Bundoora - Melbourne Suburbs

The first time ever that I landed in this amazing land of opportunities, Australia, I had arrived as an inspired student to pursue a Masters in Information Technology course in La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria.

The first place I called home in Australia was the vibrant suburb of Bundoora located in Melbourne’s North, a bit on the east side. The Bundoora area was originally inhabited by the Kurnaj-berring tribe of the Wurundjeri clan. Europeans first arrived in the Bundoora area, known at the time as the Parish of Keelbundora, in 1835. The Bundoora Post Office opened on 1 October 1863.

Current day, the suburb consists of a healthy mix of ethnicities. The most common ancestries in Bundoora are Australian, English, Italian, Chinese and Irish. More than half of the population of Bundoora consists of people born in Australia. The remaining comprise of a mixture of countries such as China, Italy, India, Greece, etc.

Bundoora can definitely be called as one of the biggest hubs of education in Australia. It boasts of the La Trobe University which was established in 1964 and is Victoria’s third largest University with its biggest campus in Bundoora. Having spent 2 years pursuing my Masters course at La Trobe, I cannot describe the sheer size of the campus – It is MASSIVE. From La Trobe, just a 10-min drive or tram ride ahead is one of Australia’s biggest university, RMIT. RMIT’s East Campus area, located in Bundoora, is home to RMIT’s Wind Tunnel and RMIT University Sports Statistics Research Group. Apart from these leading Universities, Bundoora is also home to a few very well-known primary schools and Catholic-Christian colleges. The Parade College, Bundoora Secondary College, Loyola Collect just to name a few. These schools, colleges and universities have produced some fantastic brains and successful personalities.

Thinking about public transport in Bundoora, the first thing that comes to mind is the iconic Tram Route 86. The route has been in existence since 1986, before I was born. Bundoora is the terminus of the Tram route 86 with the other end in Docklands, near the waterways, just besides Melbourne CBD. Although not having a train line passing through the suburb itself, there are various options to get to nearby train stations such as Watsonia on Hurstbridge line & Reservoir and South Morang on the South Morang. There are buses frequently available from Bundoora to these train stations. From the Latrobe University bus link on Plenty Road there is access to many suburbs throughout Melbourne, even connecting the north to the south. On a weekend the Nightrider has services running through Bundoora for late night travel. For cyclists, Bundoora offers the Western Ring Road Trail and Darebin Creek Trail for recreational as well communitive cycling.

Renting or buying a place in Bundoora doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg as compared to some of the other suburbs of Melbourne. Renting or buying is very affordable and there are large number of options available. Accommodation is very readily available since there is a large population on students living in the area. The rental costs, a lot of time, include accommodation, utilities such as electricity, gas and internet. Thus, helping new students keep a track of their budget. The accommodation is starting to become more modern and aligned with the trends of today. Bundoora is definitely a good area to buy an investment property in as you will almost always have a tenant in. I have some mates from my uni-days who have bought properties in Bundoora and cannot be happier with their choice. Bundoora is definitely a hot-spot for renting and purchasing properties.

In my 5 year stay in Bundoora, including my study years, I have had multiple jobs. I have never had any issues finding work to support myself. Bundoora offers a varied range of employment options ranging from working in a café, in one of the factories or warehouses to working as a tutor in the University and teaching the next batch of students in the same course as yourself. Bundoora boasts of a wide range of factories and warehouses from car repairs to carpenters. Lots of opportunities around to earn a decent living and utilise physical as well as mental skills and expertise.

Bundoora offers a lot of recreational activities that do not take a big swing at your wallet. There are acres of parks available to enjoy a picnic with your friends, there’s Northland Shopping Centre that is a one-stop shop for all your needs. There are strings of cafes where you can have a nice time with your friends and families. Bundoora also offers an amazing mix of restaurants of different cuisines offering delicious food. There are sports and aquatic centres that offer lots of option to participate in activities of your choice and also keep fit at the same time.

Bundoora is big hold on sports as well. It has a football team competing in the Northern Football League. Golfers play at the Bundoora Park Public Course on Plenty Road. Bundoora is also home to the Bundoora Brumbies Baseball Club. The City Football Academy, administrative and training headquarters of A-League club Melbourne City FC is located in Bundoora, adjacent to the La Trobe Universitymain campus.