Much of the area's land was too wet to be built upon without appropriate drainage being installed, and by 1911, several neighbouring estates, the Council and Victorian Railways all had a stake in the outcome.

By 1913, the area had a progress association and in 1916, the council surveyor prepared plans for the four north–south streets in Gardenvale, which were already availed of a small but growing retail centre.

[8] Gardenvale is 12 km from Melbourne's Central Business District via the Nepean Highway, which enters the city as St Kilda Road.

The following bus routes operating around the area: There is also Gardenvale railway station on the Sandringham line, which is actually located in Brighton.

Prior to 2000, Gardenvale was one of several small Melbourne suburbs with two postcodes - being served by both Elsternwick (3185) to its north, and Brighton East (3187) to its south.