For classes or placements across different suburbs, West Tower beside Southern Cross offers useful transport connections. In Melbourne Quarter, it also has fitness, media and shared work spaces at home. Compare it as a student accommodation community with a long-term rental model, checking furniture, eligibility and lease terms for the actual apartment.
One point can be confusing: although the page appears in UniLodge’s student accommodation section, the building page describes West Tower as a rental community of self-contained apartments, with furnished and unfurnished options. It is not a traditional student-only residence. If you are a student, confirm eligibility, lease length and furniture against the specific apartment before applying.
The shared facilities are extensive. There is a co-working area, meeting rooms and quiet study spaces, bookable podcast studios, HIIT, Spin and Flex studios, ten-pin bowling, indoor virtual golf, a cinema, games area and a soundproof music room. Level 40 has a residents’ lounge, private dining room, outdoor terrace and barbecue area. Whether you want to work from home, practise music, exercise or have friends over for dinner, there is a space for it.
Residents also have parcel lockers and free bicycle storage. UniLodge says each apartment has energy-efficient appliances, while furniture depends on the individual rental. This is a student accommodation community with a long-term rental model, so inspect the actual apartment you would lease. Check whether furniture and kitchen appliances are included and which street the windows face; display images are not a substitute for seeing your unit.
Southern Cross Station is across the road, and SkyBus airport services arrive there. That makes the trip into the city easier when you have large bags. Trams run along several edges of Melbourne Quarter, which is within the Free Tram Zone. For RMIT City or a CBD internship, use a tram or walk depending on your destination. For UniMelb Parkville, connect with a northbound tram from the city. The best stop depends on your teaching building, so search the building name from your timetable rather than only the university name.
Melbourne Quarter has cafés, restaurants, a pharmacy and a pub, so coffee or an urgent pharmacy visit is close by. Southern Cross Station has a supermarket, pharmacy and currency exchange service. For more Asian groceries and Chinese food, head towards Melbourne Central, QV or Queen Victoria Market. QV has SolAsia Hypermart and a supermarket. Queen Vic Market trades on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with fresh produce, meat and seafood.
Public resident posts often mention transport links, building facilities and move-in support. One resident also noted that apartments facing the railway can hear passing trains. This depends on the apartment’s orientation and your sensitivity to sound. During an inspection, close the window and spend a moment listening; if you work from home or are a light sleeper, ask about outlook and sound insulation.
Prices and lease terms are subject to the latest quotes at the top of this page. These are examples of individual apartments, not a fixed building-wide rate. Rent varies with furniture, apartment and agreement. UniLodge does not currently publish a single building-wide rent range, so check the listing and lease for the apartment you are considering.
Before signing, confirm who arranges electricity, water and internet, which bills are included and whether the lease fits your study dates. Inspect the appliances, windows, storage and parcel lockers. On move-in day, take photos as you would for a condition report. Even with extensive amenities, check whether residents can use them, and whether bookings are required.
West Tower may suit you if you study or work in the CBD, travel across Melbourne often and value fitness, work and entertainment spaces in your building. If your budget is tight or you need a very quiet home, compare the rent, apartment orientation and possible utility bills with other options.
Ask a Yeeliving adviser to compare this building with nearby accommodation. Applying for student accommodation is free; Yeeliving’s student accommodation service is free. If you need a proxy inspection, Yeeliving assigns it to a senior student. After a referred friend signs a lease and moves in, the referrer can receive referral cashback, paid only to the referrer; details are as shown on your account page.