From Mooroo-abin to Modern Melbourne’s South-East

The name Moorabbin is thought to come from the Aboriginal word “mooroo-abin,” meaning “mother’s milk” or “resting place.” The area was part of the traditional lands of the Bunurong people, who lived along the creeks and wetlands well before European settlement.

In the 1840s, Moorabbin began to develop with small farms and market gardens supplying Melbourne. Through the early to mid-20th century, it grew rapidly with light industry, suburban subdivisions and the opening of the Moorabbin Airport in 1949, which remains Australia’s second busiest airport by aircraft movements.

Today, Moorabbin is a diverse pocket of Melbourne’s south-east, known for its mix of industrial estates, old family homes, growing townhouse developments and bustling commercial strips.

It also hosts the iconic Holmesglen TAFE campus and serves as a local employment hub well beyond its residential base.

And, of course, it’s the proud home of the St Kilda Football Club at RSEA Park. As someone who’s followed the Saints for decades — through every heartbreak and every high — Moorabbin holds a little extra meaning for me.

Why Buying or Selling in Moorabbin Needs More Than Just a Standard Contract Review

Because of Moorabbin’s layered history — from farmland to factories, then residential infill — it brings a unique set of conveyancing issues that simply aren’t present in newer suburbs.

We regularly help clients deal with:

• EPA flagged sites and surrounding influence areas, particularly near the older light industrial and commercial zones. Soil contamination is something buyers often overlook, but the EPA specifically lists areas in and around Moorabbin that should be checked.

• Drainage easements and Melbourne Water overlays which can heavily restrict future extensions or new builds.

• Older covenants and building envelopes, sometimes dating back to the 1950s subdivisions, which limit height or the number of dwellings on a block.

• Owners Corporation complexities, increasingly common as more dual occupancy and townhouse developments spring up on subdivided lots.

• VicRoads reservations and possible road widening interests, especially around South Road and the busy industrial corridors.

Why Buyers and Sellers in Moorabbin Trust Us

Joanne and I have acted on countless matters across Moorabbin, Bentleigh, Highett and Cheltenham over the decades.

We’ve seen:

• Buyers are misled into believing they could build multiple units, only to find a restrictive covenant or NRZ zoning blocks them completely.

• Vendors who didn’t know about old drainage easements running under backyards, causing major drama when a purchaser planned to add a pool or granny flat.

• Apartment purchasers are stung by underfunded Owners Corporations that later hit them with large special levies for structural repairs.

• Properties flagged on EPA planning overlays because of nearby historical light industry or old service stations, requiring environmental due diligence.

These aren’t isolated. They’re precisely why Moorabbin needs a careful, experienced conveyancer, not someone who treats it like any standard suburban file.

Selling in Moorabbin?

If you’re selling, we’ll prepare your Section 32 Vendor Statement with the details Moorabbin demands.

That means:

• Checking zoning, overlays and historic permits.

• Running EPA flagged site and Melbourne Water flood overlays, so you’re disclosing everything properly.

• Reviewing Owners Corporation certificates carefully to prevent disputes over maintenance or hidden costs.

• Making sure your contract balances special and general conditions, and your Section 27 early deposit release is drafted to avoid giving the buyer an easy out.

Talk to Conveyancers Who Understand Moorabbin’s Mix of Industry, Homes and New Builds

Whether you’re buying an old weatherboard on a big block, a sleek new townhouse near Chesterville Road, or a commercial site tucked among warehouses, you need someone who actually understands Moorabbin’s local overlays, restrictions and EPA concerns.

We’ve been trusted by buyers and sellers across Moorabbin and Melbourne’s south-east for over 25 years.

If you’re buying or selling in Moorabbin, talk to the team who checks everything, so there are no surprises later.

Victorian Property Settlements – Trusted for over 25 years by Victorian buyers and sellers.
Visit: www.victorianpropertysettlements.com.au

Moorabbin Snapshot

Population: 6,940 (2021 Census)

Median House Price: $1,160,000

Median Unit Price: $720,000

Median Weekly Rent (Houses): $570

Median Weekly Rent (Units): $500

Median Age: 38 years

Household Size: 2.7 people per household