Croydon

Croydon is located in Melbourne's leafy outer eastern suburbs, in the foothills of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges, between Ringwood and Montrose.

Croydon features an abundance of shopping facilities including the attractive tree-lined shopping strip along Main Street where there are cafes, outdoor eating areas and many retailers. Across the railway line north of Main Street is the under cover shopping centre Croydon Central, while south of Main Street on the other side of Mt Dandenong Road is the Arndale Civic Shopping Centre.

Croydon enjoys a plentiful supply of parkland, open space and sporting facilities. On the east side of Main Street is Croydon Park which has a large oval, swimming pool, BBQ areas and a playground. Just across Mt Dandenong Road is Town Park where there's an athletics track, skate park, tennis courts and a network of pathways through the parkland. Croydon's library, the City of Maroondah service centre and an aquatic centre are situated around a lake within the park. Cyclists and walkers can follow the Tarralla Creek Trail southwards to Canterbury Road via Eastfield Park.

To the north at Croydon Hills and Croydon North are residential areas which contain a generous selection of parkland. Off Croydon Hills Drive and Lakeside Crescent is the 9 hectare Candlebark Walk Reserve which features a lake, wetlands, lawns and pathways through natural bushland. The nearby Yarrunga Reserve is home to a community centre and includes a lake, bushland, playground and BBQ facilities. Hochkins Ridge Flora Reserve, located off Exeter Road, is one of Croydon's largest and most diverse reserves with a vast range of native plant species.

For the best views in Croydon, head to the top of Monastery Hill, off Wicklow Avenue. A monastery originally opened on the site in 1939, and it is now occupied by the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a primary school. Enjoy views of Mt Dandenong capped with its communications towers, as well as the surrounding mountains of the Dandenong Ranges.

Croydon's tree-lined boulevards, framed with views of the mountain peaks of the Dandenong Ranges, create a village atmosphere and make it an attractive place to visit.