Parking at Victorian Dental Group

291 Wattletree Road, Malvern East VIC 3145

We provide free on-site parking for our clients, including reserved disability parking. Spaces are limited, so it is worth calling (03) 9088 5808 before you set out to check availability — that avoids arriving late because you were circling the block.

Finding the car park

Our car park is at the rear of the clinic, and the way in is not obvious from Wattletree Road. Follow these directions:

• From Wattletree Road, turn into White Street
• After about 50 metres, take the first left into the laneway
• Travel down the cobblestoned laneway for about 180 metres
• Our car park is on the left-hand side

Enter and exit via White Street, from Wattletree Road. The laneway can be approached from the other end, but it is considerably narrower at that point and awkward in a larger vehicle. First-time visitors in particular should use the White Street approach.

The laneway surface is cobbled, so take it slowly.

In short

If you find yourself on a narrow stretch of laneway with nowhere to turn, you have come in from the wrong end. Reverse out carefully and approach from White Street instead.

If you are using a map app

Navigation apps will route you to the Wattletree Road frontage, which is the building, not the car park. Set your destination to White Street instead, and follow the steps above from there. The laneway entrance is easy to drive past at normal traffic speed, so slow down as you turn in.

Street parking nearby

If the on-site car park is full, there is ample parking on Wattletree Road and the surrounding streets.

• One-hour parking directly outside the clinic. Adequate for a routine check-up, but tight for a longer appointment — check your booking length before you rely on it.
• Unrestricted parking is available a little further along Wattletree Road in the east direction.

Watch the clearway times. Wattletree Road is subject to clearway restrictions, and the unrestricted spaces past the clinic fall within a clearway zone at certain times of day. Read the signs each visit rather than relying on where you parked last time — clearway fines and towing are expensive, and the restrictions do change.

Please also be mindful of residential parking restrictions in the side streets.

How long will I actually need?

A rough guide, so you can judge whether one-hour parking is enough:

Add time either side for arriving, paperwork and settling the account. If in doubt, use the on-site car park or an unrestricted space — a parking fine costs more than the walk.

Accessible parking

Reserved disability parking is available on site.

The clinic is disability and ambulant access compliant. If you have specific access requirements — wheelchair access, a support person, difficulty with the laneway approach, or anything else — please call us before your visit. We can reserve the accessible space, allocate a suitable room, and make sure someone is expecting you.

If the cobbled laneway is a problem for you, say so when you ring. Being dropped at the Wattletree Road frontage is often the easier option, and we would rather arrange that in advance than have you struggle with it on the day.

Dropping someone off

The Wattletree Road frontage is the simplest drop-off point for anyone who would find the laneway difficult — someone using a walking frame, a parent with a pram and a toddler, or a patient coming in for a longer procedure. The driver can then park in the laneway or on the street and walk back.

The same applies at the end: ring from the chair-side if you would rather be collected at the front.

Arriving with children

Prams manage the laneway and the car park fine, though the cobbles are bumpy. If you are bringing more than one child on your own, the front drop-off is easier than the walk from the rear.

It is also worth allowing a few extra minutes. Children's appointments go better unhurried, and arriving flustered tends to set the tone for the visit.

Getting here without a car

Wattletree Road is served by public transport, and the surrounding streets are walkable. Rather than reproduce route numbers and timetables that change, we would point you at the PTV journey planner at ptv.vic.gov.au, which will give you current services to 291 Wattletree Road, Malvern East.

If you are being collected after a longer appointment, the Wattletree Road frontage is the easiest pick-up point.

After sedation or a general anaesthetic you must not drive. Those procedures are carried out in a hospital or a facility set up for them rather than here, but the same principle applies to any appointment that leaves you unfit to drive — arrange a lift in advance. After ordinary local anaesthetic, driving is fine.

Driving home afterwards

Most appointments leave you perfectly able to drive. Two things worth knowing:

• A numb lip and cheek is not a reason not to drive — local anaesthetic does not affect your judgement or reaction time. It does mean being careful with hot drinks and not chewing on that side until sensation returns, usually within two to four hours
• Book a lift if you have been told you will be sedated, or if you know you find dental treatment distressing enough that you would rather not drive straight afterwards. There is nothing unusual in that

First-time visitor checklist

• Ring ahead if you want to know whether the car park is likely to be free
• Navigate to White Street, not to the Wattletree Road address
• Allow a few extra minutes for the laneway and for finding the entrance
• Check the parking signs if you end up on the street, including the clearway times
• Bring your health fund card, Medicare card and medication list
• Complete your forms online beforehand if you have been sent the link

Running late

Ring (03) 9088 5808. We would much rather know than hold a chair empty, and depending on the day we can often still see you or move you to a better slot. See our attendance policies.

If you are more than a few minutes away and the appointment is a long one, ring from where you are rather than after you arrive — it gives us a chance to rearrange rather than cut the treatment short.

Questions we are asked

Is the car park free? Yes, for clients of the clinic.

Can I reserve a space? Not generally, but ring ahead and we will tell you what is free. Accessible parking can be reserved.

Will my car fit down the laneway? Standard cars and most SUVs, yes, via the White Street approach. Very large vehicles are better off using street parking.

Is there bicycle parking? Ring and ask — we will point you somewhere sensible.

Can I leave my car there while I run an errand? The spaces are for people attending the clinic, and there are only a few of them. Please move on afterwards so the next patient can park.

What if the car park is full when I arrive? Use the street parking described above and read the signs. Ringing ahead is the way to avoid the problem.

Is the entrance lit in the evening? Our last appointments finish by 5:00pm, so the laneway is used in daylight for most of the year. In winter, take the White Street approach and go slowly.

Victorian Dental Group — 291 Wattletree Road, Malvern East VIC 3145 · (03) 9088 5808 · Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm · book online

See also contact us and our clinic.

This page is general information and does not replace advice from a registered dental practitioner about your own circumstances. Parking restrictions are set by the local council and road authority and can change — always read the signs. Please see our Disclaimer.