Ashburton: 2025 in Retrospect
- scraze
- 2 days ago
- 10 min read
We’ve now come to the time of the year when I pull together the goings on of Ashburton in 2025. This is my third year undertaking this task (check out 2024 Retrospect and 2023 Retrospect) and it involves trawling through news articles, Facebook posts and asking around my acquaintances about what they know. I asked AI to write it but... it knows nothing, so I'm not out of a job just yet.
This year has been … a lot. There’s a lot of change afoot, that’s for sure.
I’m not going to do sports results as it is just too hard to find the information but please use the comments if you’ve got news you’d like the community to know about and preserve for the record. I’m not just saying that, the Boroondara Library Service indexes this blog as a source of historical information!
I wrote a full round-up of the Federal Election results you can read here, if you’re interested.
The three big neighbourhood topics of conversation this year were housing, crime, and for anyone who knows a child: the corruption of our Spotify algorithms with the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack.
Let’s get into it.
Is Housing Golden?
In July, Peter Gigis of Buxton Real Estate told the Herald Sun that 2025 was “easily the strongest winter market we’ve seen since before Covid.”[1] But was it?
It certainly was if you were selling a new home or unit. The highest selling price in Ashburton for 2025 was an eye-watering $4,625,000 for 1 Annetta Avenue. That price does not include a cleaner. For the record, this is not the highest price for a house in Ashburton of all time, that privilege goes to the owners of 8 St Georges Crescent who paid a whopping $5.8 million for their house in 2015. Dunlop Street, Gloucester Road and Nicholas Streets had the most houses sold during the year.
The median house price in Ashburton in 2025 now sits around $1.8 to $1.9 million.
The handful of units for sale in Ashburn Grove and High Street also sold well as people sought to downsize but still stay in the area. More and more townhouses are planned along High Street, with large blocks of land that have been on the market for years finally seeing some movement.
You can see my full summary of housing sold in the document below (publicly available information only).
The entire Ashburton housing market cumulatively produced around $200 million worth of value. Much of it was land value, especially for the old Commission homes, and sales of these tended to flatten out by the end of year as people realised how stubbornly high building costs remain. I expect we’ll see more vacant houses in Ashburton in 2026.
According to Prosper Australia’s 2025 Speculative Vacancy data update, one in 34 houses in Boroondara is most likely not occupied (i.e. recorded no water usage). There’s at least three in my street alone. This is very concerning because the rental market in Ashburton is all but non-existent.
Whether these buyers were local investors or not, I can’t say. But according to a report from the Herald Sun households in Ashburton have the biggest investment property loans in the state, with an average debt of $658,000.[2] For the record, the article cites this information coming from an AI platform called Otvio so you can take that or leave it. But if you’re taking it, that’s a lot of money to owe.
In May, the State Government moved forward with plans to demolish and rebuild the Alamein Avenue estate with 91 affordable and social housing units. They have scheduled consultation on the plans for March-April 2026 so there’s still time to film your dystopian short film on the site. Let’s hope the Government also recognises the significance of Alamein Learning Centre to support new social housing residents in the area.
According to my chat with one of numerous real estate agents who call sporadically to ask if I’m going to sell my house (and live where?!), the Ashburton Stigma remains alive and kicking as many potential buyers refuse to consider the area because of the social housing developments. Whatever, their loss.
The other big news was the Government’s designation of Ashburton as an ‘activity centre’ for the building of housing around the train station. This has caused considerable consternation among the community, especially among those who currently live near Ashburton Station. Boroondara Council supports the Government’s bid to build more housing in established areas but not the way it is going about it.
If you would like to get involved with community activism for this project, or follow its progress, you can join/follow the following Facebook groups:
Boroondara Community Group – catchments and towers won’t deliver
John Friend-Pereira, the Solway Ward Councillor posts updates
Members of the Ashburton and Glen Iris Support Your Neighbour group post updates too
If you’ve got this far in your life without losing years of it to Facebook, you can sign up for email updates on the project:
A lot of change is afoot. Even this relic of the brief days of “South Ashburton” is for sale.
Takedown on Crime
Community concern over crime was also a big topic this year. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you’ll know that Ashburton residents have never been immune to crime, either as victims or perpetrators. This year proved no exception.
If it seems local crime has worsened, you’re not wrong. The yearly figures for 2025 are not yet available but the June figures showed the number of criminal incidents recorded by Victoria Police in the year to 30 June 2025 was up 18.3% from incidents recorded in the same period last year. However, Boroondara’s numbers remain significantly lower than the rest of the state.
Victoria Police figures only cover Boroondara and I can’t get Ashburton because we’re not in the top 5 suburbs for crime in the area. That’s more because we have a much smaller population than Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell and Balwyn but let’s take that as a win.
By far the biggest crime committed in Boroondara is “Steal from a motor vehicle” with 1,734 reports from July 2024 to June 2025. Hawthorn took out the prize for highest number of crime reports with 1,525. That’s mostly because they have a high population compared to other parts of the area and a lot more cars worth breaking into and stealing up there.
The usual reports of attempted break-ins and suspicious activity continued to permeate through the community Facebook group this year. A more serious incident in September featured an attempted carjacking in the family’s driveway.[3] Police caught the perpetrator who turned out to be a 13-year-old boy arrested 16 times in the past seven months for a variety of aggravated burglary crimes and car thefts. The boy was refused bail.[4]
Police also arrested a 27-year-old woman in June over the murder of Ashburton man Samuel Baker in January 2024. She was already in custody for other crimes at the time of her arrest.[5] The driver of the car that killed William Taylor last year pleaded guilty to five charges in relation to his death. The judge jailed the now 18-year-old man for a maximum of seven years and seven months.[1]
Finally, statistics of residents of Boroondara committing crimes were rising too. Other residents were not immune to involving themselves in drugs, fraud and domestic violence.
That’s the bad stuff out of the way, let’s do some good news…
How it’s done… local successes
Ashburton is the home of soccer in Boroondara and the biggest story of the year was the Australian Government committing $550,000 to Ashburton United Soccer Club and Alamein Football Club for covered spectator seating and improvements works at Dorothy Laver Reserve West.
This is a massive boost for women’s sport, in an area dominated by Australian Rules Football. Congratulations to Alamein FC, Victoria’s only all female soccer club in the National Premier League, on the bid.
The proposed works are out for public consultation until 29 January.
Alamein FC’s fundraisers are really kicking goals out there (sorry, terrible pun) as in June, Alamein FC also secured itself a Football Victoria (FV) Club Development Grant and a Community Strengthening Grant from Boroondara Council. It’s not cheap maintaining a sports club but if you’d like to support the Alamein Angels Donation drive, visit their website to make a tax-deductible donation.
Ashburton’s local organisations had a good showing in the Boroondara Council Community Strengthening Grants round this year, securing over $33,000 of funds. Council agreed to support:
Alamein Football Club ($3,850): Building female sporting role models at Alamein FC
Ashburton Bowls Club ($2,722.74): Conduct events to enable a more inclusive and diverse membership
Ashburton Chinese Senior Friendship Association ($5,396): Dragon Boat Festival
Ashburton Community Centre ($4,722.20): Celebrating Ashburton Community Centre’s 40 years
Ashburton Community Garden ($1,856.96): Equipment purchase
Ashburton Family Drug and Gambling Help Support Group ($3,600): Sharing the load, supporting families
Ashburton Shopping Centre Traders Association ($3,433.54): Halloween on High
Ashburton Uniting Church Tennis Club ($2,117): Ashburton Tennis Club- Open Day
Ashburton Uniting Church Tennis Club ($2,154): Ashburton Tennis Club Presentation Night
Craig Family Centre ($2,094): Bridge builders
Pied Piper Toy Library ($6,982): Stay and Play
You’re my Soda Pop… on the High Street
It was a bit of a mixed bag on High Street this year. The Ashburton Traders pulled out all the stops for the 28th Ashburton Community Festival on High Street. First started in 1997, the community continues to come out in force to support the Festival and the array of singing talent, activities and local community groups there. The 29th Ashburton Festival will be held on Sunday, 22 February 2026 and may the weather gods be in its favour.
In May, a fire gutted Dominoes Pizza on the corner of Welfare Parade. Richard the owner reported in early November that construction and insurance issues have delayed re-opening but he fully intends to do so when he can. This week, fire gutted the upstairs of the Mr Burton café. It’s a terrible thing to happen to a business and our best wishes to those affected.
New businesses in Ashburton
High Street’s independent spirit attracted a couple of new businesses this year:
Run Club, selling sports shoes and running gear to cater to the exercise enthusiasts
Our Pet Pet Grooming to cater to all the dogs exhausted by the exercise you make them do
A Sourdough Kitchen outlet to make sure you keep doing that exercise.
Ashburton is usually not first to mind when it comes to suburban public art. This year, our public art received a boost with the long-awaited installation of the train mural outside the Ashy Op Shop. Accompanying it was new signage from Boroondara Council along High Street featuring historic images of Ashburton.
I do think they could’ve put the one of the Civic Theatre a bit closer to where the Civic Theatre actually used to be (the Shell Service Station site) but its nice for our history to be recognised.
Short sips:
Council installed two high speed EV car chargers in the Marquis Street Carpark in March
The Highgate Grove car park and the east side of Marquis Street Carpark time restrictions changed from 2P to 3P
Leaf Bookshop re-opened during the year with new owners.
Sergios Pizza moved up the street to take over the old Thymes Five site.
A little further afield, many of us are mourning the demise of Leo’s Supermarket in Hartwell. Especially this time of year when their fancy preserves, teas, chutney and coffees make excellent teacher gifts. It’s tough out there for retail. Word is the site will become a Coles.
I also heard a rumour there may be yet more renovations to Chadstone. If you’re thinking “what else could they possibly squeeze in there?” the answer is… a railway station. Underneath. Things that should’ve been thought of decades ago. It’s been talked about for years, so who knows if anything comes of it this time.
What it sounds like … on the playgrounds
Improvements and planned improvements were all about playgrounds this year:
A pretty new playground at Winton Reserve that incorporated its history as a Food Forest
Council announced plans for an upgrade to the Watson Park playground. I must be getting old as I thought the current one was pretty new
Construction of the new playground at Dorothy Laver Reserve East is due to commence in 2026
Ferndale Park received new lawn for its oval. Plans for the proposed upgrade to the pavilion are scheduled to be released mid-2026
Other ramblings because I’m out of K-Pop Demon Hunter song titles…
The Camberwell Camera Club released a coffee table book of 225 photographs taken during 2024 they called “A Year in the Life of Boroondara: As seen by members of the Camberwell Camera Club in 2024”.
I’m sure it was a lovely exercise for all involved but I do think they could’ve selected more than four photographs from Ashburton, Glen Iris and Balwyn. But I guess they didn’t come to see what was going on here. You can find a copy at the library in Camberwell and Hawthorn.
Ashburton and Glen Iris got a better showing in Boroondara Memories, a collection of 42 short memoir-style stories produced by the Boroondara Writers Group. I was the editor so I made sure of it! You can read memories of:
How Ishka started in the 1970s in Glen Iris
The day Ferndale Park turned into a lake
Renovations to Nettleton Park
The importance of the Alamein train
The Civic Theatre in Ashburton and its community significance
And lots more stories from all over Boroondara. The book is available for sale through my store.
If you’re interested in finding out more about local history, Boroondara Library Service has been busily digitising huge volumes of Council minutes and other historical records. You can use them to find out about your house, street, sports club, ovals or general area so check out their new digital archive. You will need a library card to access it.
That’s the round-up for the year! Next year, I’m continuing work on the history of Glen Iris and looking to set up an oral history project on Harold Holt Swimming Pool, so if you’re interested in participating, let me know!
Wishing you and your families are safe and happy festive season.
References
[1] Bonaddio, David, "Glen Iris Home Sells $150k above Price Guide," Herald Sun, 1 July 2025.
[2] Goddard, Hayley and Julie Cross, "Victorian Postcodes Most in the Red Revealed as Credit Card Debt Climbs $500 Million," Herald Sun (online), 20 April 2025.
[3] Kennedy, Euan, "Dad Tells of Carjacking Attempt," Herald Sun, 1 September 2025.
[4] Cavanagh, Rebekah, "10 Home Invasions, 25 Car Thefts: 13yo Claims He Was Too Young to Know Better," Herald Sun, 16 September 2025.
[5] "Arrest over Party Death," Herald Sun, 6 June 2025.
[6] Proust, Miles, "Driver Sentenced for Hit-Run Crash That Killed William Taylor in Burwood," Herald Sun, 26 August 2025.
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