Melbourne/Stonnington

Stonnington is an area and municipality in Melbourne, just southeast of the CBD. It includes the main centres of South Yarra, Prahran and Toorak. The area is regarded among Melbournians as one of the most desirable and expensive places to live. It is very popular for its high-end shopping and exquisite dining, especially along Toorak Road in South Yarra, and Chapel Street in Prahran.

Get in
Stonnington lies just south-east of the CBBD and can be easily reached by car, tram and suburban train.

By tram
Tram 58 runs along Swanston Street in the CBD to South Yarra and Toorak along Domain Road and then Toorak Road, terminating at the junction of Toorak and Glenferrie Roads. From the CBD, South Yarra is about 15 to 20 minutes away. Toorak is another 5 to 10 minutes away. Prahran is best reached from the CBD by Tram 6 (towards Glen Iris).

By train
Many train lines run through the Stonnington region, accordingly serviced by several stations. Some of these stations have unusual characteristics that make them worthy of special attention and may surprise travellers.

The busiest station in Stonnington is South Yarra railway station, which is serviced by four separate lines: Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston, and Sandringham. The Pakenham and Cranbourne lines are indistinguishable for much of their length, and accordingly usually described in the same breath. This is a busy station, particularly at peak hour, and you're unlikely to find a seat if you're boarding here in peak direction. Nonetheless, you can get more or less anywhere in the southeastern suburbs and since the fusion of the Frankston and Williamstown/Werribee lines, many places in the west  from here.

Malvern, Armadale, Toorak, and Hawksburn the MATH stations  are unusual and may easily trick the unsuspecting traveller. These stations are served only by the Frankston line, despite being positioned in a way that implies the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines may serve them. However, all Pakenham/Cranbourne line trains run express between Caulfield and South Yarra (excluding a small number of services that stop at Malvern on non-peak periods). Formerly a very limited number of Pakenham/Cranbourne services stopped at these stations (which is why they have four platforms each, but only two are actually in use), but they have since ended entirely. The biggest consequence of this for travellers is that the City Loop stations are inaccessible from MATH, as the Frankston line runs direct to Flinders Street; passengers hoping to disembark at Flagstaff, Parliament, Melbourne Central, or Southern Cross will need to change at Richmond.

The Sandringham line is another line easily accessible from Stonnington, via Prahran railway station and Windsor railway station. This line is a gem for tourists, running to some of the best beaches in the southeast. Sandringham line trains do not run through the City Loop.

Finally, the Glen Waverley line is Stonnington's link to the eastern suburbs and well-represented, with Heyington, Kooyong, Tooronga, Gardiner, and Glen Iris stations. These stations are more suburban than most in the region and may be outside a tourist's itinerary, but provide convenient access to some of the hotspots of Melbourne's Chinese culture. Special consideration needs to be given to Heyington station, which is unique amongst Melbourne's train stations and not for a good reason. Heyington is the only railway station in Melbourne to lack ramp or elevator access, making it inaccessible to travellers with mobility impairments. (Note that this doesn't work out to every other station being fully accessible; some ramps have grades that violate current disability legislation.) As an out-of-the-way station primarily serving a local school, relatively few travellers will use Heyington, but those who do are cautioned about its accessibility issues.

By car
The main thoroughfare in South Yarra and Toorak is Toorak Road. Chapel Street forms a major thoroughfare between South Yarra and Prahran. The best access from the CBD is via St Kilda Road, turning left at Toorak Rd, Commercial Rd or High St. The areas of Stonnington closest to the CBD have heavy traffic, and even further out will be congested at peak hour; considering the strong public transit links of the region, travellers who aren't going further out (such as to Chadstone) may prefer not to drive.

Do

 * Bike tracks everywhere.
 * The Yarra River, DIY BBQs; get there early on Australia Day and sporting events.
 * The Yarra River, DIY BBQs; get there early on Australia Day and sporting events.

Buy
The Chapel Street shopping district in Prahran is often called the 'longest catwalk in the Southern Hemisphere'. It begins in Windsor in the south and runs to the Toorak Road intersection. The shopping strip is full of hundreds of local designer boutiques, big name fashion stores and denim specialists. Vintage and second hand clothing stores are found towards the Windsor end of the street. It's also a great place to experience Melbourne's world-renowned café culture. Greville Street is a must-visit, lined with quirky boutiques and eateries.

Toorak Road runs through the centre of South Yarra through to Toorak. Like Chapel Street, it is filled to the brim with brand-name stores and local boutiques.

Slightly further into the suburbs, High Street is another of Stonnington's major retail districts. The Armadale section in particular is known for its bridal boutiques, as well as other high-end fashion.



Drink
Chapel Street and Toorak Road has some of the best nightlife in Australia, with most clubs open 24 hours!