Lilydale Vs Werribee Livability and Prospects

Hi all,

My family is fortunate enough to be able to choose to upgrade to a slightly bigger home if we choose to and we would really like to. I'm in a bit of a dilemma trying to choose between two suburb options of Lilydale (closer to the Mooroolbark side) and Werribee. I want to build my home; so suburbs closer to the city are not an option and if it is, it isn't within my budget.

People generally look down on Melbourne's western suburbs for reasons like quality of education and the prevalent ethnic demographics. But I don't care for ethnicity and I believe the quality of education in the west will only continue to go up with all the new schools with better infrastructure coming up. Also, due to all the new estates coming up everywhere, there are lots of new town centres, shopping centres, lots of parks and facilities like tennis courts, playgrounds etc within estates. I also like that the time to commute to the CBD takes lesser compared to areas with new estates in the north, east and south east. One negative for me is that almost all of the west looks brown and dull. Crime statistics for the west also seems higher though I never experienced any personally during my time in the west.

Lilydale on the other hand looks better and greener. But the infrastructure (schools, roads, shopping centres etc) while not shabby, doesn't seem like it's gonna improve much. Quality of education doesn't seem any better compared to Werribee. A new house here would also cost an extra 150-200k compared to the west. Crime stats are lower that the west.

I haven't lived around Mooroolbark/Lilydale so I don't know how good a suburb it is. Looking to get some feedback from the Melbourne based OzB community on what they think is the better choice.

TLDR: Lilydale Vs Werribee. Which is the better suburb to live in

Poll Options expired

  • 18
    Lilydale
  • 20
    Werribee

Comments

  • +23

    In all my time I've never heard of anyone cross shopping werribee and lilydale.

    • +3

      Ozbargain is magical

  • +2

    Don't chickens come from Lilydale? Land value probably will never go up there if it smells like chicken shi and there's trucks of dead chickens coming and going all the time.

    • +4

      As opposed to the Sewerage farms in Werribee?

  • I’ve heard Frankston is a hoot

    • +1

      My nephew was an intern doctor in their Emergency Department. Let’s just say that if you are drinking beer then don’t take your kitchen knife to cut a lemon off the tree.

      • +1

        "that's not a knife"

    • +6

      It's a real blast. I heard the locals were shocked when a bomb went off behind the Frankston library. The locals didn't realise that Frankston had a library.

  • Lilydale by a country mile.

    • Is it a country mile because lilydale still feels like a country town?

      • Really hasn't changed much in the last 20 years. Nice change of pace from Sydney.

  • +2

    If you're commuting into the city for work, it's a really long trip from Lilydale.

  • -1

    Infrastructure in the Western Suburbs is literally decades behind Lilydale.

    In some Western Suburb estates you can wait half an hour in peak hour just to leave the estate and another half an hour to get off the freeway on the way home in the afternoon. In LIlydale you will rarely have to wait for more than one light change during peak hour at any intersection.

    Western Suburbs hospitals are massively over-capacity compared to the Outer East, where you have several options.

    Public transport, while hardly great in Lilydale either, is absolutely woeful in the west. At least in Lilydale you'll get a seat on the train and run express more or less from Mitcham into the city.

    All of the Western Suburb growing pains are only going to get worse. The population of Werribee is forecast to grow by 50% over the next 15 years, while the population of Tarneit to the north is forecast to more than double in that time. Everyone commuting from Geelong to the CBD will also be going straight past your house. All of these new residents will be competing for more or less exactly the same roads and train seats that you see today.

    Even when the government starts building infrastructure in the West you'll be left dealing with years of construction zones, traffic diversions and reduced speed limits. The western end of the Westgate Bridge has been a construction zone for years and that's only going to creep slowly west. Expect to never see an end to construction zones along roadways in the area in your lifetime.

    • -7

      but Dan is pumping funds in new level crossings and injecting rooms, plus a circular train connection which was closed down a few years ago due to under utilisation….. maybe they are not ALP voters?

      • +5

        Pretty sure they are Labor voters, although let's be honest, in Victoria who isn't?

        Also, pretty sure that the cost of an injecting room isn't comparable to the cost of a new hospital or freeway, although it /is/ reducing demand on ambulances and hospital emergency departments, so there is that.

        Also, they're level crossing /removals/, which improve traffic flow and increase the ability of trains to run more frequently (since they don't have to be spaced out so that cars have time to cross between train services). That's part of the infrastructure needed to increase system capacity and was long overdue in Victoria - Sydney got rid of all of their significant level crossings decades ago.

        Also, the Outer Circle Railway, which I presume is what you're referring to, closed 130 years ago. At the time the population of Melbourne was 10% of what it is today (490,000 compared to 5,235,000).

        But sure, a disproportionate amount of infrastructure spend from both parties has gone towards marginal seats along the Monash Freeway in Melbourne's South East. Go figure.

        • Considering labor won on around ~34% primary, roughly 66% aren’t

          • +1

            @Ozschmargain: It was a cheap throwaway line for a giggle, obviously, but this interests me so…

            Since we're talking about "Dan", at the last state election the ALP won 37% of the primary vote and 55% of Victorian voters expressed a preference for the ALP over the next most viable alternative. (In Werribee it was 45.4% / 60.9% two party preferred.)

            Regardless, the distinction isn't as meaningful as you imply. Today I might prefer butterscotch ice cream instead of chocolate or spinach, however I'll still be perfectly happy with a scoop of chocolate if butterscotch isn't available.

            Also, ranked preferences are still votes. We don't operate on a first past the post system in this country.

      • +2

        The problem that werribee/point cook suffer from is they are resolutely labor (Julia was MP for the locale). So when the LNP is in power they get no money since they can never turn it. And when labor are in power, they get no money because the LNP can never turn it.

        Practically all the investment in Melbourne should be going into the western suburbs to fix the issues, but instead they are digging tunnels in the east.

        Thus endeth the lesson on the corruption of australian politics.

    • I think you are speaking about Point Cook when you talk about the west. Getting out of Werribee estates like Riverwalk/ Harpley into the freeway is quite a short drive actually. Also, the train station is like 5 min away and I always managed to get a seat as the train usually starts from there. I commuted two days from Mooroolbark and it was definitely longer and not any better than commuting from Werribee. And I understand disruptions when infrastructure is being built or upgraded and I can live with that for about 2-3 years till WFH becomes a thing of the past again :(

      I haven't even considered Point Cook as an option cuz public transport is a priority for me.

      • I am speaking about development areas in the west generally, particularly areas north of Geelong Road such as Werribee South, Werribee, Manor Lakes, Tarneit and Truganina.

        Obviously every estate is different, but personally I'd stay away from Harpley because it's essentially landlocked behind the railway line and there's a lot more land to develop to the west before development around that estate hits the Urban Growth Boundary.

        With two major roads either side, Riverwalk will be harder to lock in so that should work better. Also, it's already hit the edge of the Urban Growth Boundary so once that estate fills in that's more or less it for new neighbours. Good access to Werribee River open space too. You could do a lot worse.

        Your assumption of "2-3 years" for infrastructure to fill in is vastly too optimistic though. Some residents in these estates have been waiting 7-8 years just for a local school.

        • Harpley actually has a road that links directly into princess freeway coming up. And local schools in Riverwalk and Harpley are not a problem either as the new schools have already come up. And yes, riverwalk is my first preference.

  • +1

    100% Lilydale. I used to live in Point Cook and in two years, it became a nightmare. 15 mins just to get to the freeway! It was shocking. I liked the shops available, but just how the road infrastructure is, no way. Plus there is the crime rate in the area….. as you have stated.

    What do you and your wife/partner do for work? Do you have to be close to the city? Is further east or even northern suburbs an option? Especially if you want to build.

    I moved from Point Cook to Warragul pre covid. My wife is a school teacher and is only 10 mins from home now. I am lucky enough to be able to WFH. Yes, it is about 1.5 hours to the CBD, however, the lifestyle and housing is a lot better. Plus, it is all freeway driving, so it is an easy drive if you need to go to Pakenham or Traralgon for major shops which is only about 40 mins.

    • I know about Point Cook. Hence have not considered it at all. More curious to get feedback for Werribee and Lilydale

      • Point Cook, Werribee, Tarneit, Hoppers Crossing they are all just as bad to be honest.

        • Na.. I have lived in the western suburbs. It's not as bad as people who don't live here make it out to be. Werribee is my pick of the lot and I think Williams landing has a lot of scope if it were planned properly and crime rate goes down a bit.

          • @0FoxGiven:

            Na.. I have lived in the western suburbs. It's not as bad as people who don't live here make it out to be.

            Yes, so have I. I lived in Sunshine before going to Point Cook.

            I think Williams landing has a lot of scope if it were planned properly and crime rate goes down a bit.

            Yes, I agree.

  • +1

    Lilydale for sure. Used to live in that area. Close to nature (Dandenong ranges), Yarra valley wineries and the lake. Chirnside Park shopping center is good enough for fruits/veggies/fish and meat and then you can always drive a bit further to Eastland for upmarket shopping.

  • We live in the Lilydale area. Been very happy here for over 20 years now. The area has everything we need, plenty of schools, shops, doctors, restaurants, wineries, etc. We are also close to the bush and the beautiful mountains.

  • As others have said Werribee really doesn't have much going for it (when compared to Lilydale) other than cheaper house prices and proximity to the city. There's a huge amount of new estates going up out here in the west with poor road and public transport infrastructure, so commute times into the city are only going to get worse over time as it builds up. We bought in Deer Park about 10 years ago to be close to the city (20min train commute) and family in Caroline Springs, while we don't mind it here we're looking to move somewhere greener in the next year or two.

  • Insurance premiums (both life and property) would be higher in Werribee

    • I don't suspect it would be so much different that it would make their choice any easier.

  • +1

    Have you considered Geelong? The commute from Geelong to Melbourne CBD isn't as bad as you might think and probably comparable to that from Lilydale.
    Then you have a relaxed country lifestyle with great beaches, cafes etc without the hussle and bussle of Melbourne.
    Also with the capped VLine train fares you are only up for maximum $9 per day.

    • I love Geelong. If there were more job opportunities for my kind of work and if my friends circle were closer to Geelong I would move there in a heartbeat.

  • -5

    Neiter of them!! I wouldn't be desperate / poor enough to live in Victoria!

    • As opposed to?

  • The both have eight letters so I’d suggest preference by alphabetical order.

    • Which alphabet? Some don't have a 'w' so what then?

      • +1

        If the alphabet you’re using doesn’t have a letter of the word you are using, you’re doing it wrong.

        L is before W. Therefore lilydale is better, but Werribee is second and obviously the first iteration isn’t the best so Werribee is better.

  • Lilydale ….. for all the free-range chooks

  • Read Barry Humphries "Sleepers! Wake". Was written a long time ago and still holds true. If I was looking and my heart was leaning towards Werribee, I'd stretch it and go for something down in Geelong. The projects down there still stack up better than Werribee. You then have the potential options of the growing business landscape down there, proposed high-speed train link to Melbourne (but like the airport rail…that's been 30 years and still no movement). Avalon becoming an international airport (proposed). Tassie Ferry now docks in Geelong. Ferry links to Melbourne from Geelong and Port Arlington. Lilydale provides good links also into the countryside etc…but there's not much out there for growth potential (airports, industry/business, transport options). If you work in the CBD, when things break out west (train stoppages, car accidents etc) - your commute becomes hell unless working from home is a good option.

    • Read Barry Humphries "Sleepers! Wake"

      You may have picked the wrong box. The author is Barry Jones.

      Barry Humphries may lean towards Moonee Ponds.

  • Where does your family or your partners family live ?

    • Currently in the Western suburbs. And we have no issue with it at all. Commute to work and facilities are all pretty good (all pros over Lilydale).

      But the suburbs look dull (but changing for the better very fast) and I'm told education (which I'm not too worried about at the moment cuz my kid is a toddler) is not so good in the west. But Lilydale's zoned schools are not that good either if I go by rankings and from what I read up online, the schools infrastructure is pretty lacking as well.

      • +1

        Education is what your child makes of it.

        The west has an abundance of private and religious based schools, which would be better than the public schools.

        I'd go where you're closer to family IMO

        • Education is what your child makes of it.

          This. Some kids will thrive anywhere, others need to find the right fit for them. They could do extremely poorly at one school, but do very well at another. It’s rarely a reflection on the school itself, but rather how the schools values align with the child.

          I’ve known people to go through top tier private education and struggle with the environment, to leave to go to public and do extremely well. Conversely, I know people that went through private who would have slipped under the radar in public, and the private environment got the best out of them.

  • Any time I work in the city or surrounds, driving back home to the Bellarine I drive past the turn offs to Werribee and see them banked up for what seems like at least 1km along the Princes.

    Glad I don't have to sit on that.

    • I never drive to work. So never really had to deal with that. On a side note, how is life on the Bellarine? What's your opinion about St.Leonards?

      • St Leonards is peaceful, at least in comparison.
        Still very county.
        It is slowly building up, much like everywhere else, but at a lot slower rate and along the Esplanade is getting bought up and demolished for the prime land similar to the Mornington side.

        I think the supermarket out there is an IGA but doesn't have much else, the pub is great in the summer.

        We're a little closer towards Geelong in Clifton Springs which we found to be a great mix of far enough from Geelong but still close enough, and amenities so that we don't have to travel for much if we don't want to.

        Public transport is definitely lacking though, buses only out this far, but from Geelong trains are good.

  • Werribee to Southern Cross Station = 35 Minutes.
    Lilydale to Southern Cross Station = 56 Minutes.

    This has been my reality for my entire career as I've always lived about an hour out of the city, the reality was that was where the higher paid jobs were so you just had to do. I get on the train, read a book to watch a TV how on my phone and the journey kind of disappears, but it also means your 9 - 5 is closer to 7 - 6. Fine if you accept that down time/decompress time… which I doesn't quite work for me, especially with a wife and kids at home where you miss out on a lot of things.
    Going into work seating is not a problem since you're at the end of the line, coming home (even now) sometimes you don't get one if you're getting on at Flagstaff or Parliament stations and standing up to Ringwood suuuuucks.

    Although in a post COVID world it depends on your job and if you are required to physically be at your place of employment every day or if you can work remotely.

  • I want to build my home

    Really curious about why this is so important?

    suburbs closer to the city are not an option and if it is, it isn't within my budget

    Are they within budget if you don’t have to build your home?

    Lilydale on the other hand… while not shabby

    Not gonna lie, read this as “stabby”. But I agree with you, I’m in the west and the crime has never really been something I’ve noticed, except for the news.

    If you go for Werribee, try to stay within the long established town area. Though if you want to build, it’ll likely end up being in the growth areas. And gosh, growth areas are awful. You have a small block, and a house that fills the whole thing, with no space outside. Your neighbours are on top of you. Slightly less so than in apartments, but at least in an apartment in the inner suburbs, you have all the services and amenity.

    These western growth areas (between Werribee and Melton) are struggling so much, and there’s still so much land that hasn’t been developed yet, but has been approved to be. It’s only going to get worse.

    Lilydale is like a country town still, so it’s quaint enough and has nice vibes. And while there are pockets of new development around it, it’s not going to be anywhere near as sprawled as around Werribee. You’re also close to yarra valley which is great for food and drink.

    But it sounds like you’re already out in the west, in which case, possibly have friends or family in that area? If that’s something that’s important for you to stay near, it’s a no brainer for me.

    Oh also, if you travel at all, it’s so much easier from Werribee to Tullamarine or Avalon than from Lilydale.

  • -2

    I know this is an old post, and I have no idea how I came across it but…. how on earth could anyone possibly consider Werribee over Lilydale? My mind is blown.

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