54. 10 Things about Elwood

1. Elwood is a Melbourne beach-side suburb right next door to St Kilda, ~8kms from the city. It's quite a trendy suburb full of young families and couples (with dogs it seems).

2. Elwood truly defines Melbourne cafe culture with a cafe on nearly every corner! It’s the perfect way to spend a morning… lazing with a paper and coffee. In fact I ate breakfast at Jerry's today.

Jerry's Cafe | Image co/-

3. It's full of leafy tree-lined streets. This along with the parks, cafes and beach is what attracts people here. Plus its very dog-friendly with lots of off-the-lead parks!

4. In the 1880's a land boom prompted the building of beautiful mansions and large estates, but many of these were converted into flats during the war. Only a few mansions still exist today.

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5. Today there are lots of town-houses, apartments and a number of beautiful heritage listed buildings. Homes today are a mix of new, Edwardian, Interwar and California-bungalow style, mixed with cool Art Deco apartment blocks. There is certainly no shortage of flats.

6. People still talk to their neighbours & take each other bins out!

7. Elwood has a very colourful history full of Fire, Fever and Floods. It was once a swampland and Victoria's first quarantine station back in the 1840's. I wasn't surprised to learn about the swampland given our house was effected by the floods in February last year.


8. Until 1959 a tram ran from St Kilda to Brighton - it was the first line to operate the electric system we still use today! I like geeky technology facts like that...

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9. Some of my favourite places to eat and drink:


∞ Dandelion for fresh Vietnamese-Asian-fusion dishes packed with plenty of flavour

∞ Jerry's Milk Bar for fabulous breakfasts. The berries & yoghurt are delicious, followed by fresh eggs with spinach and feta. Washed down with a berry smoothie or chai latte.

∞ Lezzet have a mouth-watering slow cooked lamb dish to die for. Plus the traditional wood-fired Turkish pizza is my favourite (rocket gives it the finishing crunchy touch).

∞ Elwood Food and Wine have Friday night specials like pizza and wine for only $12. The food is always fresh (especially the calamari) and staff are lovely.

∞ Easy Fifteen is my chai latte spot, I go here every weekend after Pilates. The chai is made properly with tea not sugary power or syrup. The mixed berry smoothies are one of the best in Melbourne - the perfect thickness with sweet & sour berry tang!

∞ Elwood RSL for a good old chicken Parmigiana

10. In 1940 an underground air raid shelter was built on a former Elwood tennis court. Still intact today in the yard of 23 Mitford Street, it's the only remaining evidence of extensive preparation for air attacks suspected over Port Phillip during the Second World War! Geeky fact #2.

Research sources: City of Port Phillip Elwood Heritage Study and St Kilda Historical Society