amy11

It is connected to the beach on one end and the bustling Ormond rd on the other end. Parking is a problem in this street. But it is just across the road from the beach and the beautiful Elwood park with bbq's, a playground and a large grassy field.

Elwood residents are mainly professionals, trendy and stylish people. Young families and immigrants tend to be priced out, giving the area a comparatively older and waspy (white Anglo Saxon) vibe.
There are major problems with congestion and parking. The area is not well serviced by roads or public transport, making it feel somewhat isolated and out of the way.
There is no coles or woolies in Elwood. You have to drive to Elsternwick or St kilda Coles. Otherwise there is a small and expensive Foodies store on Ormond Rd. All major shopping centers like Southland and Chadstone are at least 20 minutes drive from Elwood.
Elwood has lots of small and pricey 'boutique' stores.
It is quite close to the city, but not well serviced by roads and the congestion means it can take a while to get to the city.
I gave it only 2 stars because it is too congested, not well serviced by roads or public transport, doesn't have decent shopping facilities and the cost of living is very high.
I think it's not family friendly, as there aren't many kids in Elwood, ( kids need other kids for socialisation). A lot of people have 1 baby then move away.
on the plus side Elwood offers the bay beach if you're a beachy person. It also offers a trendy (albeit pricey) cafe and bar lifestyle for those that are into that sort of thing.

Dandenong has an amazing mix of different cultures and food. There are lots of Afghanis, indians, sri lankans, chinese and africans. The shops reflect this with a variety of cheap and tasty food options from around the world.
Rent tends to be very cheap. Packs of young African males can be seen tralling the streets.
There are lots of great shopping options... dandenong market, the dandenong plaza, coles open 24/7, and the caribbean market not far away. There is not a great deal of entertainment options except places like video ezy and potter's pool hall.
There has been a recent development on the main street. Bizarre poles which light up were put into the ground along the main road in attempt to 'revitalize' the image of dandenong.
Dandenong is booming as people realise how great the culture and lifestyle is and how much it has to offer. It is not too far from the city (35 mins) and does not have problems with congestion and parking. It is well serviced by main roads. Prices are going up and up and the area is slowly becoming gentrified. Many of the criminals and junkies are being 'priced out' as prices go up.

I went to school in Prahran. It's a busy, trendy suburb. It gets quite congested and parking is not very good. It's close to chapel st, so there are a lot of pretentious, arty type people around that area. It's very cosmopolitan. Not so good for young families, especially those on a budget, because most young families are priced out of Prahran. It's mainly a professional people suburb. Lots of little cafes and bars and boutique stores around that area that appeal to yound trendy people. Prahran also has lots of gay people.

The berwick village is what used to be an old country town since the 1800's, and still maintains much of the history. There are big old buildings and trees down the main road.
The estates around the area are clean and modern and have lots of young people and families. There is an excellent choice of resaurants and take away in the area. Also very close to fountain gate. Lots of budget warehouse shopping, you can easily live on a budget. There are also lots of nice parks and nature reserves in the area.
the area is not as diverse or multicultural as it could be though. And seems a bit bland. As well as being really far out from the city, i think you could find better value somewhere closer in to the cbd.