West Heidelberg has been hectic for 50 years, my Father grew up there...

Wow what a blast from the past TJ ! I was there in the flats in 2005 andI thought it was bad then, I had to leave because we were terroised by the upstairs crime ring. one night they got me , when I got a knock on the door. I heard  "police open up " I had the door open with the flyscreen locked due to  hot and suddenly a guy appeared and said , don't move were from the homicide squad " For the next hour I was inprisoned within my own home. They wouldn;'t let me go as they also had guns. (Sorry Im in tears) But the real police came which seemed like forever. They were charged with impersonation of a police offcer as well as kidnapping and firearms offense. I was so scared . Even now when people talk about Heidleberg , I see only that incident. I'm so glad I survived Oriel Road. What a sweet woman who talked to you. Lovely video as always. Can't wait for more :)

I've lived in Rosanna for 30 years and trust me when I say Heidy West is waaaaaay safer and better than when I was a kid in the 90s

Good job mate, I have lived in West Heidelberg for 52 years of my 59 years and know the place back to front, I grew up in the Olympic Village and as a kid had no idea it was a rough place to live. The Olympic Leisure Centre (TRY Youth club) back then was my home away from home as was Olympic Park where I played Football, Cricket and Little Athletics.
I think it was a bit better in the 60's and early 70's but the major decline would have been mid 70's through the 90's.
Always been good people there and you could avoid trouble if you wanted to as I did. Played a lot of sport in the area so I had no problems growing up there. Always been a stigma with living in Westy, I used to tell people I grew up in Heidelberg so they didn't think I was going to pinch their wallet.
They are gentrifying it with a lot of old commission places being knocked down, my current house was my parents which was built in 2008 so relatively new. I have lived there since their passing away.
I still wouldn't change a thing. I love the joint. Cheers.

You hit the nail on the head when you said that the council has abandoned the people of West Heidelberg, and for all the bad that is in West Heidelberg the good people out way all that crap, most people who live and grew up there are good hard working decent people who do want to see there area improve,  peace out brother 🙏

lived here about eight years ago, and I kid you not, it was the most spectacular experience of my life. I rented a house behind the Aldi, next to the commission flats, and honestly, I never needed a TV. I’d just step outside, have a smoke, and watch the chaos unfold.

One day, I was having a smoke, minding my own business, and watching the crackheads across the road when this skinny white guy pulled up in a station wagon. He drove into the flats and disappeared from view. About 17 seconds later, I heard screaming and arguing, followed by the sound of glass breaking.

Five seconds after that, the same guy drives out casually as if nothing happened but now, every single window on his car is smashed to bits, and there’s a pushbike hanging out of the back window. It was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

Then there was that time I went for a walk at night, and a police helicopter was hovering about 20 meters off the ground while SOG/SWAT guys were everywhere. That was fun.

Another time, a cracked-out guy drove his car into a building. There were overdoses left and right, with the fire brigade breaking into people’s flats to administer EpiPens. It was a wild time.

Oh, and on the first day I moved in, I saw this cracked out woman get into her car up the road. She drove for about three seconds, pulled up in front of my place, and tried to have a heart-to-heart conversation with me, acting like we’d known each other forever.

And then there was this one day I was heading to work. I turned the corner onto Bell Street at around 4 a.m., and there was this lady who had crashed her car into a streetlight. The car was stuck on the base, oil was everywhere, and she was just flooring it, trying to drive away. I parked my car and decided to watch the chaos unfold.

Eventually, we got her out of the car, and she started rambling about how her boyfriend made her go out to get drugs and a bunch of other crackhead nonsense. At that point, I was like, Ah, screw it. I’m going to work.

Best three years of my life.

I grew up here, right near The Mall. Awesome to see one of these vlogs done here

My childhood till 1972 was in West Heidelberg. It was clean, I felt safe, the Mall was the local shopping centre and I loved it. Thank the Lord my father moved us to North Ringwood in 1972. That place is now definately abandoned!

All those boarded up joints including the flats are getting redeveloped.
Heidelberg west is a fucken chill place and when you’re living there your neighbourhood and neighbours are real and friendly. Most of Heidelberg west was built by soldiers returning from the Korean War. And most of the names of streets are named after significant battles in wars.

Lived there for 70 years  still alive, wow

They got a lot of older houses down and new houses has been build, my mum brought a new build house 1999 and she's been there since. Now in Heidelberg West it's like mixing new and older houses and because the new owners came in the area you can see a lot of good cars in Heidelberg West now too.

i grew up here in the 90s - i used to get my haircut at sammy the barber at the mall (people in Heidelberg pronounced it as the mell) some of the best memories are from life in Heidelberg, met so many really good people here - never felt unsafe but looking back now she was a little wild back in them days!

Another banger baby

Bought my first house here in 1990 - sooo cheap and close to the city. Was a 'rough' area and some parts still are. But I've made some wonderful friends for life there. ❤ I actually miss living there. You should go to Heidelberg proper a couple of minutes east. Such a difference.

I've lived in Heidelberg for about 4 years. After moving here from Sunshine I'm like, eh it's not so bad 😅

Most boarded houses in Heidelberg West is due to commission house tenants moved on and property sold to developers. It has been slowly changing.
The Mall consists of individual owned shops therefore any attempts to rebuild it had failed. Heidelberg is not Heidelberg West,  two different looking suburbs with didn't post codes, Then there is Heidelberg Heights between Heidelberg and Heidelberg West. Overall one very large area

Preston local here. That bloke at the lights on Bell and Albert streets is there daily. He's usually asking for change or ranting his ass off. Don't think I've ever seen him actually wash a window lol

I used to drive through there, it always freaked me out! Great upload!

My prescribing Dr was in West Heidelberg. Love your work!

Omg so many memories you gave me as I grew up in West heidlberg in the 80 went to school at Olympic Village primary school then heidlberg tec look so quite now