Sarah Butterfly

Seriously, Sunshine is the best kept secret of the west! So undersung.We have loved living here with our two small children and feel lucky to have discovered such a super, super cool, diverse, generous and down to earth community. Here are just a few of the suburb's hidden delights:
- Cafe Sunshine and Salamatea-the hippest Cafe in the the West, with fresh bread and pastries almost daily and coffee, food (and staff) to die for.
Tinkune Momo and Sekuwa House-the silkiest handmade Nepalese dumplings - fresh and full of flavour. Lovely place to bring the family and open play area for kids.
-Sunshine Social-very funky eatery/bar - kind of like the local pub- with great food and beer, outdoor and indoor spaces and even a kids' play area! Great place to take mates for a relaxed lunch or dinner.
-A great selection of really well funded, community oriented, progressive primary schools
-For High School - Sunshine College has just had a total upgrade of facilities and now has a competition grade gymnasium, STEM facility and Performing Arts Centre. Wow!
-sooo many beautiful period homes on handsome tree lined streets
-gorgeous botanical gardens, right in the centre of town
-a huge new, spacious library (with toy library and kids' indoor play area) and civic centre (with funky Cafe)
-A totally refurbished recreation centre with big, clean indoor and outdoor pools/splash park, sauna and gym - childcare and Cafe attached. Yoga, spin, zumba, aerobics and more on offer.
-a tennis, cricket and football club
-a fantastic selection of playgrounds: Buckingham reserve has a maze, a water play area, a super duper twirly slide, a basketball court and huge barbecue/picnic area.
Sunvale community Park is impressive as well-full of innovative play equipment, water play area, sensory play area, barbecue facilities, a skate park and gym equipment for adults. Kids parties sorted!
-A classical pilates studio on Hampshire Rd with the loveliest teacher ever.
-An Aldi, Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings, Big W and 2 amazing fresh fruit and veg centres ( with gourmet section and deli) as well as Village Cinema complex!
For keen chefs - a huge selection of international supermarkets and grocery stores stocking authentic, well priced ingredients and treats from around the globe. (The Turkish delight is the best I've ever tasted).
-Kororoit Creek and surrounding bushland runs right through Sunshine and is full of cycling and hiking trails. The Friends of Kororoit Creek group do an incredible job of maintaining the creek, holding regular community planting and birdwatching sessions and working with council creating beautiful nature play areas for kids to discover native plants and wildlife. Involvement with this group has brought us good friends and such a closeness to nature - becoming a native bird enthusiast was not on my radar when we moved out west!
-beautiful Matthew's Hill Grassland reserve-a breathtaking place to walk, play, picnic and cycle, showcasing natural temperate grasslands of the volcanic plain.
-The BEST Bahn Mi in Melbourne. Hands down. Sunday lunch sorted.
-New York Minute, Huxtaburger, Bubble tea, Dairy Bell and Flora Juice (BEST fresh juices) for after school/ late night munchies
-an incredible selection of restaurants/takeaway on the main street with offerings from around the globe.
-All this just 20 minutes from the CBD by train!!!
If you're considering Yarraville, Wefo,Seddon, Brunswick, Preston, Coburg, do yourself and your finances a favour and take a look at Sunshine. I'm biased, but I reckon it shines just that little bit brighter.