Deakin spent his early years in Fitzroy, then lived briefly in Emerald Hill (now South Melbourne) before his family settled in South Yarra in about 1863.
Rather than build an entirely new house, his father transported a wooden cottage from Fitzroy to South Yarra and then had it brick-nogged.
His parents and sister would live there for the rest of their lives.
At the age of four, Deakin was sent to join his ten-year-old sister in Kyneton, a small country town where she was attending a girls' boarding school run by the Thompson sisters.
He was the only male pupil at the school.
It was unusual for children to be sent away at such a young age, and his biographer Judith Brett has speculated that their mother may have been suffering from a bout of depression or recovering from a stillbirth.
The Thompson sisters eventually moved their school to Melbourne, which Deakin continued to attend until the age of seven.
In early 1864, he was enrolled at Melbourne Grammar School as a day-boy.
He attended Melbourne Grammar for eight years, where he was a good student without excelling academically.
He later recalled that he had been "an incessantly restless, random and at times studiously mischievous pupil", and regretted that he had not been made to work harder.

In 1871, aged 15, Deakin passed the matriculation exam for the University of Melbourne.
He formed an ambition to become a barrister, and began attending evening classes the following year.
He could not afford to study full-time, working during the day as a schoolteacher and private tutor.
At the time, the Victorian Bar did not require a complete university degree for admission, only passing grades in relevant legal subjects.
Deakin was consequently admitted to the bar in September 1877, aged 21, without ever graduating from university.
According to his biographer John La Nauze, his legal studies were "the least important part of his education" during his time at university.
He was a frequent speaker in the Melbourne University Debating Society, where he was mentored by Charles Henry Pearson, and was also involved in the Eclectic Society.
He spent much of his spare time reading, "from Chaucer to the great writers of his own time".
For some time Deakin was "more interested in dreams of being a dramatist, a poet or a philosopher" rather than a lawyer.
He wrote numerous works of blank verse and narrative poetry, and in 1875 published Quentin Massys, a drama in five acts.

Deakin initially had difficulty in obtaining briefs as a barrister.
In May 1878, he met David Syme, the owner of the Melbourne daily The Age, who paid him to contribute reviews, leaders and articles on politics and literature.
In 1880, he became editor of The Leader, The Age's weekly.
During this period Syme converted him from supporting free trade to protectionism.
He became active in the Australian Natives' Association and began to practise vegetarianism.
He became a lifelong spiritualist, holding the office of President of the Victorian Spiritualists' Union.
Deakin spent his early years in Fitzroy, then lived briefly in Emerald Hill (now South Melbourne) before his family settled in South Yarra in about 1863. Rather than build an entirely new house, his father transported a wooden cottage from Fitzroy to South Yarra and then had it brick-nogged. His parents and sister would live there for the rest of their lives. At the age of four, Deakin was sent to join his ten-year-old sister in Kyneton, a small country town where she was attending a girls' boarding school run by the Thompson sisters. He was the only male pupil at the school. It was unusual for children to be sent away at such a young age, and his biographer Judith Brett has speculated that their mother may have been suffering from a bout of depression or recovering from a stillbirth. The Thompson sisters eventually moved their school to Melbourne, which Deakin continued to attend until the age of seven. In early 1864, he was enrolled at Melbourne Grammar School as a day-boy. He attended Melbourne Grammar for eight years, where he was a good student without excelling academically. He later recalled that he had been "an incessantly restless, random and at times studiously mischievous pupil", and regretted that he had not been made to work harder.
In 1871, aged 15, Deakin passed the matriculation exam for the University of Melbourne. He formed an ambition to become a barrister, and began attending evening classes the following year. He could not afford to study full-time, working during the day as a schoolteacher and private tutor. At the time, the Victorian Bar did not require a complete university degree for admission, only passing grades in relevant legal subjects. Deakin was consequently admitted to the bar in September 1877, aged 21, without ever graduating from university. According to his biographer John La Nauze, his legal studies were "the least important part of his education" during his time at university. He was a frequent speaker in the Melbourne University Debating Society, where he was mentored by Charles Henry Pearson, and was also involved in the Eclectic Society. He spent much of his spare time reading, "from Chaucer to the great writers of his own time". For some time Deakin was "more interested in dreams of being a dramatist, a poet or a philosopher" rather than a lawyer. He wrote numerous works of blank verse and narrative poetry, and in 1875 published Quentin Massys, a drama in five acts.
Deakin initially had difficulty in obtaining briefs as a barrister. In May 1878, he met David Syme, the owner of the Melbourne daily The Age, who paid him to contribute reviews, leaders and articles on politics and literature. In 1880, he became editor of The Leader, The Age's weekly. During this period Syme converted him from supporting free trade to protectionism. He became active in the Australian Natives' Association and began to practise vegetarianism. He became a lifelong spiritualist, holding the office of President of the Victorian Spiritualists' Union.
Alfred Deakin