Ashburton is Boroondara’s most down-to-earth corner: a village-style shopping strip on High Street, two stops at the quiet end of the Alamein line, and streets of interwar and post-war homes running down to Gardiners Creek. Houses sit around $2 million, well below Glen Iris and Camberwell, and prices actually rose over the past year. The trade-offs are a slow off-peak train that often stops at Camberwell, a secondary school zone that points to Ashwood High rather than Camberwell High, and new state planning rules that allow High Street to grow to six storeys.
Ashburton Boundary and Location Map
Ashburton sits roughly 12 kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD in the south-east corner of the City of Boroondara and covers about 2.9 square kilometres. It borders Glen Iris to the west and north, Malvern East to the south across Gardiners Creek, and Ashwood to the east. High Street runs east-west through the middle of the suburb, and the Alamein line ends at Alamein station on its southern side.
Quick Facts
| LGA | City of Boroondara |
| Postcode | 3147 (shared with Ashwood) |
| Population | 7,952 (ABS Census, 2021), up from 7,751 in 2016; 2026 Census results due from June 2027 |
| Growth Rate | Steady, with more to come: High Street is now a Train and Tram Zone activity centre (July 2026) and 91 social homes are planned on Alamein Avenue |
| Distance from CBD | About 12km south-east (about 13km by road) |
| Character | Family suburb of interwar and post-war homes, a village shopping strip and creekside parks |
| Median House Price | About $1.98m to $2m (Cotality to June 2026, up 6.8%; PropTrack to 31 August 2026, up 5.2%) |
| Median Unit Price | About $970k to $1m (Cotality, PropTrack), from only about 30 sales a year |
| Transport | Ashburton and Alamein stations (Alamein line, about 30 minutes to Flinders Street); bus 734 on High Street |
| Crime Rate (LGA) | City of Boroondara 5,625.7 offences per 100,000 (year ending June 2026, up 2.0%), well below the Victorian rate of 8,679.6 |
| Childcare Availability | Adequate: 8 to 10 centres, mostly rated Meeting the National Quality Standard |
| School Zone Quality | Good: Ashburton Primary (ICSEA 1155) and Solway Primary (ICSEA 1161); 95% zoned to Ashwood High for Year 7 |
| Parks & Recreation | Markham Reserve, Ashburton Park, Gardiners Creek Trail, Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre |
| Shopping | Ashburton Village on High Street with IGA; Chadstone about 4.5km by road |
| Health | Cabrini Malvern (private ED) about 4km; Box Hill Hospital and Monash Medical Centre about 8km to 9km |
| Best For | Families wanting Boroondara at a lower entry price; buyers who value a walkable village and parks |
What Makes Ashburton Special
An Irish Name and a Wartime Estate
Ashburton owes its name to a railway station. According to Victorian Places, former councillor E. Dillon suggested the name because he had lived in Ashburton Terrace in Cork, Ireland. The line was later extended to a new terminus at Alamein in 1948, named after the WWII battle, to serve a new Housing Commission estate, and the streets around it still carry wartime names such as Victory Boulevard and Tobruk Road. “The Housing Commission built substantially in both Ashburton and Alamein,” Victorian Places notes.
That public housing legacy is being renewed. Homes Victoria finished 178 homes on Markham Avenue in December 2022, replacing 56 units from the 1950s with five buildings of three to four storeys, all of them social or affordable housing. A further 91 social homes are planned for Alamein Avenue and Ambon Street, with construction from late 2026 and completion due in 2029. Council has also protected the suburb’s older streets: Amendment C337, gazetted in June 2022, added heritage overlays to Ashburton Primary School, St Michael’s Memorial Church and the 1920s Home Farm Estate precinct.
High Street’s Six-Storey Future
Ashburton is one of the state’s Stage 2 Train and Tram Zone activity centres, and its plan was finalised in July 2026 through Amendment GC285. Along High Street, buildings can now generally reach 6 storeys, or up to 8 on larger sites, while homes within about 800 metres of the station and shops can go to 3 storeys, or 4 on larger lots. The final plan added protection from overshadowing for all of High Street and kept existing heritage overlays (Planning Victoria).
Locals were engaged: Ashburton made up 172 of the 300 survey responses in the second round of consultation for the Riversdale, Willison and Ashburton cluster. Council said it “supports this objective but not the way that the government is trying to achieve it”. For buyers, this means more townhouses and small apartment blocks near the station over the next decade, such as the 10-apartment Adorn development already approved at 310 High Street.
What Is It Like Living in Ashburton
Ashburton is a settled family suburb. At the 2021 Census, 76.1% of homes were separate houses, 49.6% of adults held a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the median household income was $2,743 a week. Homely reviewers rate it 4.1 out of 5 from 12 reviews. One long-time resident says its “quiet, leafy, village-like atmosphere make this superb for raising families”, and another says its “access to education, health services, shopping, transport and the city are among the best in Melbourne”. The main complaints are little nightlife, reliance on cars and rising prices.
Work Life
Ashburton is a residential suburb of professionals. At the 2021 Census, 38.8% of working residents were professionals and 21.7% were managers. Local workplaces include the schools, aged care homes, the pool and recreation centre and the High Street shops. Most commuters head to the CBD by train or car, and Chadstone is about 4.5 kilometres away.
Shopping & Eating Out
High Street, branded Ashburton Village, is the heart of the suburb, with an IGA at 219 High Street, cafes and the Ashburton Library. Woolworths’ “Ashburton” store is actually just over the border on Warrigal Road in Ashwood. For bigger shopping trips, Chadstone is about 4.5 kilometres by road.
The two top choices for a relaxing drink and something to eat, in my opinion, are Two Doors Brewing pub and microbrewery at 257 High Street, and The Resident at 246 High Street, a brunch cafe.
Attractions, Parks and Natural Spaces
Markham Reserve on Victory Boulevard is the suburb’s biggest park, at about 11 hectares, with an adventure playground and flying fox, a BMX and skate park, an off-leash dog area and a sportsground beside the Gardiners Creek Trail. Ashburton Park on High Street has a playground, outdoor gym and sportsground.
The Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre on Warner Avenue has indoor and outdoor 25-metre heated pools, a warm-water pool, spas, two indoor courts and a creche. The suburb also has a tennis club on Kelvin Grove and a bowls club on Samarinda Avenue, and the Gardiners Creek and Outer Circle trails link it to Glen Iris, Camberwell and beyond.
Transport
Ashburton has two stations on the Alamein line: Ashburton, next to the High Street shops, and Alamein, the end of the line (see our Melbourne train guide). In peak hours, trains run through to Flinders Street, taking about 30 minutes, but early morning, off-peak, night and weekend services run as a shuttle to Camberwell, where you change trains. Services run about every 15 to 25 minutes. Bus 734 runs along High Street between Glen Iris and Glen Waverley, and bus 612 links the area with Chadstone. By car, the CBD is about 13 kilometres away, roughly 15 minutes in free-flowing traffic.
There are no level crossing removals planned in Ashburton. The nearest Suburban Rail Loop station will be at Burwood, about 4.6 kilometres by road, with trains due in 2035.
Healthcare
The closest emergency department is the private one at Cabrini Malvern, about 4.3 kilometres away, which charges an attendance fee (Cabrini lists $510 for Medicare cardholders). The nearest public emergency departments are Box Hill Hospital (about 8.2 kilometres by road) and Monash Medical Centre in Clayton (about 9 kilometres). High Street has several GP clinics, including Ashburton Medical Clinic, Zest Medical and Ashburton Family Practice. For aged care, BASSCARE’s Samarinda Lodge on High Street has 92 beds, and Rosewood Gardens on Warrigal Road has 41.
Schools and Childcare
Our test of the 2026 and 2027 zone maps puts 59% of Ashburton in the zone for Ashburton Primary School on Fakenham Road (ICSEA 1155) and 36% in the zone for Solway Primary on Taylor Street (ICSEA 1161). St Michael’s on High Street (ICSEA 1139) is the local Catholic primary school. For Year 7, 95% of the suburb is zoned to Ashwood High School in neighbouring Ashwood (about 989 students, ICSEA 1093), and the rest to Glen Eira College. Ashburton is not in the Camberwell High zone, which is worth knowing if that is your goal. Confirm any address on Find My School.
Childcare supply is adequate. CareforKids lists eight centres (October 2026), six with vacancies, and Toddle counts 10 long day care centres averaging about $170 a day, mostly rated Meeting the National Quality Standard. Craig Family Centre is rated Exceeding. Check vacancies on Starting Blocks.
Crime and Safety
The City of Boroondara recorded 5,625.7 offences per 100,000 people in the year to June 2026, up 2.0% but well below the Victorian rate of 8,679.6, according to the Crime Statistics Agency. Ashburton recorded 618 offences, down 6.8% from 663 a year earlier.
Theft from cars was the most common offence (112), and car thefts rose from 47 to 56. Breaches of family violence orders rose from 65 to 85. Home burglaries fell, with 22 non-aggravated burglaries compared with 40 the year before. Lock your car and keep keys out of sight.
Realty Market
Ashburton bucked the Boroondara trend over the past year. Cotality puts the median house price at $1.975 million in the year to June 2026, up 6.8%, from 104 sales with a median of 32 days on market. PropTrack has $2.0 million to 31 August 2026, up 5.2%, from 133 house sales. That is roughly $450,000 less than Glen Iris ($2.46 million) and Camberwell ($2.47 million, both Cotality).
By size, Domain’s figures for the past 12 months show three-bedroom houses at about $1.48 million, four-bedroom houses at $1.99 million and five-bedroom houses at about $2.38 million. Recent sales include 23 Oliver Street for $2.4 million in June 2026 and 6 Vears Road for $1.446 million the same month. The housing stock is mostly houses (76.1% in 2021) and townhouses (20.2%), with very few apartments, so unit medians (about $970,000 to $1 million) come from only about 30 sales a year.
About 25.0% of homes were rented in 2021. Cotality puts median rents at $850 a week for houses (a 2.69% yield), while PropTrack has $1,026 for houses and $677 for units. Rental stress is real: in 2021, 26.1% of renting households paid 30% or more of their income in rent.
Our Thoughts on Ashburton
Ashburton is the most affordable way into Boroondara’s southern half. You get a walkable village strip, a train station, two primary schools with ICSEA scores above 1150, a pool and big creekside parks, for about $450,000 less than Glen Iris or Camberwell. It suits families who want a house and garden and are comfortable with Ashwood High as their secondary pathway.
It is less suited to commuters who need a fast, frequent train at all hours, since off-peak services often stop at Camberwell, or to families set on Camberwell High. Expect High Street to change too, with buildings of up to six storeys now allowed. If you want a similar feel with more transport options, Glen Iris is the obvious comparison. If you want a bigger budget saving, Ashwood next door has a median house price of about $1.42 million (Cotality).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which high school is Ashburton zoned to?
Mostly Ashwood High School. Our test of the 2026 and 2027 zone maps puts 95% of Ashburton in the Ashwood High zone and the rest in Glen Eira College’s zone. Ashburton is not in the Camberwell High zone.
How tall can buildings be on High Street, Ashburton?
Under the activity centre plan finalised in July 2026, High Street can generally go to 6 storeys, or 8 on larger sites. Homes within about 800 metres can go to 3 storeys, or 4 on larger lots.
Do trains from Ashburton go to the city?
In peak hours, yes, taking about 30 minutes to Flinders Street. At other times the Alamein line runs as a shuttle to Camberwell, where you change trains.
How much does a house cost in Ashburton?
About $1.98 million to $2 million in 2026, up about 5% to 7% on a year earlier (Cotality to June 2026; PropTrack to 31 August 2026).
Is Ashburton safe?
Yes, by Melbourne standards. Boroondara’s crime rate is well below the Victorian average, and Ashburton’s recorded offences fell 6.8% in the year to June 2026.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 and 2016 Census QuickStats: Ashburton (SAL20077, SSC20076)
- Victorian Places, “Ashburton” (accessed 6 October 2026)
- City of Boroondara, Amendment C337boro Ashburton Heritage Gap Study (Council agenda 28 March 2022; gazetted 30 June 2022)
- Homes Victoria, Alamein Avenue Ashburton project (2026); City of Boroondara Your Say, Alamein Avenue and Ambon Street (March 2026)
- Architectus and built.com.au, Markham Avenue Ashburton (completed December 2022)
- Department of Transport and Planning, Ashburton activity centre page, factsheet and plan (June to October 2026), and Phase 2 consultation summary (2026)
- City of Boroondara Your Say, Victorian Government activity centres (2026)
- apartments.com.au, Adorn, 310 High Street (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Victorian Big Build, Suburban Rail Loop East Burwood (modified 29 September 2026)
- Crime Statistics Agency Victoria, Recorded Offences, year ending June 2026 (LGA and suburb tables)
- Department of Education, school zones 2026 and 2027 (DataVic), tested against the Ashburton boundary on 6 October 2026
- ACARA My School data via schoolrank.com.au, 2025
- CareforKids, Toddle and KindiCare, Ashburton childcare (accessed 6 October 2026)
- healthdirect Australia, Ashburton GP search; Cabrini, emergency department (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Aged Care Guide, Ashburton aged care homes (accessed 6 October 2026)
- City of Boroondara, Markham Reserve, Ashburton Park and Ashburton Library pages; Boroondara Leisure, Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Ashburton Village traders, IGA and Two Doors Brewing websites; Urban List and AGFG, The Resident (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Transit route information for the Alamein line and bus 734; Rome2Rio (accessed 6 October 2026)
- OpenStreetMap Nominatim and OSRM, geocoding and road distances (6 October 2026)
- Your Investment Property (Cotality data), Ashburton and comparison suburbs, year to June 2026
- Barry Plant (PropTrack data), Ashburton suburb profile, 12 months to 31 August 2026
- Domain, Ashburton VIC 3147 suburb profile and sold listings (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Homely, Ashburton VIC 3147 suburb reviews (accessed 6 October 2026)
- Suburb boundary: suburbs.json (Victorian locality boundaries), area and distance calculated 6 October 2026
Want to compare Ashburton with Glen Iris, Malvern East and the rest of the city? Explore more suburb guides in our Melbourne metropolitan regions guide.