Sunshine North, Vic - any opinions?
- Thread starter Jamie_D
- Start date
River Valley Estate Development Plan
Here is the problem with the River Valley Estate Development. The development plan dates back to 2002. At that point stages 1, 2 & 3 were considered complete. Stage 4 was the land East of Dukes Street, Stage 5 and 5A was the quarry pit West of Duke Street and south of Surrey Street. Where the residential development has occurred is actually stage 6.
Stage 6 has been developed but the supporting infrastructure that was supposed to be developed as part of stages 4, 5 and 5A has not occurred. Not sure how the council allowed this to happen?
Anecdotal evidence (from speaking to local residents) suggests that even where the residential development has occurred there have been instances where the land has been sold and some of the infrastructure has not been completed (e.g. gas lines).
Still reckon this area has a lot of potential unfortunately no one wants to spend the cash to develop it.
Oh and for those of you hanging out for the footbridge to Avondale Heights it isn't due until stage 7 and given that stage 6 isn't finished who knows when that will be.
Here is the problem with the River Valley Estate Development. The development plan dates back to 2002. At that point stages 1, 2 & 3 were considered complete. Stage 4 was the land East of Dukes Street, Stage 5 and 5A was the quarry pit West of Duke Street and south of Surrey Street. Where the residential development has occurred is actually stage 6.
Stage 6 has been developed but the supporting infrastructure that was supposed to be developed as part of stages 4, 5 and 5A has not occurred. Not sure how the council allowed this to happen?
Anecdotal evidence (from speaking to local residents) suggests that even where the residential development has occurred there have been instances where the land has been sold and some of the infrastructure has not been completed (e.g. gas lines).
Still reckon this area has a lot of potential unfortunately no one wants to spend the cash to develop it.
Oh and for those of you hanging out for the footbridge to Avondale Heights it isn't due until stage 7 and given that stage 6 isn't finished who knows when that will be.
What Sunshine lacks I think is the skilled people that I've sort of witnessed in areas now like Footscray, Cairnlea and Caroline Springs and to a great extent Point Cook.
I recall it enjoyed a semi boom in the early 2000s before it came to a halt.
There are semi decent pockets where I think that could rival the Eastern suburbs in terms of "green space".
About River Valley, I vividly remember that place, saw it when they first dug out that place...views are spectacular no doubt about it, especially on a balmy Saturday night. Almost took the girlfriend at the time there for romantic views every now and again.
However, as many have said transport there is near non existent....industrial zones are nearby (quite a different surrounding actually when you consider it juxtaposed)
Last edited:
Jarrett Walker, one of the world's top transport planners, recently wrote a book with some thoughts on where to locate if you wanted good transport, either now or likely in the future.
His maxim was 'be on the way'.
Suburbs that are dead ends never have and never will have good transport. The only people it would be useful for are people who live in that area and there's not enough of them to sustain a good service. Sanctuary Lakes, Sandhurst and Eynesbury are all dead ends on the way to nowhere and do not have significant service. Even if locals agitate they may get a very limited service that's unlikely to be well used (eg Gowanbrae).
Whereas a suburb that's located on a road between two established centres will almost certainly have transport that will improve as those centres (and areas in between) develop. Even if there's not much there right now. Because it's on an orbital route between bigger places the horses of Yarrambat or the plains south of Dandenong have service far better than those places along justify.
Map 27 of the Melway tells you all you need to know.
River Valley Estate is one giant dead end and it's not gonna change.
That's no matter how much the road engineer in me fantasises about an extension of Buckley St across the river and over a railway line to connect with the Ring Road.
Bridges are out of fashion and in established areas there's strife with existing land owners (who wouldn't exactly welcome a connection to depressed Sunshine), greenies and more. Similarly Sanctuary Lakes lacks a bridge connection to Merton St, so crowds onto Pt Cook Rd the long way around. Again I don't think this will ever be fixed.
Parts of long-established Sunshine North don't even have buses yet. Eg nothing along Surrey St/Berkshire Rd.
That may justify something up Duke St, but there's nothing there yet. Why? Because everything in the area is 'on the way', running up Ballarat Rd or Suffolk Rd.
Some backwaters become exclusive retreats. Maybe their values will grow despite lack of amenities. But for somewhere handy to build IPs and fill them with tenants it doesn't look a particularly desirable place.
I live in Albion which is close to Sunshine North.
While I agree, local public transport will never be great at this new estate you are still only a quick drive from Albion or Sunshine station.
Albion's carpark has been upgraded and there seems to be left over capacity even at the busiest of times.
The lack of PT can be a good thing in that it does keep a certain element away.
I quiet like the look of this estate, yes you will need car but the same applies to many other suburbs in the North and outer East.
At least you have the train for a city commute, day trips, shopping etc.
While I agree, local public transport will never be great at this new estate you are still only a quick drive from Albion or Sunshine station.
Albion's carpark has been upgraded and there seems to be left over capacity even at the busiest of times.
The lack of PT can be a good thing in that it does keep a certain element away.
I quiet like the look of this estate, yes you will need car but the same applies to many other suburbs in the North and outer East.
At least you have the train for a city commute, day trips, shopping etc.
I like Albion for buying atm.
