Middle Park is a well-kept secret; uncovered just once a year when the Formula One Grand Prix machinery in all its glory rolls into town; and the suburb is transformed into a sea of flags supporting the various teams that vie for championship in the neighbouring Albert Park Lake.

For the rest of the year , no-one really knows about Middle Park, and that's just the way the locals like it. Quiet, friendly, intimate - a place where people still say hello to each other as they pass by in the street. As other small suburbs grew, Middle Park survived as a tiny village - a place of community and of caring about one's appearances.

A short stroll around the streets takes the visitor back in time. Row after row of hundred-year-old workers cottages intertwine with blue cobblestone laneways and stunning Federation and Edwardian homes.

At one end of the suburb is Port Phillip Bay - at the other is the Albert Park Lake. Trams glide through the streets, transporting commuters to St Kilda or the city or beyond. You don't really need a car around here. The public tram system runs like clockwork every ten or so minutes.

For such as small place, Middle Park is surprisingly well-catered; with its own post office, newsagent, supermarket and library. It has many eateries and restaurants considering its size - and there is plenty of choice too - Indian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Spanish and good old Australian tucker.

Ask any local what it's like. Middle Park is one of the few suburbs left around here that, when you wander around, strangers smile and say hello to you. It's quiet and safe here, people still walk the streets at night.

After living here awhile, people start to recognise your face as a local and, before long, it seems they know your name, your childrens names, where you live and even the kind of pet dog you own.

Despite being a private person, it's doesn't feel intrusive to me. More, it's like a small village - still small enough that people remember the common courtesies, those that many other suburbs enjoyed once but have seemingly forgotten as they grew bigger and bigger.

Even high profile people enjoy a quiet residence here. While the locals are friendly enough to say hello, they are also disinterested enough to allow even the most famous celebrities to enjoy their own quiet existence.

It's a quiet life in Middle Park. Despite being so close to the heart of Melbourne, it's not on the main thoroughfares, so the traffic is light and moves easily amongst the wide leafy streets, even when the rest of Melbourne is bogged down in peak hour traffic.

Then, when the Grand Prix rolls into town and the local park is transformed into a racetrack for Formula 1 cars. Throughout the suburb, red Ferrari flags flutter and the visitor numbers explode at the local eateries. Then, as quick as it erupts, everything returns to normal, and Middle Park reverts to its sleepy self once again.

Middle Park is a largely affluent community these days. It's not cheap to own a property here, and its residents are a mixture of professional couples raising young families, singles, or couples without children or Greek families who have been here for many years. The suburb is well-known for its Victorian-era attached and row housing as well as the Edwardian influences in its architecture. Because of the limited opportunities to revelop housing, the population has remained relatively static in this community over a number of census periods.

Middle Park's postcode (3206) is shared with its larger neighbour, Albert Park, which has architecture that is similar to Middle Park. The two suburbs have a population of about 10,500 people, with the largest age bracket being 25-34 year old group who make up a quarter of the area's population. There is also a substantial middle aged and elderly group accounting for more than 23% of the population.

More information about the demographics of this area can be found on the Port Phillip Council website or by clicking here.

Highlights of Middle Park include the Armstrong Street shopping strip, Middle Park foreshore, a visit to the Carmelite (Catholic Church) to admire the leadlight, enjoying a barbeque with friends at Albert Park Lake, a browse through the local library, home made beer at the Gunn Island Hotel, swimming at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, or some golf practice at the Albert Park Driving Range. You can try tapas at Santiago, Thai at Koh Samui or some great coffee at any of the cafes. For top notch wine, head to the Victorian Wine Centre or the Richardson St Cellars, both of which also have wine tasting evenings.

This website was put together so that I could showcase this beautiful place and a visit to our photo gallery is a must for all visitors. The photo gallery is the best modern photo library about Middle Park and will give you a good perspective of the nature of both the housing and the suburb. The map is interactive and will give you a good feel for where the suburb is relative to Melbourne's CBD (about 4kms (or less than 3 miles) south of its centre).

This website is also a place to share information with other locals and to offer them the opportunity to communicate with one another about local things, events and places. Locals are encouraged to join this website so that they can be notified about what's on in their neighbourhood.

This is a voluntary project on my behalf and please let me know if you have feedback or questions. Please sign our guestbook to let us know you've visited us and to tell us what you think.

I hope you will enjoy your stay here and visit us many more times to come. Tell your friends we said hi... you know, they are welcome here too.

Have a happy stay.

The Administrator.