Docklands has everything

By Sunny Liu

To long-term resident Selina Gao, Docklands represents the future of Melbourne.

Beijing-born Ms Gao has been living in Docklands the entire time that she is in Australia and says Docklands is second to none.

“Living in Docklands is a really unique experience. The location, the water views and the facilities are irreplaceable,” she said.

She said Docklands was an example of how Melbourne would evolve in terms of developments and town planning for the future.

“I think Docklands is a very well-planned area. It has maintained a good balance of residential, commercial and community spaces,” she said.

“Docklands reflects contemporary city living and also has arts and culture through the many exhibitions and events.”

Back when Docklands was still up and coming, Ms Gao’s family saw great potential in the area and bought a three-bedroom apartment at Victoria Harbour’s Convesso in 2012.

Over the past few years of living on the waterfront, Ms Gao has seen the growth of Docklands as a residential precinct.

“Docklands has really matured over the years. It has become a mature community now, as it is very comfortable to live in and all the residents I meet love the area,” she said.

“The population has really grown. When I first moved in there was barely anyone on the trams. But now the trams are packed with residents and commuters, which shows the density is increasing.”

Ms Gao said she had noticed that Docklands was becoming increasingly popular among young people, especially students and professionals.

“Before, many of the young people I met were not familiar with Docklands and did not understand why I would live here. But today Docklands has become a much more attractive place to live in than the CBD and many of my friends have moved from the city to Docklands,” she said.

“I think the modern lifestyle, together with open space and convenience is what attracts young people.”

With many close friends now also living in the area, she sees familiar faces in Docklands all the time.

“I often get tapped on the shoulder by a friend or colleague when I’m on the tram! It’s great to have many people I know also live around here so it’s more like a close-knit community,” she said.

Currently studying a masters in property at the University of Melbourne and working as a property agent, Ms Gao said she was passionate about the real estate industry.

“I love working in this fast-evolving and ever-changing industry. Melbourne has always had high demand from overseas investors and local buyers. And Docklands is a good example of how strong Melbourne’s property market is,” she said.

“Docklands has what other parts of Melbourne do not offer, including the water sceneries and the accessibility.”

“Also, in the Chinese culture, Docklands has got good ‘Feng Shui’ being on the waterfront. So the harbour is an invaluable asset for the area. You don’t get this anywhere else,” Ms Gao said.

She said she welcomed more residential and commercial developments in Docklands so it can be buzzing with more activities.

“We’ve got the District shopping centre, Etihad Stadium, Library at The Dock, parks and sports courts and I’d love to see more facilities get established as more people make Docklands their home,” she said.