbings, dog strealing, home invasions just to name a few. Just be careful and make sure you live in the good quiet places. Batman ave and the mitchells lane area is where there is a fair amount of crime. There is also community crime watch areas throughout sunbury. Other than that sunbury is sik.

I've lived in Sunbury for 8 years. Part of this time have been single. Still live in Goonawarra. Never knew much about the different suburbs prior to buying my house. I'm fussy about noise and environment so would recommend Goonawarra and Sunbury in general. Not the best for singles of any age unless your wider family and friends live in area but apart from that I don't have any other negatives. I have found Sunbury to be a safe, bushy, country and positive place to live. I am moving out of the suburb for awhile but may come back. Its great for families, retirees and most people who don't want to be caught up in the other choking suburbs in north and west. I've never had a negative experience and commute to city 5 days a week. Contrary to what someone else has posted here the trains are always on time, locals are friendly and great value housing. Its close to the airport and lovely country drives and towns. If you're finding negatives with Sunbury then you're really clutching at straws. 99% of people are decent like anywhere. I live in one of the so called roughest neighbourhoods and never felt unsafe or threatened ever. I've lived in places like Brixton, London..now that's rough. There are many good eateries popping up and see Sunbury thriving in future.

Coming from other parts I had no idea about Sunbury but the low priced, value for money housing lured me in. Sunbury itself is quite divided as in people from certain parts feel they are better than other parts but its just a small town mentality. Rolling meadows is boring and has no trees but has some lovely homes and is super quiet. In town there are some lovely leafy streets with beautiful older homes. Goonawarra gets a bad wrap but really its affordable, very safe for kids and flat so they can ride bikes to school. It's lovely and green and there are a lot of playgrounds. Public transport is bad with 1 bus to town an hr and the local bus station is often dirty with loud abusive teens present so you just keep to yourself. Shopping is standard as far as groceries etc are concerned but for anything else you're best of shopping in the city. As a single here it's not ideal and honestly the social life is mainly for young families and married couples. There are lots of local services and activities for young families so it's an ideal starting point.

We built a new home in Sunbury back in 1997, for the meager price of $120,000. I love living in Sunbury, for what I would consider to be a rural town it has everything I want there are plenty of places to do food shopping, numerous medical practices, lots of great restaurants, a cinema, a great variety of schools, the major chains of Target and
Big W.
It does lack a Japanese restaurant, and as many have said the nightlife is not the greatest, but that in itself could be a good thing it discourages young people from hanging around in the town or getting drunk or taking drugs and starting fights, we we see far too often these days.

We now have a day hospital which caters for renal dialysis and chemotherapy services, two operating theatres for day procedures and a range of specialist clinics, which has replaced the old hospital on Riddell Road, which closed due to the availability of anesthetists or lack of I believe.

If you are into high end fashion, Sunbury is not the place for you, try Paris or New York, as clothing stores are a bit limited, but Sunbury is within easy commuting distance of several large shopping centers and the City is only 30 - 40 minute drive off peak (of course). It has everything I need anyway.

Aged 32 me and my Fiancee moved to sunbury 12 months ago from Essendon. We purchased a block and built due to the great land prices compared to melton werribee etc and the traffic isnt that bad in the morning compared to the west gate and monash. Sunbury is a fantatstic town with a great country feel, unlike most new instant suburbs. There is some Ferals living in the town but no more than i have experienced all over Melbourne. There are plenty of shops and DFO is only 15 minutes down the freeway if you want the bigger outlets. There isnt a huge range in restaurants and nightspots to go to but you cant expect that living 40km from the cbd and to be honest that doesnt bother me. Vline train times are limited but the new metlink line is opening soon. I heard all the bad things about Sunbury befopre i moved but have been pleasantly suprised. Love the place and only hope it doesnt get too big and looses its country feel.

I moved here a year ago after living in St Kilda East and Hoppers Crossing - and I have to admit, I love it up here. It's the sort of place where you know and look out for your neighbors, kids ride their bikes up and down the streets and cars are generally registered :) We still play "spot the graffiti" because its so rare you'll stumble across it. It's a small town, with small town activities (Markets etc) that may not be for everyone, but its a breath of fresh air for me. Its nice being able to take your dogs for a walk at night and not worry about being mugged. Oh! And on Saturdays there are sausage sizzles everywhere! (or so it feels like anyway) Also - there are quite a few vineyards around - so if that's up your alley :)
The cons - it does get substantially cooler up here than in Melbourne, public transport is lacking, and the last V line train arrives here before midnight. There isn't a huge selection of restaurants, but there are quite a few gems in Sunbury and in the surrounding areas if your willing to drive. There aren't many pubs / clubs around and the nightlife here is quite tame.
Like most areas, you need to watch which part of Sunbury you choose to live in. Not that any area is dangerous, its just some suburbs take more pride in their homes than others. Said areas are easy to pick - just take a day and drive around the town.

One more thing, and this is just a side note - not pushing my opinion either way, but I've noticed that the population is predominately white Australian. Not sure why that is, or how it came about.... But it's how it is.

Sunbury got everything you need to live a safe & comfortable life.We are so fortunate to buy our property two years back in sunbury. Recently revalued the property for refinancing & found my property price has gone up by almost 25%.Sunbury is closer to city & Tullamarine Air port as well.

I have been here for 2 years and have slowly gotten used to the area now. People are quite nice to each other, most of the times, my street is quiet and the occasional hoon will pass by otherwise it is tranquil and all I can hear is the birds in the morning chirping away.

Restaurant wise there isn't much choice, it seems to be mainly fast food with a small amount of good quality restaurants thrown in. Shopping wise everything is in Sunbury and you don't need to leave town to make purchases unless it is a niche.

I agree traffic with all the crazy roundabouts make life more difficult especially when trains are passing through and during school peak times where a calm person may be tempted to give into road rage. There are no traffic lights and I suspect drivers don't know what an indicator is and/or are reluctant to use it therefore leaving with you supposed psychic powers to somehow predict what will occur.

The library is great albeit small and there are plenty of parks. The Nook is rather nice and great for dogs and humans alike.

The vet on Gap Rd is highly recommended as well if you have furry friends.

I quite enjoy living here in Sunbury and am glad to have moved here.

The only drawback is if you work in the city and have to commute via public transport. It is a daily battle and by the time I get to work I am so agitated I cannot concentrate. Trains don't run on time or at all. It is incredibly frustrating trying to get to work and back and I believe this could be improved. Nonetheless this is my only negative. Try to find work locally or at Tullamarine as the commute will be far easier than attempting to somehow get to the city and back.

Also gp's not great and not having a hospital is frustrating, however I felt it this year more so as my son was ill for most of the year. Maybe I just haven't found the right doctor ;-)

This area suits me as I am a single parent, its reasonably priced and I have made many friends and it is very quiet with a country like atmosphere.

Just a quick update. Unfortunately I've had to revise my review as I no longer feel safe in this area. Many houses in my street have been sold and one family told me they were leaving as they felt unsafe themselves. Roads are getting busier and busier with plenty of hoons to make navigation even worse. Fresh vegetables and fruit seem to be impossible to buy so I now have that delivered as the farmer's market is only on once a month. There are plenty of troublemakers on the street as well. I can't say I'm impressed with the school due to several bullying incidents and injures including a head injury where I wasn't contacted and had to rush my child to the Royal Children's...The doctors here are dreadful and half the time have no idea what they are talking about. There is a lack of parking especially near the station. Restaurant wise there are 2 restaurants I am brave enough to venture to otherwise I cook at home, have had food poisoning several times eating out. Unfortunately all of the above has soured my thoughts on Sunbury and we will be leaving soon. A shame.

Sunbury is a very safe and secure place to bring up children. It's the sort of area where you can forget to lock your door and when you come back home, everything is still untouched.
The primary schools are some of the best in the Western Suburbs. There is also a good mix of government and private schools.
There are plenty of extra curricular activties for children from swimming, basketball and athletics, to dance, art and drama.
Sunbury has lots of shops, coffee shops and even a cinema. It is truly a lovely place to live.
There are many trees and in the town centre and in the estates. There are also a large number of nature reserves and parks.
Finally, the best thing about Sunbury is that everything keeps on improving- more shops, more housing, better medical facilities and transport. I love Sunbury and have lived here for 11 years. I hope to live here for many more.

We moved from Brunswick to Sunbury about 8 years ago, we built a nice new home on a large block with a pool and magnificent views over the township. Sunbury has allowed us to afford a dream lifestyle in terms of housing security (small mortgage), family holidays every year, and three of those being overseas and I can send the kids to a good school at an affordable rate. Even though the nightlife is nothing to talk about, pretty much everything else is there, cafe's, movie theatre, and pretty much most of the shops that you need. The bus is a bonus as it takes us to within 100 meters of our door in the Rolling Meadows estate and is direct to town, however more frequent services would be appreciated, especially when the train is electrified. Like every other suburb, there are things that could be improved, like more options for teenagers, a 24 hr emergency hospital, and better road access as the roads, especially at peak hour can get crazy. More shops away from town would be a bonus, including a new POST OFFICE!

The Electrification of the train line is currently being constructed and will improve regular services.
Sunbury is an old Country town full of street trees although the newer areas could do with more tree planting. There is a great deal of History to the town with some stunning old mansions and buildings throughout.Regular bus services connect to the Town Centre with plenty of shops but need more.
Schools eveywhere including Rupertswood Private. A new Public Hospital. Road access in and around town is good and improving.Most people work at Melbourne airport about 15 mins away or the City or the Industrial areas in the northern and western suburbs, 15 to 30 mins away.

Still reasonably affordable and probably very good value ie. it is not cheap but you get a lot for what you pay.

What I hate most about Sunbury is the railway line cuts the town in two making it difficult to get around. All the supermakets are in the centre of town so there is no such thing as just popping in for milk and bread. Expect it to take half and hour cause you may have to wait at the rail crossing while a train goes through. I now go to Gisbourne to do my weekly shopping as belive it or not its quicker. Getting out of town in the moring is a nightmare as there are only 3 ways out of town and all of them get totally blocked up because of school crossing (expecially around Sunbury College). It is a totaly traffic jam in the morinings. I get poor or now reception on my HD TV when it is raining or overcast, same with my wireless internet service. I also found Optus were the only one's that could give me a internet service on my laptop. Not have a very good report on Sunbury College either I found there is rampant bullying going on in and around the school. Local hoons like to hang out at the railway/bus stop which makes in very uncomtable to catch transport from there. Most of the resturant are average with a few notable exceptions. I am moving out now as I have been very unhappy in Sunbury. its a really pity ss the town its self is very pretty and my neighbours have been wounderful.

I love Sunbury I have lived here almost my whole life(expt 6 months when I was 7) I have lived in 3 different areas and I love it still. I recently got married and my husband is from Flemington/North Melb we both love Sunbury and cant think of a better place to raise our family.
Some people complain about the trains but I prefer the vline trains sure they aren't as often as the normal ones but they are clean fast and have bathrooms! it only takes about 30 -45 mins on the train to get to the city and we are in the centre to get to anywhere on one side we have Melbourne the other Geelong and then Bendigo and Ballarat!
Its a great quite place with everything you need to raise a family!

I moved here 3 years ago with my young family from Brisbane and an almost identical lifestyle. It has been lovely and compares well with the relaxed laid back living, but still having the comforts of great local shops, food and entertainment. All they need here now is a Kmart and we would never have to leave town! We have met some wonderful families and made some great friends. Sure everyplace has it's fair share of crime and bored kids/teenagers, but I don't see it as being out of control at all. We are very happy here and glad we chose Sunbury as our home town, when we made the big move interstate.

Was once a small country town, though over the last 10 years it has grown into an outer-suburban satellite city, and what is come with that, is all the negative effects of such a sudden growth. I currently live in Sunbury, and as a young women I do not think it is very suitable for singles, and couples, and may only suit the young families. We have had our house egged before, and drunk people on our lawn before. Public transport is not that great for someone who does not drive, and commutes to the city everyday. There are only V-line trains do not go very often, once an hour during the day. The culture that has developed in Sunbury over the past years is what is bringing it down, with a lack of respect for property, and town culture. What was once a lovely small town, is now on the path to becoming another bad western suburb.

I just love this suburb. Most people wake up to find kangaroos in their backyard. It is very quiet.I would say it is a bit like the country but then again it is not too far from the city