Car Rental Deer Park Downtown

Deer Park lies 30 minutes from the central business district in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The area is well-catered for with a handy network of major roads, including Ballarat Road and the Western Freeway. Your hire car will help you navigate Deer Park’s streets with ease or take you swiftly to the outskirts of Melbourne – to Bacchus Marsh and beyond. When gold was discovered in Ballarat and Bendigo, Deer Park was the site of Melbourne’s first explosives factory, built to supply a growing demand on the goldfields, and later for World War II. Today, it takes only an hour to travel from Deer Park to historic Ballarat, the third largest city in Victoria and a popular tourist destination.

Located in the City of Brimbank, Deer Park is a family-friendly suburb with a population of 18,000 people. To its north lies Kororoit Creek, which forms a natural boundary with Deer Park’s neighbours; while the southern suburban fringe has seen sprawling farm properties give way to housing developments. Home to a number of native reptiles, like the iconic blue-tongue lizard, Deer Park has some wonderful green spaces for the locals to enjoy. Migratory birds and other significant native species still call Kororoit Creek Reserve home, as do a few remnant stands of river red gum and white mangroves. What’s more, frog populations have been returning to the area due to increased vegetation and the restoration of wetlands around some new estates. 

Starting at Caroline Springs, the upper Kororoit Creek Trail offers a series of scenic bush walks along an easy sealed track. Traverse the creek valley by cycle or on foot and encounter large waterholes and basalt cliffs; depending on the time of year, you may see some mini-rapids too. Head further down to the lower trail towards Brooklyn, and you’ll find a series of large-scale artworks by local artist, Geoffrey Ricardo. Each threemetres in height, these impressive pieces (called ‘Spirits of Time and Place’), were commissioned as part of the revival of the Creek as a place of recreation. As a testament to the strong community spirit in the area, this former industrial wasteland has become a fertile oasis, thanks to the work of hundreds of hardworking volunteers. 

Discover more about Deer Park as you get around in your hire car

Deer Park has been thoughtfully planned with many parks, reserves and green spaces. The Isabella Williams Reserve borders Kororoit Creek and is adjacent to a large swathe of grasslands. Named for an early pioneer farmer in the area, a mother of 12 children, this large parkland features an adventure playground and barbecue area and is an easy place to enjoy the outdoors close to home.

Hunt Club Community and Arts Centre in Deer Park is one of Brimbank’s last remaining 19th century buildings. Back in 1886, when this gracious building was constructed, the Melbourne Hunt Club came to hunt game deer in the area – and so, the suburb’s name changed from Kororoit (or ‘creek on the western plain’, in the local traditional language) to Deer Park. Today the Hunt Club serves multiple functions – as an arts centre, a neighbourhood house, or simply as a lovely place to pop in for a cuppa. Experience a real focus on community arts here, with exhibitions, a pottery studio, entrance mural, and tranquil gardens with sculptures and mosaics.

Enjoy the stay in Deer Park even more with your hire car

Deer Park has all the amenities you need to make your visit more comfortable. The Brimbank Shopping Centre makes retail a breeze with supermarkets, chemists, banks, beauticians, bakeries, a medical centre and more. Enjoy a coffee or a bite at a good selection of cafes, eateries or your fast-food favourites. Come dinnertime, sup with the locals at the Deer Park Hotel. The bistro menu is full of regular pub favourites; or make a beeline to the sports bar for an equally tasty meal, accompanied with a live match on the big screen. 

If you’re looking further afield for delicious dining options and entertainment, Deer Park is only 12-kilometres from the vibrant heart of Footscray. There you’ll find a stack of stylish bars, restaurants and eateries in this delightful foodie destination. Your hire car will not only introduce you to the best of Deer Park, but also help you explore the lively western side of Melbourne.