When you look at a map of Elsternwick from above, your eye is almost overwhelmed by the vast pockets of greenery that blanket the suburb. Housing verdant stretches of lush parklands, all veiled by canopies of leafy treetops, wherever your gaze falls discovers another hue of green. This preoccupation with the natural wonders can be traced back to the suburb’s famed Ripponlea House and Gardens.

A relic of a time begotten, today the historic mansion still holds its grandeur amongst the most exquisitely manicured gardens. This same sense of grand serenity, though sewn within the very fabric of Elsternwick’s community, is perhaps most profound in the various public greenspaces that punctuate the landscape; from the Elsternwick, Harleston, or Hopetoun Parks, through to the local golf course, you will never be lost for a pocket of sublime wonder to reconnect with nature.

While there has always existed a preoccupation with fresh, quality dining within the community - Attica has time and time again sat at the helm of World’s Best Dining lists - with the emergence of some innovative new players to the local foodie scene, you don’t have to wander too far from your doorstep to find yourself a hedonistic temptation. A mixed-bag of cuisines; if you awake with an unabating urge for some traditional Vietnamese-styled congee - flaked with smoked ocean trout and drizzled with chilli oil - Bang Bang awaits.

A cultural epicentre where tensions between tradition and modernity are played out and the parallels between natural and manmade are embraced, Elsternwick’s local community finds as much solace in the beautifully crafted spaces of the Classic Cinema as the sun-drenched sands of the nearby Elwood Beach. Though not known for its retail prowess, much like its other amenities, what Elsternwick lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. A haze of delicate hues and vibrant pops of colour are accompanied by the intoxicating perfume of sweet florals, enveloping your senses as you are carried into the beauty that is Simeon’s Florist.

After selecting a rambling bunch of blooms, continue the aesthetic journey in Camellia Boutique, where the racks abound with delicate fabrics designed to add an air of sartorial edge to any occasion. This commitment to excellence is similarly witnessed throughout the community’s public amenities, where ease and convenience are second to none - including the web of transport opportunities that thread their way to-and-from the city and beyond, making the opportunity for escape as simple as meandering your way to one of the many points of departure the locale affords.