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Caroline Springs - Melbourne Suburb Guide Caroline Springs is a suburb of Melbourne Australia. It is located 25 kilometers (15.5 mi) west of the CBD and borders Burnside, Taylors Hill, Burnside Heights, and Plumpton. Caroline Springs is a relatively new suburb and was established in 1999, and due to this has a relatively younger demographic. It is mostly residential, in one of the trendier parts of the Western Suburbs of Melbourne and is well suited to families with young kids, as well as professionals who have significant employment prospects due to the proximity of the CBD. House Prices - Renting Vs. Buying Compared to other similar suburbs in Melbourne, Caroline Springs offers excellent value due to the lower price of houses to both buy and rent, as well as its proximity to the CBD. Caroline Springs Houses have a median price of $563,000, with a weekly median rent price of $390 Caroline Springs Units have a median price of $400,000, with a weekly median rent price of $370 Things To Do There is plenty to do in Caroline Springs that will ensure fun for people of all ages. Some of the highlights include: ● WestWaters Hotel & Entertainment Complex - is the Western Suburbs premier entertainment venue and is great for leisure, business, and entertainment. ● Lake Caroline - a beautiful man-made lake, which provides the perfect place to take the family to feed the ducks, or to go for a relaxing walk or jog around the lake. ● ThreeSixty Trampoline Park - Soar high and let yourself go as you defy the laws of gravity, perfect entertainment for kids and adults alike. ● Chipmunks Playland and Cafe - The perfect place to play and party all day, for kids aged 0-11. Public Transport Caroline Springs is largely a car-dependent suburb, and most people travel everywhere via car. Recently the public transport services have been upgraded and run more frequently, however, most of the time you will still require a car to reach the train station, or bus stop. Caroline Springs train station opened in January 2017. It is part of the V-Line Regional Public Transport Network on the Ararat line. However the station itself is quite far from Caroline Springs, and you will require a car or bus to reach it. There are only 350 parking spaces, and they are almost certainly always full by 8 or 9 am on weekdays. The station is in Zone 2, and to travel to the CBD requires a Zone 1 & 2 ticket. It takes about 25 minutes to reach Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station. As it is a regional train, services are not frequent outside of peak times, and on the weekend, and you should always check the timetable before travel. Another nearby station is Watergardens Railway Station, which is on the Sunbury line and a part of the Metro Trains Network. There are 588 parking spaces, and trains run more frequently via Watergardens (approx every 10 minutes in peak times, and every 20-30 minutes at non-peak times). This station is also in Zone 2, and the train goes through the City Loop, while also stopping at Southern Cross Station and Flinders Street Station. Trains take about 35-40 minutes to reach the CBD. With two train stations both within a 10-15 minute drive, it becomes a trade-off of a quicker service to the CBD from Caroline Springs Station, compared to a more frequent and reliable service from Watergardens station. It is advisable to check the timetable of both train lines, and then select the one that fits best within your schedule. From November 2017, improved local bus services improve the connection between Deer Park, Sunshine, Watergardens, and Caroline Springs. Routes 456 and 426 provide a more frequent service with extended operating hours between Rockbank Middle Road, Burnside and Sunshine Station via Albion Station and Ballarat Road. The combined service of the two buses operates every 10 minutes during peak periods, and 20 minutes during the day, 7 days per week. The 20 minute service runs until around 8:30 pm weeknights, and then operates every 30 minutes for later evening services. Buses operate from approximately 5 am to 12:30 am on weekdays and Saturdays, and on Sundays from 7am to midnight. Walking and Cycling Caroline Springs offers excellent walking trails, as well as natural parklands to provide the perfect scenery. There are trails to suit all fitness levels. The most popular are to walk around Lake Caroline which offers picturesque views of the lake. Another walking trail is Kororoit Creek Trail which is a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists and follows along the creek. Commencing in Caroline Springs Boulevard, the train then goes through Burnside, Albanvale and then to Deer Park. (total distance approx 10km). There are also lots of local parks, including Caroline Springs Lake Reserve which includes facilities such as a BBQ, shade areas, and a car park, making them great places to take the family for an afternoon. Shopping Caroline Springs has a premium convenience shopping centre, CS Square. The centre underwent a redevelopment in 2009 and now contains over 55 quality retailers and is sure to have everything you need under one roof, including department stores, supermarkets, and banks. In addition to conveniently located car parks, the shopping centre is also accessible by bus. In addition to CS Square, Watergardens Town Centre is only a 10-minute drive away and is the second largest shopping complex in the Western Suburbs. After an expansion in 2007, the centre almost doubled its size, and now features over 100 specialty shops, and 220 businesses. It includes a 600-seat food court, a cinema complex, library, bowling centre, and over 4,700 free parking spaces. It can also be easily accessed by public transport, Watergardens train station is directly next to the town centre. Schools Caroline Springs has many great schools in the suburb. There have been a couple of schools unexpectedly close within the past 12 months, but there are still a lot of options which offer an outstanding education. The following are schools within Caroline Springs: Primary Southern Cross Grammar - an outstanding school which is rated the best in the area. P-6, 458 Students, Address: Cnr Gourlay Road and Lancefield Drive, Caroline Springs Secondary Lakeview Senior College - is a Government Secondary School for Years 10-12 Address: College St, Caroline Springs Catholic St George Preca Catholic Primary School - P-6, 379 students, Address: 22-48 Lancefield Drive, Caroline Springs Christ The Priest Primary School - P-6, 669 Students, Address: 54 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs Combined Brookside College - P-9, 940 Students, Address: Federation Way, Caroline Springs Creekside College - K-9, 1495 students, Address - The Crossing, Caroline Springs Springside P-9 College, P-9, 1049 students, Becca Way, Caroline Springs Overall, Caroline Springs is one of the best suburbs in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne; it is affordable, safe, only 25kms from the CBD, and perfect for young families and professionals. It has great shopping centres, parks, and schools, with the only downside being that to live here a car is certainly required.