JenniferS3

This review is from a young couple, no children or pets (although we do want a dog), both full-time workers, with active lifestyles.

Living on Burgundy Street is EXTREMELY convenient. There is a wide range of grocery stores, a few chemists, some shopping options (although I never visit the clothing stores), post office, hospitals, gyms and a park; basically all the things you might need for everyday life. There are malls that are fairly close such as Northland and Doncaster, both can be reached by bus in about 30mins (I prefer Doncaster, but to each their own).

The park is nice and big, definitely a good spot to bring your furry friends!

As I do not own a car, public transportation was really important for me (partner has a car). A train ride to Flinders from Heidelberg averages about 25mins. Buses are easily accessible. I've never had a problem with public transportation (although the hill can sometimes be daunting if the weather isn't right haha)

Having the hospitals just up the road is quite convenient, regardless if you own a car. I had to go to urgent care in the middle of the night and was able to get there within 10 minutes. Another time I needed a dental consultation and x-ray and all was done within walking distance of my residence. Again, the convenience of having various chemists is great for filling prescriptions or whatever you need.

Our building offers gated parking as well as 30min guest parking which isn't very long at all. Other than that there is parking in the Warringal shopping centre, street parking, parking behind Leo's and along side streets. We've had a few guests and they've never complained about parking. It's all free parking, however, they do ticket if you overstay the sign, so beware!

There are quite a few restaurants along Burgundy Street with diverse cuisine. To name a few: Fish and Chips, Burgers, Pizza, Italian, Coffee, Japanese/Sushi, Chinese, Indian, Greek, Thai, etc. These range from take-away to date night dining.

If you're looking for nightlife, I wouldn't recommend Heidelberg.

The one thing that really bothers my partner and I is the noise. We happen to live on one of the busiest cross-streets which makes for a noisy environment. We rarely, if ever open our patio door or window because the traffic noise is constant. They have recently put up signs that trucks are not allowed after a certain time, but I haven't noticed a change in noise levels. Obviously, living on Burgundy Street is going to have it's pros and cons, you can have everything you need practically within reach but you sacrifice a bit of peace and quiet. Other areas of Heidelberg, maybe further away from the shops might be a bit quieter but if you plan on living right in the action, prepare for some noise. When looking at a place make sure to open the windows or patio doors and see if you hear the noise! I wish we would've been more thorough with listening.

Rent is a bit pricey for a 1 bed/1 bath BUT keep in mind...you are paying for convenience. So for my partner and I, it makes sense for our current lifestyle. (Again, we're busy bees and are happy that we're within walking distance of all of the above).

My partner complains of the traffic getting in and out of Heidelberg. Again, it's a very busy area! I would recommend making the trek to your potential new place during traffic hours so you can get a feel of how it is around here. He has the ability to make his own hours so he generally avoids traffic but when he doesn't he says it can be a killer.

Overall, I thorough enjoy living in Heidelberg. My neighbours are lovely, people at the local shops in Warringal (fruit and veg stand and Chester's butcher especially) are very friendly. The area is safe (police station just near the park). The demographic seems to be young families and/or pensioners.