Words: Georgina Guedes | Images: Ter Hollmann & Supplied
Between the M1 and Corlett Drive lies the leafy suburb of Melrose, where people walk and children play in the streets, and parks and malls are right on your doorstep.
Melrose is an oasis of calm between the bustling suburbs of Rosebank and Sandton. Although it’s bordered by the M1 highway on one side and the busy Corlett Drive on the other, its wide tree-lined avenues are quiet and peaceful, and residents enjoy walking through their streets as much as they do visiting the variety of parks in the area.
Melrose is known for having large houses and gardens – perfect for families who enjoy the space. However, there are a number of newer townhouse and apartment developments in the area, especially along Corlett Drive and around Melrose Arch, the exclusive award-winning mixed-use development just off the M1.
Property
Shelley Meskin, an actress and musical theatre teacher, and her husband Marc Immerman, a lawyer, bought their home in Melrose four years ago – after three years of looking through the property pages every Sunday and visiting show houses. “We stalked the area for three years before we could afford to buy,” Shelley says. “And when the time was right, we’d been house-hunting every weekend for about four months.”
Then they struck it lucky. “The owners had bought elsewhere and it was the end of the year, so they needed to make a sale in a hurry. So, they brought their price down, which meant that we could get exactly what we wanted at a price we could afford.”
Their home is a lovely north-facing old house, with big rooms, high ceilings and parquet floors. It has a large garden on two levels, with a pool, a laundry and an external art room. “But more than anything, it just has a great energy,” says Shelley. “We’re both all about the energy, and it’s just very calm, quiet and secure.”
As an added bonus, the property has an income-generating cottage with a separate entrance. Initially, Shelley and Marc let it out on Airbnb, but now they have a long-term tenant, which Shelley says brings a lot of relief at the end of every month. Because of the separate entrance, the cottage feels like it’s next door, rather than in their backyard. “We never see our tenant,” Shelley says.
She was attracted to the Melrose area because it was similar, but a step up, from Norwood, where they lived before. “We wanted to be more centrally located for work and schools, but we wanted a similar feeling to Norwood. Here there’s a bit of a street culture and people walk a lot. And we love the parks all around.”
Schooling
Shelley’s two children go to school at King David Victory Park, which, while not exactly on the doorstep of Melrose, is a convenient distance away.
However, the suburb has a number of excellent schools within easy walking distance, including Pridwin, Kingsmead College, Bellavista School and St Vincent School for the Deaf. Further afield, but still close, are St John’s College, St Mary’s School, Roedean School and King Edward VII School (KES) – as well as two King David schools, in opposite directions.
“The suburb’s not more than 10 minutes from all the major schools. It’s such a family area. I’ll often see school kids walking home in the afternoon. And if you drive around, there’s someone playing a cricket game and kids gathering,” says Shelley.
Explore
Shelley and her family spend a lot of leisure time in their neighbourhood. “There’s lots to do – it’s one of the reasons we moved here. We walk the dogs at the parks. We’ll do family outings to the James and Ethel Gray Park or to the small park across the road from the Birdhaven Centre.”
She says that she often takes the children to a boomed-off road nearby to ride bikes. “They’re not streetwise enough for me to be happy with them riding in the general area, but in the boomed-off bits, people drive carefully and look out for kids, so they can ride for the length of the street.”
Shelley is focused on clean eating, enjoying a mostly vegan diet with the occasional piece of wild-caught fish. Because of this, they visit local restaurants where she can be sure to find something to order, like Voodoo Lily Cafe, the Arbour Cafe and Courtyard or Tortellini d’Oro. When they venture further afield, they often go to Greenside, where they will visit Spiceburg, Doppio Zero or Conscious 108.
When Shelley and Marc – or their kids – want to see a movie, they most often visit Rosebank Mall or Hyde Park Corner. “We’ll sometimes head out to Sandton, but not often because of all the roadworks,” Shelley says.
Shelley says they’ve found their haven in Melrose – a suburb that caters to their needs, where their kids can grow up in peace and security, with any shops, restaurants or parks they might like to visit no more than a 10-minute drive away in any direction.
“I love living in Melrose because it reminds me of my childhood days in so many ways. It’s a true leafy suburb in our growing Joburg metropolis, where you can take a quiet stroll down the road to the park while kids ride their bikes, bunnies appear from nowhere to eat the grass on the pavement and people wave a friendly hello on their afternoon run.”
Shelley Meskin, resident
Do:
- Go zip-lining through the trees at Acrobranch.
- Walk the dogs or take a run at the James and Ethel Gray Park.
- Catch a cricket match at the Wanderers Stadium.
- Grab a meal, coffee or ice cream while exploring Melrose Arch.
- Check out the art on display at the in Toto Gallery in Birdhaven.
- Beat the traffic and catch the Gautrain to Sandton, Pretoria or the CBD.
- Go bird-watching at the Melrose Bird Sanctuary hide.
Eat:
- Voodoo Lily Cafe, Birdhaven: for wholesome family meals
- Arbour Cafe and Courtyard, Birdhaven: for local cuisine with a French twist
- Tortellino d’Oro, Oaklands: for handmade pasta and Italian fare
- Jamie’s Italian, Melrose Arch: for “The Naked Chef’s” signature dishes
- Tashas, Melrose Arch: for beautifully presented meals
- Orient, Melrose Arch: for Asian fusion meals
- Moyo, Melrose Arch: for a unique African dining experience
Shop:
- BluBird Shopping Centre
- Melrose Arch
- Rosebank Mall and Zone
- Sandton City
- Thrupps Centre, Illovo
Why we love Melrose Arch:
Melrose Arch was designed to emulate the street-facing shopping experience of Europe. Its open walkways and squares, lined with an eclectic mix of local and international designer stores, make for a pleasant stroll and window shopping – or actual shopping – experience for visitors. A range of leading restaurants overlooking the square makes this an ideal destination for foodies, and the centre management often arranges child-friendly events like Christmas lights or jumping castles to keep the whole family entertained. Tenants include are a three-storey Woolworths, a vibrant Moyo, Jamie’s Italian, Starbucks and Tiger of Sweden, among many others.
Find out more: melrosearch.co.za
