Known for grand, historic residences and tranquil, leafy streets, Camberwell is commonly regarded as one of Melbourne's most prestigious and exclusive suburbs.

[4] The area now known as Camberwell was inhabited from an estimated 31,000 to 40,000 years ago[5] and is part of the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation.

[6] The Prospect Hill Road Precinct area is adjacent to the railway station and is the oldest part of the suburb.

Due to its hilly topography, many east–west streets in the Prospect Hill area have a view of Melbourne's Central Business District.

It is part of the City of Boroondara, the local government area with the lowest socio-economic disadvantage index in Australia.

There is almost no industrial land in Camberwell, and commercial uses are concentrated near the Burke Road precinct, which has long been one of the busiest in suburban Melbourne.

In the 1980s, a planned major development to the east of the Burke Road shopping strip met substantial opposition from local residents.

[14] High-profile present and past residents Geoffrey Rush and Barry Humphries supported the protest action,[14] but the development was finally approved in 2009.

[20] The Camberwell Sunday Market has been operated by the Rotary Club of Balwyn since 1976 and comprises 370 stallholders, selling secondhand clothing, books, furniture, and crafts.

Camberwell is well-serviced by public transport with three rail lines, three tram routes and three bus services operating throughout the suburb.