My suburb is an urban oasis, never mind the bikies. But there was the rotting cabbage smell

June 1, 2026 — 7:00pm

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My wife and I found our suburb by accident. It was our shortcut to the Eastern Freeway from Brunswick.

One day, in 2009, we took a minor detour to a garage sale and stumbled across an oasis of tree-lined streets only a few metres from the traffic jam of Grange Road. The surprising peace and the greenery were enough to make us say, “We should live here”. We have lived in Alphington, a suburb that many people drive through but don’t even know exists, ever since.

When I tell people where I live, I typically get a confused look. We only have a few landmarks, but they’re usually enough for people to work it out. Most know the Dan Murphy’s on Heidelberg Road. It’s not any old Dan Murphy’s, but the flagship store with the head office attached.

Just 500 metres further along Heidelberg Road is the Hells Angels clubhouse, which for decades has been proudly positioned in what was a suburban home, with their logo splashed across a fortified gate. They’ve been quiet lately, but used to have an annual Christmas party with a jumping castle in the front yard. Alphington also has the Chandler Highway, which at 1.8 kilometres is often said to be the shortest highway in the world.

Get away from the busy roads and you will find tranquil pockets of bush that make you forget you’re only about seven kilometres from the CBD. The southern border of Alphington is the Yarra River, with a dirt trail along the bank, and wetlands. If you fancy risking a dip, there are even the remnants of a historic swimming pool along a bend in the Yarra.

The bird calls, especially from rainbow lorikeets, currawongs and kookaburras, can even drown out the traffic noise. Occasionally, kangaroos and deer find their way........

© The Age