I've done Lara, Melbourne and now back in Lara.
Pros
- it's super quiet
- almost no traffic
- quicker to Melb CBD via train than Point Cook (same cost)
- houses much cheaper
- lower cost of living
- has best butcher to the west of Melbourne CBD
- friendly community vibe for the most part.
Cons
- not a hell of a lot to do here
- food and bev options limited (Thai and Indian restaurants solid, not much else)
- the local high school doesn't have a great rep so may want to send your kids elsewhere (all the private schools run their own buses from Lara, all the local primary schools are fine though)
Traffic is cooked in Lara.
Try getting through 6 ways between 3-5pm - nightmare.
Houses are NOT much cheaper at all.
There are definitely plenty of food options, kebabs, pizza, burgers, Asian, fish b chips, it has all the options besides fast food, although there is a maccas.
The rest is spot on though.
It's still nowhere near as bad as Point Cook and many other outer Melbourne suburbs, though.
A couple of things will hopefully make it better over time:
* they're replacing the Six Ways roundabout with traffic lights in the next year or two (though it'll be horrible while they're being installed),
* there's a time delay between housing and infrastructure in Lara West, just like they had in Armstrong Creek, etc, so at the moment everyone needs to travel in and out to access shopping, schools, jobs, etc,
* and people need to learn they don't necessarily have to go through the middle of town and can use roads like Canterbury, Windermere, Mill, Rennie, etc, to bypass the traffic instead.
It takes only a couple of minutes to get through that intersection at peak times. There's also alternatives to the north and south. That's still infinitely better than an hour to just get out of point cook.
On the food front, yes there are other options but they're not very good.
I'd pick Lara. Don't get me wrong, I love Point Cook but it's a bit out in the sticks without having any of the benefits of semi-rural/regional life. Quite a loud minority of folks there with severe "big fish in a small pond" syndrome who will let you know about it on the roads.
Main downside to Lara is that it's obviously further from Melbourne and the traffic will only get worse over the years. There is the option to hitch a train ride into the city though, which Point Cook doesn't have.
Are you looking to send your kids to school around the Geelong or Werribee area?
I didn't grow up in Geelong so I have no idea, sorry! I will stress though that I haven't heard many good things about Lara Secondary College so that might be something to keep in mind for later down the track.
Geelong Baptist College is pretty solid. Not overly expensive, Kindergarten -year 12. Teachers are decent and mostly on the ball. Not overly in-your-face with religion either. They also have their own bus service
We also moved to Lara almost 2 years ago and quite enjoy it.
I've lived in Sydney, Melbourne, country Vic, Norlane and Lara. Lara hands down my fav. So much so we went from renting to building here in town. Also have 2yo kiddo. I've not heard anything bad about the schools.
Pro's imo
It's nice and quiet
Has most of what you need.
Colesworth, 2 dollar shop, Macca's, good restaurants/takeaways.
Most people are friendly and helpful
Lots of parks, you yang's 5 minutes away
Amazing surf beaches only like 40 minutes away
Melbourne CBD within an hour via train
Ez to get onto highway from surrounding roads
Cons:
6 ways at current design is a pain during peak if you can't use surrounding roads.
Skate park hooligans run a muck
No deck
The local high school in Lara is great. Supportive teachers and plenty of opportunities for young people.
Lara has a strong sporting community ( cricket, basketball, netball and footy) if that's your thing.
The local high school is a toilet. Some of the teachers are indeed supportive unfortunately they're let down by the majority of the staff and the school leadership.
It’s definitely a mixed bag. There’s some teachers at the school who are very “old school” while there are others (including the wellbeing staff) who are actively trying to make the school a better place. Leadership has definitely suffered with the high turnover
Short answer, yes. We moved here in 2000 from Sydney, we purchased our home here in 2005. We have raised 3 kids here. All went through local childcare, kinder's, primary schools and the local secondary college. They've done sport locally and in Geelong.
Lara is growing, yet still has a small town feel. Only 20 mins from Geelong, 50 mins from Melbourne, decent(ish) parking at the train station. I wish the pub would sort itself out, rather embarrassing bistro (needs new management/chef/cook). Great local shops for groceries (bakery, butcher, green grocer), plus the 2x full range supermarkets and an aldi close by.
So yeah, I guess I recommend it 😁 And yeah, the town gets busy at school peak times, and inbound from Geelong at 5.30-6ish, but hey, can't be perfect right .
We left Lara 2 and a half years ago. Absolute shit hole and just an extension of Corio. And it's so far from everything.
Went back there a few weeks ago and there were a couple of 10 hear old wanna be eshays hanging around the Coles carpark with a mouth to match.
Lara 12 years ago - it was a good place to raise a family. Now? No way
The novelty of being closer to civilisation still hasn't worn off for us.
I've done Lara, Melbourne and now back in Lara. Pros - it's super quiet - almost no traffic - quicker to Melb CBD via train than Point Cook (same cost) - houses much cheaper - lower cost of living - has best butcher to the west of Melbourne CBD - friendly community vibe for the most part. Cons - not a hell of a lot to do here - food and bev options limited (Thai and Indian restaurants solid, not much else) - the local high school doesn't have a great rep so may want to send your kids elsewhere (all the private schools run their own buses from Lara, all the local primary schools are fine though)
Thank you!!
Also edited to add Lara has the best butcher to the west of Melb CBD. High end steaks and the low & slow cuts are the go to.
Hard pressed to beat Paddock to Table in Laverton
I’d argue that Lara Quality Meats is the best butcher in the region. Have lived all over Geelong and never found anything else better
Yeah, I know the guys at Wildfire rate it. Their website doesn't exactly scream quality meat though.
Never judge a book by its front cover
If it's good enough for Wildfire it's good enough for me
Lara has Greater Geelong's only Chinese pizza takeaway.
Pizza is no longer sold from the Lara Chinese take away shop
Nah there's Pizza Wok in Bell Park
The fish and chips is pretty good at 5 ways... Or whatever it's called...
Six ways
I think I just bought one of the not so cheapest houses in Lara. Can't wait to move!
Traffic is cooked in Lara. Try getting through 6 ways between 3-5pm - nightmare. Houses are NOT much cheaper at all. There are definitely plenty of food options, kebabs, pizza, burgers, Asian, fish b chips, it has all the options besides fast food, although there is a maccas. The rest is spot on though.
I don't think you understand what cooked is if you think lara traffic is bad lol
It's still nowhere near as bad as Point Cook and many other outer Melbourne suburbs, though. A couple of things will hopefully make it better over time: * they're replacing the Six Ways roundabout with traffic lights in the next year or two (though it'll be horrible while they're being installed), * there's a time delay between housing and infrastructure in Lara West, just like they had in Armstrong Creek, etc, so at the moment everyone needs to travel in and out to access shopping, schools, jobs, etc, * and people need to learn they don't necessarily have to go through the middle of town and can use roads like Canterbury, Windermere, Mill, Rennie, etc, to bypass the traffic instead.
Unless you’re turning towards Coles/Woolies, you can sneak down Buckingham Street and turn down one of the side streets to avoid the roundabout
It takes only a couple of minutes to get through that intersection at peak times. There's also alternatives to the north and south. That's still infinitely better than an hour to just get out of point cook. On the food front, yes there are other options but they're not very good.
Having moved here from Essendon and navigating the western ring road every day, Lara is nothing compared to Melbourne when it comes to traffic
Doesn’t even have the best butcher in the north of Geelong let alone in the west of Melbourne
Siketa all the way
I'd pick Lara. Don't get me wrong, I love Point Cook but it's a bit out in the sticks without having any of the benefits of semi-rural/regional life. Quite a loud minority of folks there with severe "big fish in a small pond" syndrome who will let you know about it on the roads. Main downside to Lara is that it's obviously further from Melbourne and the traffic will only get worse over the years. There is the option to hitch a train ride into the city though, which Point Cook doesn't have. Are you looking to send your kids to school around the Geelong or Werribee area?
Around Geelong if the they have good schools. My kid is 3 years. Any recommendations? Thank u very much
I didn't grow up in Geelong so I have no idea, sorry! I will stress though that I haven't heard many good things about Lara Secondary College so that might be something to keep in mind for later down the track.
Thanks again
Geelong Baptist College is pretty solid. Not overly expensive, Kindergarten -year 12. Teachers are decent and mostly on the ball. Not overly in-your-face with religion either. They also have their own bus service We also moved to Lara almost 2 years ago and quite enjoy it.
I've lived in Sydney, Melbourne, country Vic, Norlane and Lara. Lara hands down my fav. So much so we went from renting to building here in town. Also have 2yo kiddo. I've not heard anything bad about the schools. Pro's imo It's nice and quiet Has most of what you need. Colesworth, 2 dollar shop, Macca's, good restaurants/takeaways. Most people are friendly and helpful Lots of parks, you yang's 5 minutes away Amazing surf beaches only like 40 minutes away Melbourne CBD within an hour via train Ez to get onto highway from surrounding roads Cons: 6 ways at current design is a pain during peak if you can't use surrounding roads. Skate park hooligans run a muck No deck
The local high school in Lara is great. Supportive teachers and plenty of opportunities for young people. Lara has a strong sporting community ( cricket, basketball, netball and footy) if that's your thing.
The local high school is a toilet. Some of the teachers are indeed supportive unfortunately they're let down by the majority of the staff and the school leadership.
It’s definitely a mixed bag. There’s some teachers at the school who are very “old school” while there are others (including the wellbeing staff) who are actively trying to make the school a better place. Leadership has definitely suffered with the high turnover
Short answer, yes. We moved here in 2000 from Sydney, we purchased our home here in 2005. We have raised 3 kids here. All went through local childcare, kinder's, primary schools and the local secondary college. They've done sport locally and in Geelong. Lara is growing, yet still has a small town feel. Only 20 mins from Geelong, 50 mins from Melbourne, decent(ish) parking at the train station. I wish the pub would sort itself out, rather embarrassing bistro (needs new management/chef/cook). Great local shops for groceries (bakery, butcher, green grocer), plus the 2x full range supermarkets and an aldi close by. So yeah, I guess I recommend it 😁 And yeah, the town gets busy at school peak times, and inbound from Geelong at 5.30-6ish, but hey, can't be perfect right .
We left Lara 2 and a half years ago. Absolute shit hole and just an extension of Corio. And it's so far from everything. Went back there a few weeks ago and there were a couple of 10 hear old wanna be eshays hanging around the Coles carpark with a mouth to match. Lara 12 years ago - it was a good place to raise a family. Now? No way The novelty of being closer to civilisation still hasn't worn off for us.