Abbotsford
vic 3067

Abbotsford is bounded by Collingwood, Richmond and Clifton Hill and separated from Kew by the meandering Yarra River. Formerly part of the City of Collingwood, it is now part of the City of Yarra.

Victoria Street forms the southern boundary to Abbotsford (with Richmond); Hoddle Street forms the western boundary (with Collingwood); the Eastern Freeway forms the northern boundary (with Clifton Hill) while the Yarra forms the eastern boundary with Kew, in Boroondara. Some well known Abbotsford landmarks include the Skipping Girl Sign, Dights Falls, the former Collingwood Town Hall, Victoria Park Football Stadium and Abbotsford Convent.

Abbotsford is designated one of the 82 Major Activity centres listed in the Metropolitan Strategy Melbourne 2030. Dights Falls, where the Merri Creek and Yarra River joins, is a short walk from the Collingwood Children's Farm and is a favourite spot for kayakers and picnickers. Cyclists pass through the farm on the Yarra River Trail, which follows the Yarra River from the city to Dight's Falls, where it meets the Merri Creek Trail. This also forms part of the Capital City Trail. Studley Park, an extensive parkland which merges with the larger Yarra Bend Park, contains Dights Falls and features within it a golf course, sports grounds, and small pockets of natural forest.

Collingwood Children's Farm was established in 1979 by the local community with the support of the former City of Collingwood and the former Department of Education to give city children "a taste of country life". It is located next to the grounds of the Abbotsford Convent Arts Precinct and a Steiner School, on a bend in the Yarra River.

Like many of Melbourne's inner suburbs, there are few detached houses in Abbotsford. Residential streets are often narrow, and some streets are leafy. A large proportion of houses in Abbotsford are subject to Heritage overlay provisions, which protect their heritage value.

The older residential sections consist mostly of working class single-storey Victorian terrace houses. Some double-storey terraces are found along the railway line and off the tram line on Victoria Street.

Unlike the terraces in the wealthier suburbs of the City, many in Abbotsford remain in a state of disrepair and few have been renovated. Among the notable ones are terraces in Charles Street, and the identical pair of Dorothy and Winniefrir terraces in Lulie Street, which are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

In recent years, many previous industrial and commercial sites have been redeveloped as housing, including sites along the Yarra River and the Denton Mills hat factory.

Abbotsford has a government primary school (Abbotsford Primary School) and the Sophia Mundi Steiner School, which caters for students from Prep to Year 12.

Two railway stations are located in Abbotsford, both on the Mernda and Hurstbridge lines. The Collingwood railway station services the middle of the suburb, whilst Victoria Park station services the northern section and Victoria Park stadium. Nearby North Richmond Station also services the southernmost part of the suburb.

Tram route 109 (Port Melbourne/Box Hill) runs down Victoria Street and route 78 terminates at the corner of Church Street and Victoria Street (technically in Richmond).

Great for:

• Public Transport
• Resale or Rental Value
• Internet Access
• Neighbourly Spirit
• Eating Out

Who lives here?

• Professionals
• Singles
• Families with kids
• Retirees
• LGBT+

Sources/References: Wikipedia