Rory Cook

We love living in South Kingsville - not many know about it but it really is great. We've got two young kids and its perfect, we live on Paxton St so we've got the park, community centre/kinder at one end of the street and Newport lakes at the other. Quiet, great neighbours. Everyone looks out for each other and most have been there awhile.

Vernon Street has all the basics - milk bar, fish and chips, cafe with playspace, Indian, excellent pizza place (Motorino), art classes for kids, but the thing we love most is Westgate Health Co-op, you join for a small fee and get bulkbilling with great consistent drs, free dental check, skin check etc. So helpful having that service within a walk, esp with little kids.

I walk to and from Spotswood train station to get into the city every day, it's just down the road. As are the increasing number of good cafes (Candied is our favourite), wine bar even! There is a great new coffee bean roaster to grab a coffee from which has opened up on Blackshaws road too. We stop at Altona Fresh for pastries and yummy deli goods on the way back from swimming at Bayfit. If we want to see a movie Yarraville is 5 mins the other way. Willy nearby, the beach, but a bit easier for a family to get into than those places. A terrific little pocket of the inner west.