When Harry and Erin move into their new apartment at Bowden’s Uniting on Second next year, they’ll join a growing number of people swapping their second car for a pair of bikes.

The young couple, currently renting an apartment in Norwood while their new home is under construction, both study and work in the city and are looking forward to embracing a new lifestyle at Bowden.

“We both drive currently, but since our apartment will only have one car space, we’ll be sharing one car between us,” Harry said.

“We both work in the city, so our plan is to start riding our bikes to work once we’re living closer.”

Erin added: “As a backup, we’ll probably take the tram. We’ll still drive on weekends, since a lot of our plans aren’t always accessible by public transport. But with so many friends nearby, carpooling is always an option.”

Bowden was designed as a transport-oriented development, with its own train stop, nearby tram access offering free transport to the City, walking paths, and bikeways including the offroad Outer Harbor Greenway which connects residents through the Adelaide Park Lands to the city and beyond.

The latest Census showed that only 17.4% of Bowden residents have a second or third car, compared to 55.6% as the South Australian average.

According to data collected by sustainability consultancy dsquared, which conducted bespoke market research for Bowden, car use among residents is 20% lower than the South Australian average. Cycling and public transport make up the majority of alternative travel modes.

On Super Tuesday in 2024, a national day for tracking cycling trends, 510 cyclists were recorded commuting through the River Torrens Linear Park toward the CBD, a trail that conveniently connects Bowden residents to the city.

Back to Harry and Erin.

At 24, the couple leads busy lives. While pursuing their PhDs, Harry researching artificial intelligence and team dynamics, and Erin exploring how recycled water can help drought-prone societies, they frequently visit Bowden to see friends who already live there.

“I’d say we visit Bowden fortnightly,” Erin said when asked how often they’re in the area.

Their friendships and the local food scene are what drew them to the precinct, and what keeps them coming back.

“If we’re not at a friend’s apartment, we’re at one of the local food spots,” Erin said.

“Our favourites are Plant 4, Juan’s Torta Cantina, and Lunar Landing. They have really cute desserts.”

Harry and Erin will be moving into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in UnitingSA’s 70-home complex, currently under construction and scheduled for completion in early 2026.

The development will feature communal and private outdoor spaces, a rooftop garden, bike storage, and aims for a 5 Star Green Star rating.

Uniting SA CEO Jenny Hall said the project was designed with affordability in mind.

“UnitingSA provides affordable housing to those on low to moderate incomes,” Ms Hall said

Uniting on Second is our largest development to date, and we’re excited to be building in the heart of Bowden.”

As first home buyers, Harry and Erin qualified to be able to buy an affordable home through HomeSeeker SA and took advantage of shared equity through the state government’s HomeStart scheme.

“Opportunities for first-home buyers, especially PhD students, are usually limited to fixer-uppers far from the CBD,” Harry said.

“Being able to buy a modern, environmentally conscious apartment in such a central location almost felt too good to be true.”

While they eventually hope to own a home with a backyard, Erin said they’re excited to make the most of their time at Bowden.

“At this stage of our life, Bowden is likely to be an extended pit stop,” she said.

“We’d eventually like a backyard, but we don’t know where our PhDs and careers will take us.”

According to the 2021 Census, Adelaide has the second-lowest rate of apartment living among Australian capital cities at just 8%, in front of Hobart at 5%.

Harry and Erin are proud to be part of that 8% and are excited about the opportunities their new home will bring.

“This might sound lame, but Erin is extremely excited about the spacious balcony,” Harry said.

“We don’t have a balcony now, and it’s hard to access public green space where we live.

“She has big plans for growing veggies and flowers.”

And it’s not just about the apartment, it’s about being close to their community.

“Three of our friends have also bought in the Uniting on Second building, two are building townhouses just a few hundred metres away and another lives in Nightingale,” Harry said.

“We’re really looking forward to living so close to our friends—it’ll be easy to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbour.”

Construction on Uniting on Second began in July 2024 and is expected to be completed by late 2025.

Twenty-two of the 24 homes sold within three months of release, with the building officially selling out in May.