Correction (2 October 2026): an earlier version of this page was produced by a template. It listed eleven named venues in Reservoir, with street addresses, prices, seat counts and “insider tips”, that we could not stand behind, called Reservoir “one of Melbourne’s most rapidly gentrifying suburbs” without a source, and gave a distance and train and driving times with no source. It has been rewritten from scratch. Each of the four places under Shopping and eating was checked against its own current information and a second, independent source on 2 October 2026.
Reservoir is a large residential suburb in Melbourne’s north, in the City of Darebin, served by four stations on the Mernda line, with Edwardes Lake Park and shopping strips on Edwardes Street and Broadway either side of the station. This profile sticks to what can be checked from a desk: the council’s pages, Metro Trains and Transport Victoria, the 2021 Census, Victorian Places and each place’s own website. The photos, including the lake park at the top of the page, are illustrative stock images, not pictures of Reservoir.
Fast facts: postcode 3073; council: City of Darebin; 12 km north of central Melbourne, per Victorian Places; population 51,096 at the 2021 Census.
Origin of the name: Victorian Places says the name “derives from three reservoirs built in 1864, 1909 and 1913, north of Preston to hold the metropolitan water supply from the Yan Yean reservoir”. It adds that the reservoirs helped settle sediment carried from Yan Yean and eased pressure on water mains that were prone to bursting. So yes, the suburb was named after actual reservoirs.
Getting around
The shape of it: the station sits where Broadway meets High Street, with the Edwardes Street strip on one side and Broadway on the other; Big Build describes shops and businesses on either side of the tracks. Plenty Road carries the route 86 tram, and in the east, along the Darebin Creek, Victorian Places describes an extensive linear reserve with ovals.
Trains. Reservoir is served by four stations on the Mernda line: Reservoir, Regent, Keon Park and Ruthven. Metro lists Reservoir Station at Broadway / High Street, in both myki Zone 1 and Zone 2; Regent is also in both zones, while Ruthven and Keon Park are Zone 2 only. The current station dates from 2019. Victoria’s Big Build says the High Street level crossing “was removed by building a rail bridge over the road”, that a new Reservoir Station was built, and that “The level crossing was removed and new Reservoir Station opened in December 2019”. The same works built a public plaza and improved the shared paths, creating a direct link between Edwardes Street and Broadway. Metro’s facilities list for the station includes a lift, accessible toilets, parking, accessible parking and bicycle facilities. Its station page also carries planned-works and replacement-bus notices, so check it before you travel.
Buses. Transport Victoria’s departures board for the Reservoir Station/Edwardes St stop lists routes 553, 558 and 561, heading towards Preston, West Preston, Macleod and Pascoe Vale Station. Route 301 runs from the Reservoir Station/High St stop to La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus; check its timetable for the days it runs.
Trams. Route 86 (Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City, Docklands) runs up Plenty Road. Yarra Trams lists five of its stops under Reservoir, from Ethel Gr (stop 53) to Reservoir High School (stop 57).
Bikes. The Merri Creek Trail and the Darebin Creek Trail, both shared paths for cyclists and walkers, pass through Reservoir, per Wikipedia.
For: a station rebuilt in 2019, a tram on Plenty Road and a direct bus to La Trobe. Against: the station page carries planned-works notices, and the timetable, not this page, decides how long the trip into the city takes.
Who lives here
At the 2021 Census, Reservoir had 51,096 residents and a median age of 38. The median weekly rent was $360.
Housing is mostly houses. At the 2021 Census, 63.2 per cent of occupied private dwellings were separate houses and 32.5 per cent were semi-detached, row or terrace houses and townhouses; flats and apartments were 3.9 per cent. Wikipedia describes “standard brick or weatherboard homes, and an increasing number of new developments”.
For: a big suburb with a real spread of houses and townhouses. Against: these are 2021 figures, five years old, and rents may have moved since; check current listings before you budget.
Parks and places
Edwardes Lake Park. At 75 Leamington Street. Victorian Places calls it “the largest area of open space”, and says the land, 14 hectares, was donated to Preston Council by a supporter of the Anglican church, whom it names as Dyer Thomas Edwardes (Wikipedia gives the name as Thomas Dyer Edwardes). Darebin Council’s page lists barbecue tables, picnic tables, walking paths, a playground with an accessible nest swing, a skate park, a basketball or netball court, an outdoor gym, drinking fountains and toilets. Two rules to know: dogs “must be on lead and under control everywhere and at all times except at the dog off-lead park on the corner of Leamington Street and Seaver Grove”, and “Fishing is not permitted. Penalties apply.”
Reservoir Leisure Centre. The council’s pool and gym at 2A Cuthbert Road. Darebin says it has “a variety of indoor pools, outdoor pools and a hydrotherapy pool”, plus a gym and group fitness classes.
Reservoir Library. At 23 Edwardes Street, run by Darebin Libraries. It offers wireless internet, public computers and printing, membership is free, and there is bike parking on site. Its listed hours are 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and 1pm to 5pm Sunday.
Other open space. Victorian Places notes the linear reserve with ovals along the Darebin Creek in the east, and Donath Park in the north, which “has several ovals”.
For: a lake park with a playground, skate park and dog off-lead area, and a council pool, all inside the suburb. Against: the lake is not for fishing, and dogs stay on lead everywhere in the park except the off-lead area.
Shopping and eating
Wikipedia calls Reservoir “home to the Edwardes Street and Broadway shopping strips”, and Victorian Places dates the original shopping centre, near the station, to the 1920s. These four were checked against their own websites and a second source on 2 October 2026. They are a starting point, not a ranking.
Clayton & Me — 12 Edwardes St, Reservoir VIC 3073
A brekkie-and-lunch cafe that, by its own account, is about 120 metres from Reservoir Station, with a pet-friendly back area. Its menu lists the Avo Breakfast at $23 (smashed avocado, poached eggs, Danish feta and dukkah on sourdough), Clayton’s Big Breakfast at $29, and a small flat white at $4.80. It lists opening from 7am to 4pm on weekdays and 7:30am to 3pm on weekends.
For: a full menu with prices published online, a short walk from the station. Against: it closes mid-arvo, so it is a breakfast and lunch stop, not dinner.
Il Pasticcino — 64 Edwardes Street, Reservoir VIC 3073
An Italian pasticceria on the Edwardes Street strip that describes itself as a family-owned patisserie “Established in Melbourne over 30 years ago”. Its own list runs to cannoli, biscotti, croissants, Italian-style donuts, ciabatta, panini, pizza and arancini. A cannolo is a fried pastry tube filled with sweetened ricotta or custard; the shop says its shells and custard are made on site, and that it roasts its own coffee label. Its site lists hours from Tuesday to Sunday.
For: Italian pastries and bread on Edwardes Street. Against: no prices online, and its own hours list has no Monday, so ring before a Monday trip.
Edwardes Lake Hotel — 257 Edwardes Street, Reservoir VIC 3073
The pub at 257 Edwardes Street, which describes itself as having a “family-friendly bistro” and a Kid’s Planet indoor playground. Its bistro menu lists the chicken parma at $29 (panko-crumbed chicken breast, ham, Napoli sauce and mozzarella, with salad and chips), fish and chips at $28, and the Edwardes Lake Burger at $27. The menu notes a 15 per cent surcharge on public holidays. The bistro lists lunch and dinner sittings from Monday to Saturday and all-day dining on Sunday.
For: a pub bistro with its menu and prices online, and an indoor playground for the kids. Against: the kitchen runs set lunch and dinner sittings from Monday to Saturday, not all day, and public holidays cost 15 per cent more.
Summerhill Shopping Centre — 850 Plenty Road, Reservoir VIC 3073
A shopping centre on Plenty Road. Its own page lists Coles, Aldi and Kmart as its majors: Coles from 7am to 10pm, Aldi from 8:30am to 8pm and Kmart from 8am to 10pm, every day. The centre’s core trading hours are shorter: 9am to 6pm Monday to Wednesday, to 9pm Thursday and Friday, and to 5pm on weekends. Coles’ own store page lists this branch as Coles Summerhill, at 852 Plenty Rd.
For: a supermarket, a discount supermarket and a discount department store in one centre, with long hours for the majors. Against: the centre’s core trading hours are shorter than the majors’ hours, so check a store’s own hours before an evening trip.
Schools and services
Schools. Three schools we checked give a Reservoir address on their own websites: Reservoir High School (855 Plenty Road), Reservoir Primary School (1-5 Duffy St) and Reservoir Views Primary School (73-91 Hickford St). Check school zones and enrolment directly with each school.
Council. Darebin City Council is at 274 Gower Street, Preston. It has a customer service counter in Reservoir, inside the Reservoir Community and Learning Centre at 23 Edwardes Street, open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm, excluding public holidays. The main council phone line is 03 8470 8888.
If you move here, know:
- The postcode is 3073 and the council is Darebin; the Reservoir counter is at 23 Edwardes Street.
- Reservoir Station is in both Zone 1 and Zone 2, and three more Mernda line stations serve the suburb.
- Edwardes Lake is for walking, not fishing, and dogs are on lead except in the off-lead area.
Quick answers
What is the postcode for Reservoir VIC?
- Australia Post lists Reservoir, Victoria, under 3073.
Which council is Reservoir in?
The City of Darebin. Its offices are at 274 Gower Street, Preston, and it has a customer service counter inside the Reservoir Community and Learning Centre at 23 Edwardes Street.
What train line is Reservoir station on?
The Mernda line. Metro lists Reservoir Station at Broadway / High Street, in Zone 1 and Zone 2. Regent, Keon Park and Ruthven, on the same line, also serve the suburb, per Wikipedia.
Is there parking at Reservoir station?
Metro’s facilities list for Reservoir Station includes parking, accessible parking and bicycle facilities, as well as a lift and accessible toilets.
How do I get from Reservoir station to La Trobe University?
Bus route 301 runs from the Reservoir Station/High St stop to La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus, per Transport Victoria.
What is the population of Reservoir?
51,096 at the 2021 Census, with a median age of 38.
Why is Reservoir called Reservoir?
Victorian Places says the name comes from three reservoirs built in 1864, 1909 and 1913, north of Preston, to hold the metropolitan water supply from the Yan Yean reservoir.
Can you fish at Edwardes Lake?
No. Darebin Council’s page for Edwardes Lake Park says fishing is not permitted and penalties apply.
What are the Reservoir Library opening hours?
Darebin Libraries lists 10am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and 1pm to 5pm Sunday, at 23 Edwardes Street.
What suburbs are next to Reservoir?
Thomastown to the north, Bundoora to the north-east, Kingsbury to the east, Heidelberg West to the south-east, Preston to the south, Coburg North to the south-west, Fawkner to the west and Campbellfield to the north-west.
How we checked
On 2 October 2026 we read each source’s own page with raw curl or Jina Reader and copied every fact, figure and price exactly as printed. Census figures are from the ABS 2021 Census QuickStats for Reservoir (SAL22161). The park, leisure centre, council offices and customer service counter are from Darebin Council’s own pages, and the library from Darebin Libraries. The train line, zones and station facilities are from Metro Trains; the new station is from Victoria’s Big Build; bus routes are from Transport Victoria and tram stops from Yarra Trams. History, the name, the distance and the creek reserve are from Victorian Places; the neighbouring suburbs, the bike trails and the description of housing are from Wikipedia. Each shop and restaurant was confirmed on its own website and at a second source on a different domain: Clayton & Me and Il Pasticcino at the Australian Good Food Guide, Edwardes Lake Hotel at Clubs and Pubs Near Me, and Summerhill Shopping Centre at The Reject Shop’s store page and Only Melbourne. Menu prices are from Clayton & Me’s own menu page and Edwardes Lake Hotel’s own bistro menu. We left out places we could not confirm on a current page of their own. The photos are illustrative, from Unsplash: they show the kind of place or dish, not Reservoir itself.
Seen something out of date? Email [email protected] with the page link and what has changed, and we will check it again.
Sources
- Population, age, rent and dwellings: ABS 2021 Census QuickStats, Reservoir
- Postcode: Australia Post
- History, name, distance and open space: Victorian Places, Reservoir
- Neighbouring suburbs, stations, trails and housing: Wikipedia, Reservoir, Victoria
- Trains: Metro Trains, Mernda line and Reservoir Station; new station: Victoria’s Big Build, High Street, Reservoir and New Reservoir Station open
- Buses: Transport Victoria, Reservoir Station/Edwardes St and route 301
- Trams: Yarra Trams, route 86
- Council: Darebin, Contact us and Customer service locations
- Parks and pool: Darebin pages for Edwardes Lake Park and Reservoir Leisure Centre
- Library: Darebin Libraries, Reservoir Library
- Clayton & Me: claytonandme.com.au, menu and about; also AGFG
- Il Pasticcino: ilpasticcino.com.au and about; also AGFG
- Edwardes Lake Hotel: edwardeslakehotel.com.au and its bistro menu (PDF); also Clubs and Pubs Near Me
- Summerhill Shopping Centre: summerhillshoppingcentre.com.au; also The Reject Shop, Only Melbourne and Coles Summerhill
- Schools: Reservoir High School, Reservoir Primary School, Reservoir Views Primary School
