Brighton is a long narrow suburb of 8,2KM2 with a north-south orientation running parallel with Port Phillip Bay and bounded by the Bay, Nepean Highway to the east, South Road, Glenhuntly Road to the north with a western cut-out that is annexed to Elwood. Adjoining suburbs are Elwood, Elsternwick, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton.
Brighton’s allotments are typically bigger than normal. The resident population of 20, 650 live in a modest density of 2,500 per KM2. Two-thirds of Brighton’s dwellings are freestanding homes with a current median price of $1.35 million, a 110% premium over surrounding suburbs. Units sell at an average of $560,000 – a 60% over the average median price of the region.
Besides the excellent private schools that dot this and neighbouring suburbs, Brighton has excellent beachside facilities, grand shopping experiences in Church Street (sometimes described as the southern counterpart of Toorak), a local twin-screen cinema, and some distinctive street layouts (some are crescent shape while others are set on the diagonal. Residents like the perceived aura about their Brighton lifestyle.
And the lifestyle is appealing. The shopping is good. Access to the city is excellent – the 13KM takes about 30 minutes using Barkly Street or St.Kilda Road. The suburb is well serviced by trains and buses. Trams from Glenhuntly Road pass the northern boundary travel to the city via Brighton Road.
Two primary schools servicing the local area are Elsternwick Primary and the Star of the Sea Catholic College. Private schools, however, dominate the scene. Brighton Grammar, Firbank Grammar, St. Leonards College, Hailbury College’s Castlefield Campus, Xavier College are either located within or close to the suburb borders. Brighton has double the State average ratio of primary students at private school compared with State primary enrolments. At secondary level however, this ratio difference becomes threefold.
Which brings us to the beach … and what a beach! There’s beach boxes for hire (if you can get one), plus walks and rides along the Elwood-Brighton mixed bike trail. The Middle Brighton pier and rock wall shelters yachts and pleasure craft ready for the next sailing, skiing or fishing sojourn on Port Phillip. Yes, the lifestyle!