Steve Tabban can remember the days when mention of his home suburb would inevitably bring up a frustrating, derogatory nickname: “Scum-shine”.

But today, as the winds of change make their way through Sunshine, the 38-year-old hears it less and less.

Tabban, vice president of the Sunshine Business Association who has Arab ancestry, says the western suburb is becoming increasingly vibrant, clean and safe, while maintaining its character of multiculturalism and inclusivity.

“I’ve seen it change dramatically; Sunshine has taken a massive leap,” he says. “When I was a boy, some of it was still paddock. I’ve seen it go from full of very old-school Californian bungalows to having two shopping centres and a town centre.”

A buzzing centre

With a $143 million revamp funded by Brimbank Council, Sunshine’s main street of Hampshire Road went from being a tired retail strip to a lively hub with wide, modern walkways, cycle paths and greenery, overlooked by fresh municipal offices. On sunny afternoons, locals gather outside to sip on Vietnamese coffee and lunch on banh mi; Ethiopian, Indian and Persian eateries also dot the area.

“Good cafes are popping up and bigger brands are opening stores,” Tabban says.

At his real estate business, Tabban is seeing more young couples moving into Sunshine after being priced out of suburbs…