From pooch-friendly parks to 'incredible' eats: Why Shaynna Blaze loves living in Hawthorn

When you’re keen to shower love on a new puppy, it helps to have plenty of off-leash dog parks nearby so your pooch can run amok with its canine friends.

For Shaynna Blaze, discovering a great choice of off-leash amenities gave her one more reason to love calling Hawthorn home.

“There are a lot of off-leash dog areas and having recently got a new puppy, it’s a life-saver,” says the interior design expert and television personality, well known as a judge on Channel 9’s The Block and as a host on the Lifestyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia.

Blaze’s new border collie Phoenix has access to a veritable feast of green spaces including St James Park, Grace Park, Fairview Park and along the Yarra Bank Reserve, all designed to keep both dogs and their human minders happy.

“[Hawthorn] has a very strong community to it and kids, dogs, adults and bike riders all mingle extremely well,” Blaze says.

Food for thought

There’s also no shortage of options for your caffeine fix, with Blood Orange a favourite with Blaze and Liar Liar top of a long list for Marshall White Boroondara agent Chris Barrett, who also recommends Short Straw and Moustache Brothers. All three cafes are located on Glenferrie Road which has a well-deserved reputation as an eat street.

Barrett says Japanese stand-out Ocha and Santoni Pizza Bar with its rooftop bar are hugely popular with locals.

Burwood Road also has plenty to offer foodies. Blaze likes to drop into St Cloud Eating House, a Vietnamese restaurant which also boasts a rooftop balcony, and Tinto Restaurant and Wine Bar for “incredible Spanish cuisine”.

Blaze says the tree-lined suburb is filled with boutique strip shops, including homewares and fabric houses. She likes to visit Mallalieu, a fashion boutique with a cafe and artisan deli, and heads to Peony “for exquisite scents and candles”.

Top of the class

But perhaps Hawthorn’s biggest drawcard is its proximity to Melbourne’s finest schools.

Barrett says families target the area in a bid for easy access to Xavier, Trinity, MLC, Ruyton Girls’ School, Scotch College and Carey Baptist Grammar School.

“It’s a great lifestyle location for families,” Barrett says. “It’s close to the CBD, transport, parks and the river precinct where there’s walking trails and bike paths. Property is very tightly held in Hawthorn, and in this market people are reluctant to move.”

Top home in the area

Hawthorn is home to some beautifully restored period homes and Quamby, a picturesque Victorian gem, is no exception.

Set on 780 square metres of established gardens within the exclusive Grace Park Estate, the property retains plenty of character including a return verandah, marble fireplaces, high ceilings with decorative roses and polished floorboards.

There’s also a marble kitchen, hydronic heating and a pool.

Marshall White Stonnington agent Marcus Chiminello has the listing, which is being marketed with a $4.5 million guide.