Essendon is a suburb known for excellent schools, green spaces and proximity to the Melbourne CBD.

Located in the City of Moonee Valley, its neighbours include Essendon North, Niddrie, Aberfeldie, Moonee Ponds, Brunswick West and Pascoe Vale South.

Divided by the main thoroughfare of Mt Alexander Road, it is framed by waterways, including Moonee Ponds Creek and the Maribyrnong River. The latter is home to the popular Maribyrnong River Trail that weaves through the north-western suburbs of Melbourne and where walking, cycling, boating and fishing are common activities

Other reserves include Woodlands Park, Riverside Park and Montgomery Park, providing residents with wide open spaces and meeting places for picnics, barbecues and activities.

At the 2021 Census, 21,000 people called Essendon home. The suburb has a growing cafe and restaurant scene with trendy eateries and bars, which signifies its changing demographic.

Meanwhile, an array of stores from high-end brands to supermarkets are at your fingertips, with major shopping precincts of Essendon Fields and Essendon DFO nearby.

The calibre of schooling in and around Essendon has become a major drawcard, with top-quality public and private schools drawing families and young couples into the area. These include Aberfeldie Primary School, Essendon Keilor College, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, St Bernard’s College and Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School.

The suburb is also the home of the Essendon Football Club, which historically trained at Windy Hill (the Essendon Recreation Reserve) before relocating to Tullamarine. At a community level, Essendon has a strong sporting culture with clubs including AFL, athletics, basketball, cricket, netball, hockey, rowing and soccer.

Essendon is characterised by a mix of houses from the Edwardian and Victorian eras, as well as Art Deco properties, apartments and modern homes.

According to figures from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV), a typical house in Essendon rose to $1.9455 million in the year to June 2022. A unit was priced at $645,000 in that same period.

Situated just 8km from the CBD, Essendon is well connected via public transport and major arterials. It is part of the Craigieburn train line with Essendon, Glenbervie and Strathmore stations providing frequent services to and from the city. Or catch the number 59 tram along Mount Alexander and Keilor Roads. Melbourne Airport is about a 15- minute drive via the M2, Keilor Road, Calder Freeway and M79.

Barry Plant Essendon director Bill Karp said more people were moving into the area after realising Essendon’s potential and desirable location.

“Compared to other parts of Melbourne, what we have on offer in an 8km radius represents significantly great value,” he said.