Tucked just a few minutes’ drive from the heart of Melbourne, Travancore may be petite, but it has plenty going on.
For a suburb that had around 2,116 people at the 2021 Census, with estimates suggesting it’s grown even more since then, Travancore is ridiculously well-equipped for anyone who likes to stay in shape.
If treadmills aren’t your thing, the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail is right on the doorstep — a leafy path alongside the towering walls of CityLink perfect for cyclists and joggers.
Distance to Melbourne: 5km North West Of Melbourne.
Public Transport: Trams, & Buses.
Number Of Schools: 1
Access to Freeways: City link.
Surrounding suburbs: Flemington, Kensington, Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds, Brunswick, Parkville.
Behind the busy Mount Alexander Road — home to the fitness clubs and constant hum of traffic — you’ll find charming leafy streets with older homes and some sharp modern apartment buildings.
About 95% of the houses here are lovingly cared-for brick Art Deco, Edwardian and Indian-inspired bungalows — the kind of neighbourhood you want to wander around on a Sunday afternoon.
Travancore’s name itself nods to its past. It was taken from a grand Victorian mansion that once stood here, and that mansion was named after the Indian kingdom of Travancore — a link you’ll still see in local street names like Cashmere Street, Delhi Court, Mangalore and Lucknow Streets.
Long-time locals may recall the Lombard paper and party supplies factory that once dominated a corner of the suburb. A big fire in 2004 wiped it out, and today that site is home to large apartment developments.
These include Travancore on the Park, the Sienna Building at No. 38, and The Alt — officially known as the Alexander Lombard Tower. Together they introduced hundreds of new residences, adding dramatically to the suburb’s population and giving it a much more urban feel.
Buyers are a real mix: owner-occupiers, investors, people grabbing a convenient Melbourne base, and parents buying apartments for university-age kids.
Brand-new projects are still underway as well — for example, 88 Travancore is selling one- and two-bedroom units off the plan.
If you don’t mind a cosy space, you can find two-bedroom apartments (around 54 sqm without a balcony) for about $320,000-odd — leaving you plenty of budget for that gym membership and weekend brunch.
• Delhi Park is a hidden green haven tucked between the tollway and the apartments.
• The elegant gates of Flemington Primary School once came from the long-demolished Flemington House (later known as Travancore).
• Travancore embraced higher-density living earlier than many Melbourne suburbs. The Shirley Court Flats, for example, were designed by James Wardrop — the same architect behind the Shrine of Remembrance.
• The Essendon Tramway Depot — dating back to 1906 — still stands and is on the Victorian Heritage Register.
Travancore is small in size but big on character: leafy streets, heritage homes, sleek apartment living, great fitness options and an incredibly short commute to the CBD.
Tiny suburb. Huge personality.
