What it’s like living in Melbourne’s CBD
We meet Kaye and Terry at a high tea during the Victorian Seniors Festival, and I am immediately struck by their enthusiasm for Melbourne and the city lifestyle. During our conversation, they tell me about the years they spent living in the Melbourne CBD — a move many of us only dream about for retirement.
“Why would you want to live in the city?” was the question friends asked most often. For many people, the city is somewhere you visit — for work, a show, or a special lunch — not somewhere you choose to live once you’ve finished full-time work.
For Kaye, though, it had always been a long-held dream. From her teenage years, she’d joked that she’d live “on the tram tracks of Collins Street.” After decades of moving for work, family, and life — from suburban Melbourne to regional towns, the mountains of north-east Victoria, and the Bellarine coast — they finally asked themselves a simple question: why not the city?
In 2019, they made the move.
CBD living: what’s it really like?
A home in the heart of it all
Kaye and Terry chose a penthouse apartment in Southbank, tucked behind the Arts Centre and close to the ABC and Melbourne Recital Centre. From the 45th floor, the views stretched almost endlessly — 270 degrees across the city and beyond. Even everyday moments came with a sense of wonder, Kaye said, laughing at the thought that even the view from the bathroom was spectacular.
What they hadn’t fully anticipated was just how quickly city living would become… easy. Walking replaced driving. Public transport became second nature. The city unfolded at their doorstep.
“There was always something new to discover, even in places we think we know well,” Kaye says.
Living life on foot
One of the greatest pleasures, they tell me, was how accessible everything became. Cafés, galleries, gardens, theatres — all within walking distance. On any given day, they might stumble across a festival in the gardens, a cultural celebration they hadn’t planned to attend, or simply settle under a magnificent old tree to watch the world go by.
The changing seasons in the Royal Botanic Gardens felt more immediate when they were part of their weekly routine. Attending a concert or theatre performance no longer required planning weeks in advance; sometimes they’d decide on the day, pick up a ticket from Half-Tix, and head out the door.
And yes — there was always a coffee shop nearby.
The city as a playground
Restaurants and cafés became an ongoing adventure. From well-known establishments to small, out-of-the-way lunch spots, there was always somewhere new to try. Rooftop bars, too — far more than they had realised before living in the city.
Family and friends loved to visit, which quickly turned Kaye and Terry into enthusiastic tour guides. Showing off Melbourne through fresh eyes brought them as much joy as it did their visitors. They were constantly discovering new treasures themselves.
Was it perfect? Not always — but it was right for them
City living does come with realities that are important to acknowledge. Kaye shared that it can be busy, loud, and traffic-heavy — which is why walking and public transport are so valuable. Personal safety is something to be mindful of, though she pointed out that’s true across Melbourne, not just in the CBD.
Even so, Kaye says the years they spent living in the city were some of the most rewarding they’ve experienced.
In 2023, they made a considered move to a retirement village in Williamstown. It was the right decision for that stage of life, but it doesn’t diminish how special their city years were. They still visit the CBD at least once a week — in many ways, it still feels like part of their life.
For Kaye and Terry, choosing to live in the Melbourne CBD wasn’t just a lifestyle change — it was a way to fully embrace the city they love, and they loved every minute of it.
Favourite walks, coffee spots and hidden surprises
When I ask Kaye to share some of their favourite places — the little discoveries they made simply by spending time in the city — her enthusiasm is immediate. “I miss it greatly and still go every week,” she tells me.
“I’m a big city person. I love the diversity, being in the thick of it.”
For Kaye and Terry, exploring Melbourne often happens on foot. They’re great walkers and regularly clock up seven or eight kilometres in a day, letting curiosity guide them rather than a set plan.
One walk they love is heading north to the University of Melbourne, wandering the grounds when students aren’t in full swing. Kaye, a keen admirer of architecture, enjoys seeing the layers of history on display — from 1800s buildings through to brutalist concrete and modern design — all set among beautiful gardens.
From there, they continue to Lygon Street, stopping at Coffee Machine Technologies, where a tucked-away alcove serves excellent coffee and light lunches.
“It’s the kind of place you’d walk past if you weren’t looking,” Kaye says.
More recently, on a return journey, they stumble across Parkville Station as it takes shape — one of many moments where being in the city means watching Melbourne evolve in real time.
Delving deeper into Melbourne
Closer to home, the city’s gardens became their backyard. Treasury Gardens, Fitzroy Gardens and the Royal Botanic Gardens are regular favourites, especially on warmer days when finding a shady tree with a book feels like a small luxury.
In East Melbourne, they like to wander quiet streets, read historical plaques and admire the architecture, often stopping for lunch at Roccella Italian Restaurant, a restaurant they rate highly for both food and atmosphere.
South Melbourne Market is another favourite — “a little gem,” Kaye calls it — best visited on a Wednesday when it’s quieter. They often walk all the way down Spencer Street, browse the fresh seafood, and sometimes enjoy oysters or prawns on the spot, soaking up the buzz.
One final piece of advice Kaye shares: when you’re walking through the CBD, step aside, look up, and take it all in.
“Some of Melbourne’s most beautiful details are above eye level,” she says — from the grand old Commonwealth Bank building on 333 Collins Street to the ANZ Bank at 388 Collins Street, both well worth stepping inside, too, just to admire the architecture.
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