West St Kilda is perhaps more “outer Middle Park” than it is “St Kilda” and that is reflected in the circa $700k higher median house price in West St Kilda.
It is a far more affluent suburb with far lower density, tree-lined streets and a lot more architecturally consistent streetscapes.
The housing stock is predominantly heritage houses, for example Victorian, Edwardian, Federation including some very grand houses on very large blocks. There are also some beautiful heritage apartments, which add to the charm of the streetscapes, for example “Bellaire” Deco apartments on Cowderoy Street.
York, Mary and Loch are particularly attractive streets. Although I’m not a fan of the section between Mary and Fitzroy streets, which gives off more of a St Kilda feel with higher density living, noise and yahoo factor of the hospitality venues on Fitzroy Street.
West St Kilda property buyers and renters would be attracted by the proximity to the CBD circa 6 km away and easily accessible via the light railway running alongside Canterbury Road (which has three stops within the suburb), the easy walk to both the beach and Albert Park Lake Reserve and into Middle Park village.
A weekend ‘ morning coffee at Cowderoy’s Diary Café (which as a Melbourne buyers agent looking for coffee stops between inspections I am a big fan of!) in Cowderoy Street overlooking the park (Jacoby Reserve) observing the customers provides good insight into the West St Kilda demographic. It features young and middle-aged affluent families, down-sizers, singles and couples in their 30s to 50s, retirees – a significant portion of whom have their roots in post-war European migration and who now live in a suburb that has massively gentrified.
There is a real sense of community in the suburb and I find it a little bit more relaxed than nearby Middle Park – which I am also a big fan of.
To some extent, West St Kilda flies a little under the radar because it is such a small suburb – bordered by Canterbury and Beach Roads, Fitzroy and Fraser Streets. Also because its “brand” is overwhelmed by the very strong St Kilda brand.
While it is still a “cheaper option to Middle Park and Albert Park”, I think the gap has, and will likely, continue to close. And for good reason too – it is a very attractive place to live.
Last update: 21 Feb 2023
